My name is Nick Lukas. I'm an architect and co-founder of Architecton.
Having 20 years experience, you do sort of take on board what you've learned through
experience as an architect and understand what those little things are that you've
learnt along the way and how do you implement them into your own project.
This project without doubt is important because it is a personal project being my own family home.
There is obviously a challenge in doing your own home because
people looking at what is he doing for himself that he isn't doing for us. Undoubtedly you do
try and test some new ideas but for our family it wasn't an experimental home.
For us it was about having this to make the home a home.
A place to live in, a place to feel comfortable in and a place to see the children grow up.
Being the architect, owner, client and builder as such you start to understand what issues
are as they sort of come along, so all this i guess begins to influence and structure what
the house could and should be. Artedomus realised this and brought this to life.
Behind me in the bar area is a very unusual Japanese tile made by a tiny little factory
in Aichi that's over 100 years old. It's been laid in a beautiful staggered effect which
gives a look of almost running water, it's a beautiful effect.
I had an idea of what they should look like and when they were brought to site the tile actually
made me realise that each and every one is just that little millimetre different to the other one.
You realise that someone is making these tiles one by one and they're not just rubber stamps. So,
whilst the initial vision couldn't be done you sort of come up with another
idea and make something authentic and beautiful appear more beautiful.
Seeing the execution of the bill put together and seeing these things
come to fruition and now living in the space does without doubt provide a very big smile on my face.
The design of a home is relevant for us as a family in our personal lifestyle.
Going to school, going to work, coming home. Having that place of comfort,
having that sense of homeliness. We wanted the use of Elba stone and the
brand Agape. These two products are seen as timeless materials or timeless products.
I've seen them as designed and considered to withstand the test of time. They're not in vogue
just to be trendy for today and i guess that's why we selected a lot of the sanctuary from Artedomus,
because they are looking amazing now and will look just as amazing in decades to come.
The house is a very strong architectural piece and I think the Artedomus products sit
in it very comfortably. They're unusual pieces the house is unusual, the house is dramatic,
the pieces don't detract from the architecture. It's a very comfortable marriage I think.
The upstairs bathroom features the new range called Lariana as a bath and basin product.
It's brilliant because the matte white crystal plant material used to make those products
is only made by one factory in Italy. It's an incredibly durable material, it'll last
for decades and decades and decades. It can be repaired, it will not stain, it will not mark
and it's just got this beautiful sheen.
The most striking I think is the wall behind the bath which is a split-faced Elba tile.
The window to the right of that wall washes the wall and really highlights the beautiful
texture of that product. On all the remaining walls of the room are the sandblasted Elba,
which is giving it a really wonderful light effect. It's a beautiful matching scenario.
The New Volumes products are all made at the Elba quarry in Greece,
totally handmade. My favourite I think is the Hurlysi table next to
the Lariana bath in the main bedroom. It's a brilliant piece sitting in that room.
It's been very rewarding to see the whole project finished as far as how it's all worked
out perfectly. Materials should be authentic in what they are. These materials are here to
withstand the test of time. The authenticity of what Artedomus bring through their product
selection are products that are authentic and looking at them is undoubtedly quite beautiful.
We love the fact that a client is enthusiastic about the product that we love
and to see it finished and such a tremendous factor is really very exciting.
Home is a place to be lived in, home is a place where
you come home and feel comfortable and i think undoubtedly that was achieved here so
there's nothing better in my day than wanting to come home. As an architect
the most satisfying rewarding aspect is seeing the client truly happy. Recognising that for
myself and for my family was without one of the highlights of my career as an architect.