Casa K Residential Project

The Casa K residential project was implemented with Wael Farran Studio’s passion for design, attention to detail, and its signature touch of love. Inspired by the movement of the sea, variations of stylized curvy lines guide you through the apartment’s personalized spaces in monochromatic tones, building up the warm, safe, and comfortable feeling of a happy home. Situated along the “Beiruty” coast, the apartment boasts a private elevator area, an entrance lobby that leads to an open space saloon with a living area, a dining space, four bedrooms suites, including a master bedroom with a dressing area, a study and work room, a guest bathroom, two kitchens, and a help chamber.

 

While the apartment remained within its original plan, the bigger scope of the work included a major interior design uplift with plaster and woodwork, almost all custom-made furniture, as well as an electric update with new lighting and sound systems.

 

Public Areas

Public Areas are the spaces where visitors are given a glimpse of intimacy. These are spaces where everybody, whether visiting or living on-site, should feel at home. For Casa K, it was all about the soothing feel of a gentle wave that refreshes with a splash.

 

The magic vibes of the apartment begin to be absorbed as soon as the elevator doors open and people step into the elevator hallway, where they are greeted with customized parametric wall paneling for the whole area, made out of individually cut pieces of plywood that space apart to display an organic sweeping wave, blending seamlessly with the entrance door that boasts a custom-made Arabic calligraphy handle. To the left, the wall paneling pops out into an organic bench for a more inviting mood.

To the right, Arabic-blessed sayings, molded in copper, fit between the wooden stripes. The wooden stripes, rising from the floor, stop their elevation under the writing and pop out in a curve to create a beautiful leveled movement, enhanced with lighting. The three elevators doors are treated with gold leaf paper and patina. Between the elevators, light shines from the extremities of protruding brass stripes. The floor, made of graphite brown and “pantelique” white marble, features square kufi style work by Ghaleb Hawila. The bright white ceiling extends in a straight movement from the elevator and curves at the other end in harmony with the general mood.

 

The indoor hallway area is a gateway to the rest of the apartment, where doors leading to the various sections of the house blend together, creating a vertical shutter effect with unified lines, joints, veneer, and ceramics for the whole area. The hidden wall panels feature grooves in stylized shape that extend all the way down to their ceramic bottoms. The floor, paved with the same ceramics as the doors, boast inlaid bronze shapes with a similarly treated frame, while a lighted opening leads to the open living space.

To the left, the dining area features not one, but two pieces de resistance, all custom made.

 

The Art Of Life – a dining table from the FORMITABLE© line

The dining table can serve up to sixteen people, with a second tailor-made curved dining unit. This one of a kind wall installation brings form and function to the space, adding beauty and style while serving as a storage unit. Each of its shutters was molded individually and includes aluminum laser cut handles with geometrical patterns. The embedded lighting allows the unit to shine. In this section, the walls are riddled with uneven wavy stripes that reach all the way up to the ceiling, the opposite wall, and end by the floor.

 

Facing the entrance lobby is a ritual nook boasting the Koranic Kursi verse in Arabic calligraphy, designed and executed by Ghaleb Hawila. Custom made brass stands with marble extend from the wall to bolster the shrine ambiance. Sage, another FORMITABLE© creation, stands guard.

 

The floor and some sections of the walls of the main living room are covered with Travertino Santa Caterina ceramics from Ultramarmi Ariostea, with a pleated like movement in variating levels. Emerging from the wall in a curved fashion is a Caleidolegno MW Tiglio wood veneer TV unit, with a custom-made, mechanically mounted painting by one of the daughters of the household covering the TV when not in use. The living room is fully furnished by pieces designed with love by the studio. A second saloon on the opposite side is also customized with FORMITBLE© furniture, including Contessa, Comfort Zone, and Tetris.

The space includes a three-seater sofa, two single chairs, two sofas vis à vis, and modern Persian carpets. At the far end is an enclosed glass balcony that serves as a bright and sunny living zone, hosting a beautiful grand piano and a sitting area with two FORMITABLE© pieces: The Wheel of Life, a round table, and Mille Pattes, a desk for enhanced productivity in the magic of natural light facing the Mediterranean Sea. This area is illuminated by Mom, a beautiful lighting piece from Penta Lighting.

 

The ceiling is a piece of art on its own, as the wave movement continues to soar. While it is intense on the dining area, it gradually loses its intensity with movement towards the rest of the space.

 

The biggest challenge in creating this living and reception area was to keep it clean, without clutter, while also designing it to accommodate an optimal number of people. The whole space is loyal to the monochromatic theme of the house, with hues of blue for a popping effect.

 

Private Areas

Private Areas are spaces where the inhabitants are free to be their authentic selves, and to live their truths. Conceiving these spaces, the Studio reached into each of their souls to reflect them in the most flattering way. The end result is a distinctive space that exudes the essence of the owners.

 

The first bedroom suite is reserved for the eldest daughter and middle child of the household. A young, free soul who is a designer and lived in Africa, she is deserving of a room that suits her personality. Conceived in a modern style with a safari inspiration, the bedroom boasts customized steel furniture. The bed features four bedposts, a baldachin, and a headboard with Alcantara leather and brass details. Above it, the quote “Croque la vie” is a daily reminder to seize the day. Cognoscenti, a set of side tables from the bespoke Formitable© line, frames the edges of the bed in the most esthetic and practical ways, keeping the nights’ secrets safe.

 

The modern shelving unit that houses acquisitions from the young lady’s travels, among other things, was custom-made by the studio and includes a dressing unit in the middle with a big mirror. Model Bahia Mini lighting on the wall from Foscarini brightens up the entrance, luring into an intimate journey. The closet is made of lacquered wood and remains

faithful to the general pattern of the house. On the window, the blackout sunscreen reveals a landscape print that changes the scenery as the panels go up and down.

 

For the bathroom, a special unit in steel and solid teak wood was created to frame the sink and add much needed shelving and storage space.

 

For the second daughter at Casa K, it’s all about the rhythm and colors of the sea. It begins with a custom-made bed facing the sea, with a suspended installation from the ceiling serving as a headboard and doubling as a dressing unit. The round units, covered with images of the seashore on the bed side and with mirrors on the dressing side, serve as hidden storage. The night tables also extend to the dressing side to provide extra storage space. The closet features stylized curved shapes, while the shelving unit boasts hidden cabinets and an extended bench for study time, all in beautiful pastel shades. Lighting fixtures, including Model Lake from Foscarini added to the walls, and Juncos from Flos Kap White fixed on the ceiling, illuminate the room. Continuing with the same coastal theme, the bathroom wall greets you with a beautiful photo, printed on a glass wall, of people enjoying the deep blue sea, courtesy of photographer Maya Fardoun. The sink unit, fully custom made in shades of blue, is a reminder of sea pebbles.

 

Switching to more oriental vibes, the eldest boy’s bedroom is an homage to his passion for Islamic art. An oriental antique mirror faces the bed that boast a headboard of velvet and inlaid mother of pearl, framed by two antique doors on each side. Underneath the mirror, a cluster of drawers, inlaid with mother of pearl, integrates with the design and protrudes from the wall. The closet is also inlaid with thin strips of mother of pearl, with the handles hidden behind a minimalist leaf pattern. In lieu of curtains, moveable aluminum panels with stylized oriental patterns draw in the sunlight as desired. Pinup light units from Studio Italia bring the whole mood together.

 

The corridors are fully covered with a unique custom-made wallpaper, Pajlo by Wall&Deco, which stretches from the entrance to the rest of the house. Wood paneling hides the doors to create a harmonious feel. The bedroom corridors lead to an open space that was turned into a work and study place. To the left of the corridor, Dana, a bespoke sofa table from the Formitable© line, stands proudly.

The study or work area was designed in all white, with a touch of bronze to stimulate calm and clarity, and white back painted glass walls. To the left, a shelving unit made of white wood cabinets and carrara marble partitions and glass mix for the shelves that come in a variety of depth. To the right, deep cabinets allow the architects daughters of the household to store her maps and plans. The L-shaped work area, in high end Formica from Polymer, was enhanced with plants to infuse regenerative energy into the working routine. A one of a kind lighting unit made of customized stylized and suspended leaves from Formitable© adds a sculptural element to the whole space.

 

Last but not least, the master bedroom greets you with clear lines and soothing emotions as you enter the ton sur ton space. You first step into the dressing room with closets from end to end. The closets are made of Caleidolegno MW Toglio wood veneer, supplied from Tabu Italy, and feature hidden handles and bronze mirrors. Both joints and handles, made of oxidized steel, follow a unique path that goes all through the room. The TV unit facing the bed hangs from the ceiling and holds drawers and storage spaces. Further down the line, is a dressing table with a tryptic of mirrors, with the side mirrors that double as storage. The bed features a customized velvet head board, made and installed in individual pieces to create a trompe l’oeil effect, while the rest of the wall is covered in bronzed mirrors. Paired, a set of two night tables by Formitable©, grace the side of the bed. Curtains made of velvet panels and sheer material open to breathtaking views of the sea and, if you look up to the ceiling, you are reminded of the lines that run all around the room. Bespoke lighting by Masiero Lighting adds brightness to complete the look.

 

Working Areas

The kitchen area, part of the original plans, was upgraded by Wael Farran Studio’s creative team with Skygarden chandeliers from FLOS, a spot for green plants, as well as Soul, a unique wallpaper from Wall&Deco on the ceiling that makes the space all the more special. The walls were covered with painted glass to facilitate the cleaning process and bring in a freshness feel. Equipped with state of the art appliances from Miele, the kitchen has everything for the perfect home cooked meal. A door opens to a dirty kitchen to handle the heavier tasks that are usually messier. Conceived in a highly technical way with a custom-made barbeque, the dirty kitchen ensures a beautiful and smooth workflow. Glass walls facilitate the cleaning process.

“A family is composed of people who are similar yet different, and that is what we try to convey in our projects,” concludes Wael Farran, lead designer and founder of Wael Farran Studio. “While a single thread leads the whole project, we take detours in creativity to let every personality in the family feel at home in their own personal space.”

Technical sheet

Area: 550m2

Style: Contemporary – Modern

Concept: Inspired by the movement of the sea, variations of stylized curvy lines guide you all through the apartment’s personalized spaces in monochromatic tones, building up the warm, safe, and comfortable feel of a cheerful home.

 

Scope of work

Stayed on original plan.

A major interior design uplift with plaster and woodwork.

Electric update with new lighting and sound systems.

Custom-made furniture.

 

Elevator hallway

Customized parametric wall paneling for the whole area, made out of individually cut pieces of plywood that space apart to display an organic sweeping wave.

Entrance door with a custom-made Arabic calligraphy handle.

Some wall paneling pops out into an organic bench for a more inviting mood.

Arabic-blessed sayings molded in copper.

Elevator doors treated with gold leaf paper, patina, and brass stripes.

Floor tiles, graphite brown and “pantelique” white marble, and Square kufi style patterns by Ghaleb Hawila.

 

Entrance

Apartment inside doors blend in together in vertical shutter effect with unified lines, joints, veneer and ceramics.

Floor features ceramic and inlaid bronze shapes.

Formitable©: The Guardians.

 

Dinning room

Tailor built curved dining unit, wood shutters with aluminum laser cut handles and embedded lighting.

Walls, uneven wavy stripes that go all the way up to the ceiling, to the opposite wall to end by the floor.

Ritual nook, Koranic kursi verse in arabic calligraphy, designed and executed by ghaleb hawila. Custom made brass stands with marble.

Floors and walls: ceramics from ultramarmi ariostea.

Formitable©: The Art Of Life, Sage.

 

TV area

Caleidolegno mw tiglio wood veneer curved tv unit boasting.

A custom made mechanically mounted painting.

Formitable©: Ebbs & Flows, Tetris, Satisfaction, Cross Talk, Doppio, Within, Contessa, Comfort Zone,  DISRUPTION

 

Office zone

Mom lighting piece from penta lighting.

Formitable©: Mille Pattes – Desk Edition, The Wheel Of Life.

 

Bedroom 1

Safari inspiration

Customized bed with a baldachin and headboard with alcantara leather and brass details.

Formitable©: Cognoscenti night tables.

Customized modern shelving unit includes a dressing unit.

Model bahia mini from foscarini lighting.

Bathroom 1

Customized unit in steel and solid teak wood.

 

Bedroom 2

The night tables from formitable©.

Custom closet with shelving unit and an extended bench for study time.

Lighting fixtures model lake from foscarini + juncos from flos kap white.

Bathroom 2

Wall: photo by Maya Fardoun, printed on glass wall.

Custom made sink unit.

 

Bedroom 3

An oriental antique mirror

Custom made bed with velvet and inlaid mother of pearl headboard.

Antique doors on the wall.

Custom made dresser and closet with inlaid mother of pearl.

Custom made moveable aluminum panels.

Pinup light units from studio italia

Master Bedroom

Dressing room: closets are made of caleidolegno mw toglio wood veneer, supplier from tabu italy room.

Custom made suspended tv unit and dressing table.

Custom made bed with velvet headboard.

Lighting by masiero lighting.

Formitable©: Paired, night tables.

 

Corridors

Custom-made wallpaper, pajlo by wall&deco

Wood paneling.

Formitable©: Dana sofa table.

 

Work area

White back painted glass walls.

Custom made shelving unit wood + carrara marble partitions + glass.

The l-shaped work area in formica from polymer.

Custom made lighting unit from formitable©

 

Kitchen

Skygarden chandeliers from flos.

Soul, a unique wallpaper from wall&deco.

Walls covered in painted glass.

Appliances from miele.

 

Dirty kitchen 

Custom made barbeque

About Wael Farran

Wael Farran is the founder of Wael Farran Studio, an international multidisciplinary interior architecture firm based in Beirut, Leabanon, providing design solutions for residential and commercial spaces. The Studio is also home to FORMITABLE©, a high-end line of limited edition custom made tables and furniture.

As lead designer for the studio, Farran is highly versed in design matters and confidently navigates all the design and construction phases, from conception to execution. His passion for solving design problems led to the creation of FORMITABLE©, a bespoke line of limited edition tables that add stature to a space through their sculptural nature.

Farran’s interior architecture design work has been featured in a variety of local and international magazines, as well as on regional televisions station such as Orbit, LBCI, MBC, and NBN, among others. His interior architecture projects are spread in Beirut, Dubai, Paris, Senegal, and Cairo. Several of his FORMITABLE© designs have graced the halls in international design fairs, including Turkey Design Week 2016, Milan Design Week 2017, Venice Art Biennale 2017, Venice Architecture Biennale 2018, Edit Napoli 2019, Paris Design Week – Meet My Project 2019, as well as local events such as Beirut Art Fair 2014 and 2015, and Beirut Design Week 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Always looking to give back, Farran signed a special agreement with the American University of Science And Technology to promote the professional insertion of students in training sessions, internships, workshops, and more in order to develop their design know-how.