Style of the month: Timeless contemporary

1 Keep it natural
The abundant use of natural light gives this room a pleasant inside out feel. Glass panels next to the front door and at the upper levels are a great source of lighting during the day while spot lighting enhances the mood at night.

2 Ceiling or no ceiling
Leaving roof beams exposed is becoming the norm these days. By doing so you create different looks while also adding volume to your space. A lick of white paint will ground the setting and eliminate the industrial or barnyard feel.

3 Colour watch
Enhancing a natural base with striking black and white and subtle touches of colour creates a serene living space. Stone colours in various intensities and textures complement the look.

4 Uniform lighting
In a simple setting like this less is more. Use scale and repetition to create effect, as with the lighting above the table: not too large in scale, but the repetition of the style creates impact.

5 Contemporary furnishing
Clean cut, grounded furniture pieces add substance to the more natural capsule of the space. White is always striking and with squared sofas, creates a lovely focal point in the otherwise stone-inspired setting. Slim-legged furniture, seen on almost all the pieces, also adds an elegant touch.

6 Getting down
The floor tiles, natural cement slabs, blend in harmoniously with the setting – which is what one should always opt for when considering flooring. The fact that tiles instead of a screed flooring were used, adds to the graphic touch of the setting with the linear repetition of the lines.

7 Rough textures
Grey softens up well with the use of different textures. Many worry that this may be a cold colour to have in the home but layered as it is here, with different visual attributes such as the stone textures on the wall versus the smoothness of the floor, softens any harsh lines.

Style wise
The interior has not been over accessorised, but a few beautiful items – some vibrantly coloured – have been selectively positioned without cluttering the space. The furniture adds to the energy of the space, with the choice of different finishes, such as leather, glass, woven chairs and polished steel.

LIM owner Pauline Mutlow, who shared some insight into this style, says the choice of the monochrome palette for this interior does not follow the fashion trend of the moment, but has achieved a timeless and contemporary interior. It evokes a feeling of calmness without being dull and boring; this has been achieved by contrasting different textures, finishes and light. One continuous floor finish is juxtaposed against the various vertical planes of glass, paint and textured stone panels.