Studioilse is a multifaceted, multi dextrous design studio. Founded by British interior and furniture designer Ilse Crawford. The studio focuses on multiple projects which consist of residential, commercial, schools, hotels, restaurants, and many more. Their focus is on creating ‘people’ driven spaces. These are broadly categorised into public and private spaces designed by the studio.
The studio consists of a team of 10 persons involved in designing and execution. The studio’s motto suggests that design is a powerful tool and has the potential to act as a catalyst for systemic wellbeing and a frame for life.
“Design is a tool to enhance our humanity.” – Ilse Crawford
1. Chalet | StudioIlse
Switzerland, 2015
Chalet is a family home located in the swiss alps. Space is designed with a warm pallet to blend with the outdoor. The design focuses on creating spaces that can transform from an entertainment zone to a quiet zone. A rich mood board of textile and wood is used for the interior, and a subtle blue shade is adopted to create a calm feeling, yet keeping the warmth intact.
2. Dinder House
Somerset, 2009
Dinder house is a conversion of regency era building into a contemporary home. The idea was to restore the interiors to suit the family’s needs. This space is designed to keep the originality of it alive, yet fitting in modern furniture. The colour pop is suited best for the family with 4 boys who do not feel lost in the space and yet feel connected to it.
3. Summer house | StudioIlse
Falsterbo, 2018
Summer house is a timber-clad, family retreat on the Swedish coastline that makes most of its views. The space is designed to make it feel light, airy, and comfortable. Perfect use of neutral hues is used to make the most of the surroundings. The colours bring peace, comfort, and a sense of happiness and the house is a perfect summer escape from the hustle.
4. Embassy House
Beijing, 2015
Embassy House is an apartment designed in Beijing’s diplomatic quarter. The entire apartment is designed in earthy tones where wood is used to connect the spaces and the interiors are made of curves and angled geometry. A tactile and robust material palette enhances the connection to nature, providing a feeling of solidity and permanence.
5. Bragevägen | StudioIlse
Stockholm,2018
Bragevägen is a refurbishment of a historic mansion built in 1916 during Stockholm’s arts and crafts movement. The house was modified to suit the users. The layout was altered to create a more personal feel to the space as well as accommodate changes with time. However certain artifacts and details have been untouched to preserve the design of the time.
6. The Lounge, Plaza 66
Shanghai, 2017
A space that brings the customers and the brands together. The lounge, plaza 66 is designed to suit the seller and the buyer. There are public rooms as well as well-designed fitting rooms for stylists that create a different user experience. The use of natural materials with high and low finishes brings a luxurious design to space.
7. Refettorio Felix
London, 2017
The St Cuthbert’s hall is redesigned to house a well-designed community hall, Refettorio Felix. The hall comprises a kitchen, dining hall, and lounge space that provide healthy meals to those living in socially vulnerable conditions. The project was conceived by Food for Soul, a non-profit organisation founded by Massimo Bottura to fight food waste in support of social inclusion – all meals are made using surplus supermarket stock.
The interior is a warm mint green which creates a welcoming environment and restores a sense of dignity amongst people. Potted plants around the space bring a healthy and fresh feeling to space.
8. Cathay Pacific first lounge | StudioIlse
Hong Kong, 2015
Amongst the most luxurious, Cathay Pacific’s airport houses a lounge for its first-class travellers. The idea was to bring a sense of comfort and privacy to the travellers. A robust and coherent system was adopted that could work and evolve with time.
9. Anna Freud Centre
London, 2019
Anna Freud Centre is a home for child mental health research, training, and treatment. It is also a Pears Family School for children that is different from a mainstream school because of the behavioural difference. The idea was to create a freer space that didn’t feel like an institution. A place where a child could feel at home, safe and warm.
10. Bukowskis | StudioIlse
Stockholm, 2016
The studio designed a series of rooms in the historic auction house of Stockholm. They tried to bring a sense of hospitality into the brand and auction experience. Such warm and relaxed spaces allow the team to welcome clients and host events. A royal blue is opted to enhance the richness of the space, making one feel royal and worthy to be there.
11. Anya Hindmarch Flagship
New York, 2013
Anya Hindmarch is a new flagship designed for English luxury leather goods labels. The store uses antique furniture that displays the goods to express the quality and the brand’s success over time. The studio also uses quirky colours to highlight the handbags.
12. Ett Hem
Stockholm, 2012
A former Arts and crafts movement building was converted into a 12-bedroom guest house that could abode a modern traveller. Space is designed in a way keeping in mind its flexibility and user experience. There is a smooth transition from the front to the back of the house. Various facilities are made available for an individual.
Hence, spaces like outdoor seating, reading sectio are provided for the person to feel at home.
13. Aesop | StudioIlse
Copenhagen, 2016
This first danish store by Aesop in Frederiksberg is a retail outlet with natural material and abundant planting. A copper sink was added to emphasise wellbeing along with a bench placed outside to create a relation with space.
14. Cathay Pacific business lounge
Hong Kong, 2016
One of the largest lounges in the Cathay Pacific’s network worldwide, the business lounge accommodates seating for 550 travellers. The spaces are in a continuum such that the transition feels very smooth. The studio created a series of public, semi-public to private spaces for the user.
The minimal shade range is used to suit the travellers and to create a warm atmosphere within.
15. Cecconi’s | StudioIlse
London, 2005
Cecconi’s is a refurbishment project of an Italian restaurant and bar in Mayfair. A space designed to connect various fields of people from politics, fashion to business. The studio used a teal blue along with striped flooring to give a trendy concept to space following the cuisine.
They also designed a stage for the staff to perform for the gathering making it a multifunctional, and an all-people café.
References
- www.studioilse.com. (n.d.). What we do – STUDIOILSE. [online] Available at: https://www.studioilse.com/what-we-do/ [Accessed 23 Apr. 2021].
- STUDIOILSE. (n.d.). Homes Archives. [online] Available at: https://www.studioilse.com/work/homes/ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2021].
- STUDIOILSE. (n.d.). Public Archives. [online] Available at: https://www.studioilse.com/work/public/. [Accessed 21 Apr. 2021].
