KR Interior Design has given this Mallorcan villa a fresh, contemporary scheme with a focus on light and space

It was a short hop from St John’s Wood to Mallorca for KR Interior Design, when the practice’s London-based client invited it to redesign this villa, sited just a few hundred metres from the Mediterranean.

Amanda Kianfar and Marina Revell, the two directors of KR Interior Design, were first told of this project in October 2010 and made their first visit to the site last January. They then had just six months to get the house ready for the family’s arrival at the end of June.

In design terms, KR was restricted in what it could achieve because no structural work was possible but, given the short timescale, this may have simplified the workload. ‘Luckily, our clients have complete faith in us,’ says Kianfar, so it was not too difficult to keep the project on track. Also, using suppliers such as Chaplins in London made it easy for the designers to manage the sourcing, delivery and fitting of the furniture, helped by the Chaplins team. ‘We pride ourselves on being organised with everything,’ says Kianfar. ‘In this business, we have to assume that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, so we always expect delays. However, in the end, everything went smoothly.’

The scope of the work included six ensuite bedrooms, enabling the family to accommodate several guests (the family’s three young children share one ensuite bedroom), two kitchens, a cinema room and an over-sized drawing room. Kianfar and Revell were particularly impressed by AVIT Marine, the local security and technology expert that worked on the job. Installing lighting systems was not an option because of the property’s concrete ceilings, but every room was equipped with an iPod dock and music was also supplied to the outside spaces.

Kianfar and Revell have considerable experience of residential interior design, having set up their practice in 1996. They work together on every project, employing additional staff as required by the commissions they receive. The KR approach starts by creating a concise brief with the client and, in this project, it was decided to keep the three-storey house fresh and open with lots of light and a contemporary style. The team did a lot of work on the outside spaces so that the family could make the most of the wonderful Mallorcan summer weather. Winter visits were also a consideration, so three dining areas were created in all, two outside and one inside.

The traditional early-20th-century house had already been partially modernised so KR chose not to update some elements, such as the stone floors. The layout was only slightly changed to suit the family’s lifestyle but the result of KR’s involvement means this is an island retreat the family can enjoy for many years to come.

This article was first published in idfx Magazine.