selected Lancashire Home In fine form

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1 selected Lancashire Home In fine form Three years in the making, this renovated home in the conservation area of Lytham perfectly combines contemporary interior design with subtle artistic touches Report: Sophie Baylis Photography: David Still 20 kitchens bedrooms bathrooms

2 Lancashire Home selected The soft curves of the freestanding bath and wall-hung WC by Philippe Starck for Hansgrohe are typical of the couple s love of organic forms. Natural light streams in from the Velux roof window and enriches the luxurious basalt wall and floor tiles from Mandarin Stone. The sun-bleached finish of the olive ash vanity unit creates an earthy feel, complemented by curvaceous washbasins from Hansgrohe s Fogo collection. Deep recessed shelves either side of the vanity unit provide storage space 21

3 selected Lancashire Home The sun-bleached finish of the olive ash vanity unit complements the organic curves of Hansgrohe s Fogo basin. The finishing flourish is Jean-Marie Massaud s stunning flat-top mixer tap by Hansgrohe that delivers a beautiful cascade of water 22 kitchens bedrooms bathrooms

4 Lancashire Home selected Above: The wall and floors of the walkin shower are clad in beautiful basalt tiles. An oversized rainshower head by Hansgrohe was selected to create a relaxing showering experience Right: The bathroom is separated from the dressing area by a simple glass screen. A run of solid oak fitted wardrobes, incorporating a dressing table and walk-in component, affords ample storage You could be forgiven for thinking that David Heeley is a professional designer. He isn t. Having grown up in his parents hotel he fell in love with the hospitality industry at an early age and went on to launch the successful Hi-Life Diners Club over 20 years ago. Good taste, however, runs in his blood. The stunning three-bedroom house he shares with his wife, Korser, reveals an expert understanding of art and design, a genuine affection for natural materials and an innate ability to pull the elements together to create a timelessly contemporary vibe that remains sympathetic to its picturesque surroundings of Lytham Estuary. I ve always been motivated by architecture and design, begins David. I had already designed lots of elements of the house the windows, the doors, the staircase. So when we decided to embark on an extensive renovation almost three years ago it was just a matter of having the confidence to believe that we could do it ourselves. The kitchen is a perfect expression of the Heeleys minimalist mindset. We wanted it to be calm and easy on the eye compared to those kitchens that look busy and make people feel somewhat emotionally tired just by looking at them, says David. The solution was ample storage hidden behind floor-to-ceiling cabinet doors in glossy white lacquer. We originally came down to London and had a series of meetings with big name kitchen designers but were ultimately disappointed, recalls David. None of them were able to incorporate what we wanted into a design. u There is nothing worse than investing in contemporary design that will look tired in two or three years time 23

5 Selected Lancashire Home Above: Santa & Cole s stunning G7 pendant is suspended above the Interlübke bed in the master bedroom. The solid oak headboard designed by David and made by local craftsmen complements the solid oak floorboards from Havwoods. Philippe Starck s Archimoon lamps are fitted on either side of the bed Right: David and Korser chose timeless pieces of furniture to ensure their home does not date. Their bedroom is furnished with a pair of Le Corbusier s instantly recognisable LC2 leather armchairs and Eileen Grey s iconic side table. The bedroom leads onto the bathroom and dressing room via a solid oak door Undeterred, the Heeleys returned to Lancashire and found kitchen company David John Kitchens, which set about working with them to design their dream kitchen. I particularly love the double doors that open out to reveal a hidden work surface, says David of their clutter-free design. Everything from cups and coffee to the toaster is stored here. We even have drawers for mail. The white cabinets are a striking contrast to the three-tonne centrepiece a Zimbabwean granite island with a beautiful backlit Carrara marble panel that radiates a golden glow at night. I was determined to have that rough look, David says, indicating the chiselled finish of the island s chunky front profile. Unfortunately it proved impossible for most suppliers in the UK so in the end we sent it to India where it was chiselled and sealed. The Heeleys subscribe to the ethos that it s the little details that transform a good design into something unique. The understated but attractive barstools that were spotted in a restaurant in Spain are a case in point, as is the flooring where the tiles were subject to much scrutiny before the final decision was made. I immediately got in touch with the company, recalls David, and in the end we opted for putty-coloured limestone. The kitchen is representative of the Heeleys signature style and repeated throughout the house. Japanese-style oak doors that open out onto the Oriental-inspired garden speak of its Zen-like atmosphere, while a trio of retro-inspired lights suspended above the island unit are typical of the u 24 kitchens bedrooms bathrooms

6 Lancashire Home selected Above: The beauty of the second bedroom is that it doubles as a sitting room-cum-study when the couple don t have guests. The bed is suspended by bespoke laminated beams on either side and accessed via a ladder. Highlights include Andy Warhol s iconic print of Jackie Onassis, a cream version of Mies van der Rohe s leather Barcelona chair for Knoll and Le Corbusier s iconic daybed Below: David and Korser s guest bedroom is a lesson in savvy storage. They have used the apex roof to install bookshelves, which are accessed by a portable steel stepladder 25

7 selected Lancashire Home Above: The backlit Carrara marble panel of the luxurious island unit lends a warm golden glow to the kitchen at night. A Gaggenau fridge-freezer sits flush into cabinetry, while to the left are three backlit glass shelves the couple s only concession to exposed storage Right: The centrepiece to the Heeleys minimalist kitchen is a three-tonne Zimbabwean granite island unit. To create a casual dining area the island is teamed with high stools. Three retro-style George pendants from Tobias Grau cast a gentle light onto its rich surface from above couple s appreciation for classic aesthetics. The chiselled edge of the island unit recalls their repeated use of unrefined natural materials that exude an earthy appeal and a Van Gogh print hanging on the kitchen wall hints at their love of art. In fact each room in the house is dedicated to an artist, says David, somewhat pretentiously, he adds with a laugh. There is the Mark Rothko room, Roy Lichtenstein room, and Ian Fleming room. This artistic flair is captured in elements of the room, which is defined by a stunning freestanding Philippe Starck tub framed by a mural shower screen, plus twin washbasins set on top of a sun-bleached olive ash vanity unit. There is nothing worse than investing in contemporary design that will look tired in two or three years time, says David when asked about his choice of materials. By using timeless materials like olive ash or basalt tiles for the walls and floors materials that have been around for millions of years we hope to avoid this. Delivering a gentle cascade of water to their freestanding tub is a ceiling-mounted filler, while for the basins the couple specified Jean- Marie Massaud s minimalist mixer tap that similarly focuses attention away from the fitting and onto the water itself. In contrast, the Heeleys walk-in shower, separated from the rest of the bathroom by a simple screen, is dominated by a luxurious oversized showerhead. The bedroom-bathroom suite is the result of a recent extension. We wanted to incorporate an unashamedly modern extention that would look different from the rest of the house but work with it as a cohesive whole, explains David. Problems arose, though, when local authorities rejected their plans for a zinc-clad barrel roof on the grounds that it was not in keeping with the conservation area. I agree. It s good to conserve the best of the old but it s also important to add new buildings rather than make u 26 kitchens bedrooms bathrooms

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9 Selected Lancashire home Left: The couple wanted a calming kitchen, free from unwanted clutter. Their solution was sliding double doors that open out to reveal a work area equipped with wine storage, microwave and ample shelving. The cupboard is located within easy reach of the stainless-steel Blanco sink recessed into the surface of the island unit. This is teamed with Antonio Citterio s Semi- Pro kitchen mixer for Hansgrohe and a Quooker hot-water tap the area look like a chocolate box, argues David. We appealed their decision and after more than two years campaigning we beat the planners and moved ahead. The bedroom takes its design direction from the rest of the house. Classic pieces punctuate the space: Eileen Grey s iconic side table, Le Corbusier s inspirational LC2 armchair and Philippe Starck s Archimoon Soft lights for Flos. Newer designs are also thrown into the mix a wallmounted fire from Gazco and a statement pendant light from Santa & Cole. Nature creeps in via solid oak floorboards and the headboard, designed by David and built by local craftsmen. The final stop on the tour of this striking home is the guest bedroom, designed to also serve as a study or second living room. This is our Andy Warhol room, says David (cue Warhol s pop art print of Jackie Onasis hanging on the wall). We opted for a suspended bed using bespoke laminated supporting beams on either side. The great thing about using the roof space is that we have effectively created two rooms in one. Excellent use of space is demonstrated by bookshelves built into the apex of the roof and accessed via a ladder. David and Korser have since embarked on a more ambitious project in a rural spot of Majorca. Renovating our house in Lytham was like a trial run, says David. We wanted to know whether it would be fun or sheer murder before we tackled a new-build. But it was great. Sure there were problems, but there is always a solution as long as you work hard enough to find it. We enjoyed the process and would encourage anyone wanting to do something similar to just embrace it. KBB DESIGN Kitchen Design David John ( or Architect Christopher Rushton of Lakes Architect ( or KITCHEN Cabinetry Gloss white lacquer, David John Kitchens, as before Cabinet frame Bespoke smoked oak, David John Kitchens, as before Island Bespoke granite and Carrara marble island unit, David John Kitchens, as before Appliances Single oven, steam oven, warming drawer, induction hob, microwave and fridgefreezer, all by Gaggenau ( or Wine storage, for similar try Liebherr ( or Built-in extractor, Westin ( or Sink Stainless-steel sink, Blanco ( or Taps Hot-water tap, Quooker ( or Axor Citterio semi-pro single-lever mixer tap, Hansgrohe ( or Floor Large-format tiles, Mandarin Stone ( or Pendant lights George suspension lights, Tobias Grau ( or Stools Tantus Stool, Indecasa ( or Double doors Japanese-style oak doors, Howdens Joinery ( or MASTER BEDROOM Bed Interlübke, Geoffrey Drayton ( or Headboard Bespoke headboard, Howdens Joinery, as before Lights Archimoon Soft table lamps either side of the bed, Flos ( or Santa & Cole G7 pendant lamp, Nest ( or Curtains and blinds Interiors Lytham ( or Chairs Le Corbusier LC2 armchair, Aram ( or Side tables Eileen Grey side tables, Aram, as before Fire Wall-mounted fire, Gazco ( or Floor Solid oak floorboards, Havwoods ( or GUEST BEDROOM Bed Bespoke frame, Howdens Joinery, as before Chair Knoll Barcelona chair, Aram, as before Sofa B&B Italia ( or Daybed Le Corbusier daybed, Aram, as before Floor Solid oak floorboards, Havwoods, as before ENSUITE BATHROOM Sanitaryware Starck freestanding bath, Starck wall-hung WC, Fogo vanity unit and washbasins, all by Duravit ( or Brassware Raindance Air Plate overhead shower and Axor Massaud singlelever basin mixer, all by Hansgrohe, as before Screens Glass shower screen, Worthington & Graham ( or andgraham.co.uk); Bespoke shower screen, Novaglaze Gardner & Newton ( or Floor Basalt tiles, Mandarin Stone, as before Mirror Bespoke. For similar try Bespoke Mirrors ( or Mirror lights Archimoon Soft lights, Flos, as before Towel rails Bamboo towel rail, House of Fraser ( or Plaza towel rail, Radiating Style ( or Roof window Velux ( or COST A similar kitchen, two bedrooms and bathroom would cost in the region of 300, kitchens bedrooms bathrooms