The Art of Design Issue 33 2018 | Page 14

CREATING EXTRAORDINARY SPACES WITH MARK TAYLOR DESIGN Prestigious British furniture manufacturer and interiors design specialist Mark Taylor Design is renowned for creating distinctive, bespoke furniture and joinery that transform their clients’ rooms into truly extraordinary spaces. So when the owner of a five-bedroom, detached, Georgian-style house briefed the highly experienced team of furniture and interior designers at Mark Taylor Design to create a show-stopping bar, reminiscent of the Blue Bar at London’s Berkeley Hotel, they rose to the challenge. Designed to provide a masculine retreat, this cosy, intimate, Art Deco-inspired space has become the focal point of the drawing room. However, there were some challenges that had to be overcome, as Susanna Hall, head of interior design at Mark Taylor Design, explains: “The room was relatively small and long in shape, which was rather awkward to work with. So we placed the bar in the centre of the room and then designed around this bespoke, statement piece. We created the banquette seating in one corner to conjure up the feel of a real bar, where guests could sit, chat and play games.” Due to its shape, drawing light into the bar area was also less than straightforward. The team removed the existing downlights and created a coffered ceiling, which they uplit internally. The client’s sculptures were housed in a bespoke, panelled stud wall and displayed in recesses. Susanna continues: “Due to the small, linear shape of the room, we decided to have the bar on wheels so it could be moved to maximise the space. We also felt this would add to its versatility because the movable bar could be