client : capital & centric

location : manchester piccadilly eact

sector : residential

1k apartment

inside the 'piccadilly east' apartments from manctopia: billion pound property boom

we have been inundated with enquiries around our recently completed show apartments at phoenix. join in on the conversation below.

what do you like the most about phoenix?

 phoenix already feels like a community – we have worked on two apartments in the building so far, one of which was installed in the middle of a global pandemic and there is always a positive flow. the spaces and finishes at phoenix are so truly considered to create a successful scheme. every inch of the living spaces has been well thought through for the end user. everything from the geometry of the space and the presence of hierarchy in each area, through to the beautiful relationship each interior material has with each other. it is these characteristics which make phoenix a truly incredible space to live with heaps of character.

what do you think about the piccadilly east neighbourhood?

 bridging the norther quarter and ancoats, the piccadilly east neighbourhood has been a hidden gem to date – however the investment and determination by capital & centric with the presence of phoenix and neighbouring crusader has transformed the area into a really exciting place to call home. it’s a really exciting space and we can’t wait to see the address mature and develop as soon as the residents move in.

how did you approach the project?

 our main role as interior designers is to approach each project and concept individually, with the client’s budget and satisfaction at the forefront of any decisions. our design process of working at phoenix was no different from any other project. we work in line with riba design stages beginning with a well-informed brief which was developed closely with capital & centric and helps to form our concept. with this project, a strong concept was paramount as we were working with an intentionally limited budget.

 to make the one bed work hard for the occupier we knew we needed to  find the perfect blend between comfy relaxing spaces, formal dining and work spaces all tied together with clever storage solutions. we gave each area a primary colour to designate an identity for function - playing with different heights and forms to a inject a playfully sophisticated interior.

 “Interior design is about striking the right balance between functionality and expressing identity – of the building as well as the occupier.”

what were the biggest challenges? 

 the biggest challenge we found was time. our usual procurement process is very different from this of the 1 bed apartment. we have built a really strong network of trades and suppliers who we work closely with to get competitive costs and rates so we can offer products to our clients for the best possible price and always make a saving from rrp. this process makes our procurement commercially viable for all parties and also allows us to closely manage lead times and a tight programme on site. the brief called for us to break our core rule and it happened to work really well with the exception of being at the mercy of finding those design gems as and when they became available whilst working with our clear brief.

where did you source the furniture etc from?

 we traditionally avoid shopping from the highstreet or web suppliers so we can always be ahead of the curve where possible and ensure we are offering the best price to our valued clients. with this scheme, we spread our search across auctions, second hand furniture warehouses and generally kept our eyes open for a bargain everywhere we went. remember the task was to find cost effective solution but these also needed to be beautiful items in line with our concept. 

 we are spoilt with flat pack and off-the-shelf furniture, however a tip to make your budget go further and gain some sustainability points is searching for your wish list by both brand name and product name on online marketplaces and you can regularly pick up barely used items at half the price of the list price.

 what is your favourite piece?

 we love the coffee table in the middle of the living space. these are simple concrete building blocks which cost pennies each, they have been repurposed into a striking object in the heart of the home. the concrete material draws in the ceiling finish that runs through all of the apartments at phoenix and also really helps to ground the rest of the surrounding loose furniture. we especially love these as they offer so much flexibility. they are a modular object and they can be moved around and reconfigured to create an ever changing space. we also pulled three of these into the bedroom as a bedside table to demonstrate how they can be used throughout the apartment in a different way and with different heights.

 another favourite is the record player and wall of records. storage doesn’t have to be hidden away, celebrate the items we love and display these proudly. if you don’t love it or want it to be seen, donate it. the impact of the vinyl sleeve artwork adds a playful red hue to the dining area, ticking the boxes for storage, display, colour and culture. every space is enhanced with the hum of a record playing.

what is your advice to people looking to kit out their homes on a budget?

 our advice is to always keep the space and your concept in your mind whenever you are out and about. these amazing bargains often get snapped up and you have to react quickly if you are going to secure a deal. even if your concept is a loose design style, it is key to try and keep referring back to ensure your scheme remains coherent. the beauty of design is there are no strict rules however it is also very easy to get over faced and end up buying items that just don’t work together. every item doesn’t have to be a striking centrepiece. a beautiful set of simple shelves can be a perfect starting point and can help to consciously display all the beautiful objects we inevitably collect over time.