Winner: Small interior of the year 2022. Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten has converted an attic in Antwerp into a living space that features arched portals, curvy furniture and yellow decor accents.
The project is designed for use as a multifunctional space for a family with two daughters. It serves a variety of purposes, notably as an area to socialise intended for use as the children progress in age, and also as a guest room for when family and friends come to stay.
The curved lines lend a relaxed feeling to the scheme, while the overall aesthetic of relaxed geometry provides a pleasingly fluid structure offset by joyful yellow touches to convey optimism and energy.
Where a yellow circular rug occupies one side of the room, on the other a bespoke circular sofa upholstered in powder-grey and ochre can be split into three parts for a neat furniture solution: a curved semi-circular sofa, a U-shaped bench seat and a small circular ottoman which slots into the centre.
Judges comments: "Collective judges statement: This is a good example of how design can be joyful and whimsical. Accessible in many different aspects, financially and physically, it’s not just a playground for kids but a playground for everyone."
Designer: Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten