Excerpt: House of Skye by Studio Motley transforms a bare apartment shell into a richly layered, handcrafted space that balances playfulness with elegance. Using materiality and color to differentiate private and common spaces, the interior design blends wood, terrazzo, and fabric to create a tactile, cohesive environment. From flooring to custom furniture, every element celebrates craftsmanship and thoughtful spatial expression.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] When presented with an apartment that was basically an empty shell i.e. sans fenestration, fixtures and flooring we realized it opened up the possibility to create an interior experience from scratch. It was an opportunity for us to control and modulate the design response in a more holistic sense. At the outset we decided to create a differentiation in materiality between the common areas and the more private areas like bedrooms/study.
The idea was to use flooring as an element that ties the spaces together but to also differentiate it using color so that unique identities are created. The living/dining/foyer is anchored by a beautifully made wooden floor laid in a herringbone pattern which plays off the brick textured white walls. The centerpiece of this space is the display unit which is designed with slender teak wood frames as structure and boxes in polished birch ply which can be inserted within the framework in a variety of ways. The open kitchen has handmade cabinetry, rendered in a soft shade of teal, which brings in a splash of color to the space. The bedrooms are characterized by the craft intensive, laid in-situ terrazzo floor with brass accents and as an additional layer of texture and warmth Indian fabrics were used for the wardrobe shutters.
The daughters’ bedroom has been rendered a bit more playful, though in a subtle way. The pale pink terrazzo flooring curves gently to receive the vertical supports for the bunk bed and combines with fabric clad shutters, which are of an earthy shade of aubergine, to create a lively ambience. The structure of the bunk bed clearly defines a free/play space below it and contains a staggered wooden staircase, which is aligned with a bonus storage unit, both of which have been made of rubber wood. Complimenting these colors is a customized work of art on one wall, which was designed with inputs from the 5-year-old.
All of these elements combine to create a spatially rich experience in a relatively small space. In contrast the master bed has muted and elegant grey tones for the floor and a moss green for the fabric clad wardrobes. These finishes extend into the study, walk in closet and bathroom areas unifying the entire master bedroom suite. The Maison Motley designed teak wood bed and side tables and brass accents for the floor completes the ensemble and emphasizes the handmade quality of the interior.
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