About Author
Kia Stanford is known for her impeccable eye for detail and her ability to create beautiful and luxurious interiors. Kia has become renowned for her use of exquisite materials, bold colours, and luxurious textures. She has worked with a wide range of clients from celebrities to CEOs. Kia’s signature style is an eclectic mix of modern and traditional, which she combines to create unique and timeless designs. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Living Etc, House & Garden, and Elle Decoration. She believes that each space should be tailored to the individual and their unique style. She is an inspiration to many aspiring interior designers and a testament to the power of creativity and hard work.
Malabar as a recently established furniture design brand with a distinct luxurious style that is a bit on the quirky side. The company originates from Oporto in Portugal starting up in 2012. This area is renowned for its beautiful artisanal handmade furniture, which Malabar has built on by modernising this style.
There is emphasis put upon ’emotional design’ throughout the website, which is obviously one of the main values behind Malabar’s work. The collections are ‘comprised of seductive pieces that tell a story, we make use of the noblest woods, different crafting techniques, and above all, Portuguese heart, soul and tradition.’ Each item that Malabar sell is not referred to as a product, but as a piece, as each is a piece of art. The combination of traditional artisan techniques and experience with the innovation brought by new technologies truly does combine to create beautiful pieces of art.
Wanderlust Dining Table
The dining tables have to be my favourite pieces from the collections. They are just exquisite pieces of art on their own, which stand out even when surrounded by luxurious materials and furniture within a room.
Pilar Dining Table
Gold is a very difficult colour to work with, especially with the varying tones, yet in the piece above, it has been used so delicately to create a stunning table which is very elegant and contemporary while incorporating antique elements.
Duchess Dining Table
Materials are chosen very carefully and are what really make the tables stand out. If you imagine the table above made out of walnut, yes it would be a beautiful table, but not exquisite as it is made from marble. Each of these tables would differ a large amount through the unique pattern and tone of the stone, an element which makes this table even more precious.
Horizon Sideboard
The sideboards are equally as beautiful and make a bold statement within a room. They would work fabulously in both contemporary minimalist and traditional styled rooms. The deep colours brought through walnut root and lacquered wood contrasting with the sheen of the gold leaf base is divine. I love the description which Malabar have put with this piece, it really helps you to understand what the artistic piece is about and the story behind it :
‘The Horizon sideboard recalls the tales of the Portuguese maritime exploration, retold by ingenious poets and common people alike for many centuries thereafter. Inspired in the divine vision of a new land sighted from distant waters, this contemporary sideboard was designed with the organic contours of a coastline in mind. The piece combines walnut wood root with black lacquered wood. The luxurious base matches the interior drawers with its luxurious gold leaf finish.’
Sagres Sideboard & Melodie Mirror
The angles and texture to this piece really fascinate me, with the asymmetric weighting it really plays with your eye. Pieced together with their melodie mirror, the combination balances the angles out. What I also love about this piece, is that it is not only quirky, interesting & beautiful but also practical & functional. The designers have not lost sight of the purpose of this piece, and used all the angles included ingeniously to use the space to its maximum potential.
It is not only their large furniture pieces that are beautiful, but also the smaller accents. These stools adopt some beautiful organic shapes to form a very useful piece that simply looks beautiful. The combination of colours and wood pattern which makes these the perfect final touch.
Fe Stool
The beautiful pattern created by the walnut combined with the rich tones works in perfect contrast with a very bright, white room which has become increasingly popular. Although a subtle piece, it is a great provider of sophistication which may be required to complete a room.
