About Her: Home & Interiors - 5mm Design Press Feature
About Her: Home & Interiors – 5mm Design Press Feature
5mm Design has been recently featured in the Home & Interior section of About Her Lifestyle blog. About Her is a Middle East focused website that offers an intimate look into the lives of influential Arab women through award-winning features and fascinating real-life stories. Plus: who to watch, what to wear, and everything else in-between.
The feature is titled ‘The Details Make The Designs’ and it is in the form of an interview with the Creative Director, Hameed Hani (myself). The feature reads:
We all want a home that reflects our personalities, a place that has our own particular stamp. And that’s exactly what 5 Millimetres (5mm Design), a London based but globally minded high-end residential interiors design consultancy and design store strives to achieve.
Scrutinising the smallest details and focusing on precision workmanship, 5mm Design specialises in bespoke projects, from concept development and spatial layout to finishes, bespoke furniture design and interior styling to on-site project and contractor management. What’s more, its signature is to round out its commissions with a bespoke joinery piece that doubles as functional and a work of art.
Hameed Hani, the consultancy’s Founder and Designer, is an architect with a passion for design. His inspirations include architecture, antique magazine covers from the art deco period, exotic cultures and detail loving fashion icons Elie Saab and Alexander McQueen. As well as his flair for unique design, an enhanced understanding of space and an ability to manipulate construction details, the young Iraqi has an affinity for and intuitive understanding of Middle Eastern sensibilities.
What’s behind the name 5MM? Is it something to do with your focus on the smallest details?
That’s exactly right; 5MM is all about accuracy and attention to detail. We realise our designs to the smallest detail. Our design aesthetic is driven by the proverb ‘the devil is in the details’ and we always thrive to complete our projects to perfection.
Tell us about some of your latest projects.
We recently finished a project in Marylebone, London, for a Middle Eastern client. The scheme was mixed bronze, camel and burgundy tones to create an elegant, chic look. This project is also home to one of my favourite pieces, a bespoke TV unit made from hand textured bronze that I designed myself.
The framework is wood and the finish is melted bronze, hand finished to create the texture marks and then polished to give it that shiny metallic look. It hosts all the AV equipment that feeds the entire flat. It gives the feel of a fireplace, yet it is not a fireplace. It is simply stunning and I take a lot of pride in this piece. We’re also currently working on designing a high-end photography gallery in London and some residential projects in Central London.
What does the consultancy pride itself on the most?
We pride ourselves on creating spaces that evoke emotions and feelings. We achieve this through building close relations with our clients in order to create the perfect space that reflect their qualities combined with our luxury design aesthetic.
What attracts you the most to the Middle Eastern eye for design, detail and colour?
Middle Eastern clients like to play with volume and are not scared of going big or using bold colours. I find it rather exciting when a client wants to go big. My client has just gone and bought herself a fabulous life size horse statue and wants me to incorporate it into our scheme, that’s an example of how fun Middle Eastern clients can be to work with. At the same time, their taste is always balanced with more delicate details such as fine trims, accessories and soft furnishings.
So which 5mm Design values do you believe your Arabian customers identify with?
They respond well to our attention to detail and delivering a complete project that reflects high-end living style. Our understanding of the culture and Middle Eastern values creates a strong bond between the client and ourselves as we get to truly understand the requirements of a space that reflects Arab culture and qualities.
Can you give us some décor tips for entertaining?
I think the most important décor tip for throwing a party is lighting. You want to achieve the perfect mood lighting. Dim your lights and utilise tea light candles and table lamps to create a moody ambiance. There is no such thing as too many candles!
Flowers are very important as well. I like to have flowers in each room where the guests might end up socialising. It adds a soft touch to the atmosphere and an element of luxury without being pretentious.
What about setting the table for a dinner party?
Presentation is key. Set pieces are a great way to add a touch of glamour and character to your table. Whether it is a crystal ice bucket, antiqued silver cutlery or Versace glasses, always try to invest in show stopping dinner table pieces.
The table setting has to reflect the theme of your party. This can be done through the use of colour, tablecloths, plates etc. Don’t forget that as much as the table setting is important, the food has to carry it through!
Which décor disasters should we avoid at all costs when entertaining?
Bad lighting, an unbalanced sound system, so make sure you have appropriate speakers for your background music, nonmatching tableware and bad hosting. It is the host’s duty to make the guests comfortable.
Head over to 5mm Interior Design website for full press release and our interior design portfolio. You can also shop our Luxury Home Accessories, Sculptures, Furniture & Wall Art on 5mm Design Online Store.
For more information, please email us on info@5mm-store.com or visit our 5mm Design Store at 100 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 6PB.
-Hameed