The composer’s studio
Out into the Oxfordshire countryside we go, dear readers
I love it when a good thing comes together.
Out into the Oxfordshire countryside we go dear readers, into the land of honeyed stone and grassy knolls where we arrive together at my client’s garden studio.
A superb composer and long time friend, it was a joy to work on the layout and decoration of this beautiful stand alone building, built from scratch last year.
We needed to work within several key parameters in order to ensure this room met the standards required for creating and recording Sam’s music. Eagle eyed viewers will see that there are no plants (I really had to exercise self constraint!) and few pictures (reflective surfaces had to be planned for and managed).
Given the amount of tech coming into the space, we focused on creating a soft backdrop. On the walls and ceiling, we opted for a warm white from Dulux that works beautifully with the sunshine and track lights in turn.
Around the space you can see acoustic treatment which we covered in a fabric that tied as closely to the wall colour as possible. I think it helps them feel like part of the building which means you don’t walk in and notice them straight away.
I worked on layout next and we quite quickly arrived at dividing the room in half. Although the acoustic treatment meant that we ended up with a variation on the model below, the overall use of the room is the same.
Like all good decorators, I brought in rugs to do the hard work of ‘zoning’ the room. (Which of you was joking to me about this last week?! You cheeky lot). This 3m x 2m kilim from Afghanistan (above) adds warmth and a good bit of visual energy around Sam’s desk.
With her faceplates taken away she brings a big dose of beauty, doesn’t she? I can’t claim any credit.
Via a bit of lateral thinking, I was particularly pleased to find some mic storage for Sam by way of this vintage French laundry bin (below). Bringing in something that’s not sparkly new always helps to soften the feel of a new structure and as you can see, this one has seen another life!
We added a run of shelving at the back of the room by Muji which has a clever system of infills meaning we could mix and match the storage to account for the many leads, plugs and tech-y bits that Sam has to store.
I take my hat off to this Danish piano (below) before I leave you to your Sunday evening. With her faceplates taken away she’s a total beauty queen isn’t she? I can’t claim any credit.
There we are. I love it when a good thing comes together.
Until next time,
S
