Coastal Clarity and Architectural Rhythm: Friars Cliff Apartment
Where the Dorset coastline meets the horizon, Friars Cliff apartment embodies architectural calm shaped by light, proportion, and material truth. Once two disjointed volumes, the residence is reimagined as a singular, flowing composition by the multi-award-winning interior design studio Dream Design, whose over forty years’ expertise in architectural interiors guided its coherence and restraint.
Structure yields to rhythm. Formerly prominent steel supports are absorbed into the architecture, allowing circulation to unfold with quiet continuity. Whitewashed ash-effect porcelain runs uninterrupted across levels, echoed in bespoke joinery, stair treads, and thresholds. A palette drawn from sea, sky, and coastal stone cultivates stillness, framing both the interior and the shifting views beyond.
Furniture reinforces this clarity. Flexform modular seating introduces sculptural softness without breaking flow, while Poltrona Frau sideboards—leather-wrapped and marble-topped—anchor the rooms through proportion and material gravitas.
Kitchen, dining, and living are conceived as one continuous composition—distinct zones speaking a shared language. In the kitchen, a sculptural SieMatic island in textured porcelain recalls coastal geology; overhead, architectural lighting defines volume without weight. The dining area centres on a dark timber table that grounds the plan, its rhythm echoed by timber-framed chairs and graphic lighting. Beyond, glass walls dissolve boundaries between interior and horizon, while the terrace carries the same language outdoors with sculptural pieces that extend atmosphere into the landscape.
Each element operates as a spatial instrument—precisely placed to reinforce material coherence and the apartment’s calm, measured flow.
The principal suite continues the language of restraint, tuned to tones drawn from the sea. An upholstered leather bed anchors the room with sculptural simplicity; low-profile nightstands in leather with solid ashwood legs add tactile counterpoint. Softly diffused lighting elevates both mood and function.
Facing the balcony, Antonio Citterio’s Feel Good armchairs for Flexform offer generous composure within a controlled architectural frame. Opposite, concealed joinery preserves clarity while resolving storage and circulation. A fluted bronze feature wall leads to a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, where mirrored planes, timber detailing, and softened geometry sustain light and layered materiality.
Friars Cliff apartment affirms a philosophy in which architecture, material intelligence, and curated objects form one continuous language. Under Dream Design’s direction, every element—structure, finish, and furnishing—sits in considered balance, supporting rhythm, light, and enduring coastal stillness.
