Yellow

Concept

This was the most surprising concept in my entire professional career. For the first time, I followed my intuition, ignoring the client’s guidelines. I never do this. Unexpectedly, it led us in the right direction.

I start working on a concept with a conversation and a very detailed questionnaire, in which I have prepared questions about how the clients function in their home, the style and atmosphere of their dream interior, the furnishings they want to take with them, and of course, their preferred and unwanted colors in their space.

Here, the color I was definitely supposed to avoid was yellow.

Meanwhile, my clients owned a collection of several paintings, which were to find their place in the new home. One depicted golden wheat fields, another was framed with a yellow passe-partout, and the third shimmered with yellow spots of sunlit flower beds and trees.

I based the interior concept on this very color, placing it in a built-in, dark, and narrow staircase.

It wasn’t supposed to be there, yet it worked. The clients were surprised but fully accepted this proposal. And so, the color that had been ruled out at the start became the leading theme of this project.

In the remaining rooms of the house, we applied colors that referenced the yellow staircase walls.

Thus, shades of blue with navy, orange with red, warm browns, and light grays appeared.

Apart from minor changes mainly concerning the living room and the fireplace wall, the rest of the house was realized according to the initial concept.

Budget Estimate

The budget estimate is one of the most important elements of a project. A detailed list of necessary work and purchases allows for full control over expenses related to finishing a home or apartment.

In the case of this house, I was aware of the budget from the beginning, so the estimate had to fit within that amount.

However, the costs of the approved concepts turned out to be higher after obtaining quotes from contractors, and the final amount exceeded the clients’ budget by several dozen percent.

I therefore decided to present two versions of the estimate. The first version included finishing the house according to the visualizations and ideas presented in the concept. The second version was scaled down, with some furniture and lighting replaced with cheaper alternatives, allowing me to keep the budget within the clients’ specified amount.

With this comparison, the clients could decide for themselves which version they wanted to implement.

Such a breakdown greatly simplifies decision-making, and that was the case here. The clients maintained full control over their expenses throughout the project, avoiding any frustrating unforeseen costs.

Materials

Decisions regarding the choice of finishing materials for this project were made swiftly. The longest and most meticulous selection process was for the flooring planks, as the clients had specific expectations.

From the beginning, the clients knew they wanted terrazzo-patterned tiles and a navy-blue bathtub. The remaining materials complemented these choices.

Execution Guidelines

The guidelines for contractors and orders were ready when the team arrived, and in this case, I knew them well, so nothing could go wrong.

Both the construction team and the carpenter worked in coordination, allowing us to complete everything efficiently and on schedule.

Furniture and Lighting

Most of the furniture was custom-made. The goal was to create ample storage space and conceal everything except books, paintings, and a few decorative elements.

Besides the colors themselves, the lamps turned out to be the most decorative elements in individual rooms.

The dining table was brought from the previous apartment, but the chairs were crucial, where comfort and the ability to sit cross-legged mattered more than their appearance. These requirements significantly limited our choices, so I focused on the upholstery while the clients tested different models.

The remaining furniture provides a neutral complement to the colorful background.

Summary

This was one of the most colorful projects I have worked on. The clients were very aware of their expectations and actively participated in sourcing furnishings that met their requirements while staying within budget.

It is rare for visualizations and initial concepts to be so close to the final realization. We often make adjustments along the way. Here, the concept was implemented almost 1:1.

The clients were not afraid of unconventional solutions and were open to color. This resulted in an interesting and unique interior where they truly feel at home.