Atelier Branco & Fairley: Elegant, timeless and tailored interiors.

Located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Atelier Branco & Fairley is an award winning interior design studio providing interior architectual and design services for both private clients and property developers.

Founded by design duo Victor Branco and James Fairley, Atelier Branco & Fairley specialises in luxury interior design and interior architecture. With diverse academic backgrounds and international experiences, Victor and James bring a harmonious and engaging approach to design. Their work results in exceptional luxury that is elegant, tailored, and timeless, crafting unique spaces that reflect the individuality and lifestyle of their clients.

Based in the UK, with a new satellite office in the Algarve, Atelier offers a personable and dynamic team ready to bring your vision to life. Inspired and resourceful, they specialise in crafting unique portraits of who you are, how you live, and what you love. From country and contemporary homes to city center apartments and trendy restaurants, their attention to detail shines through in every project. Using exclusive fabrics, bespoke furniture, cabinetry, and lighting, they ensure a modern, luxurious finish.

The studio is committed to capturing every aspect of the brief and managing the design process meticulously from concept to completion, providing exceptional service both in the UK and abroad.

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS

Key trends shaping 2024/25 interiors?
These key trends will shape our living spaces for 2024/25: Biophilia, a deep connection with the natural world which adds a sense of harmony and visual intrigue. Earthy greens and tranquil blues seamlessly blend with natural materials like wood, stone, and woven textures; a seamless integration of technology and smart home systems into our lives, enhancing comfort, convenience, and efficiency to our homes. Organic design with curvature shapes for harmony and cosiness. This trend will embrace the calming flow of nature by incorporating curved lines into our designs, creating a truly cosy haven. Furniture pieces with soft, rounded structures, inviting us to sink in and relax. Think plush sofas with gentle curves, cabinetry with sweeping arches, and even tiles that flow in organic shapes. Also sustainability takes a centre stage with a greater appearance of sustainable materials used in the manufacture of fabrics and rugs made from renewable materials such as plastics found in the oceans.

Where to spend on a project?
Definitely in lighting fixtures as they are the focal point in any room and set the level of desired finish and luxury that we want to achieve in our interior schemes. Lighting is one of the first things we see as we enter to a room as it is at our eye level, be a beautiful chandelier or a set of floor, wall or table lamps. I would also advice on spending little more on signature pieces within an interior i.e key custom designed pieces, for example a sculptural and comfortable sofa or an exquisite credenza.

Where to save on a project?
If we are working with a tighter budget then we would reign back costs on furniture and lighting in areas such as landings or guest bedrooms. We can also pair an expensive piece of furniture with less expensive smaller items such as side tables, accessories etc. The piece with the higher ticket price can provide a ‘halo effect’ on all the surrounding items, making them look and feel more expensive than they actually are, helping to set the tone and elevate the whole room.

Favourite room to design, and why?
Oh, that’s a really difficult question. I can honestly say we don’t have one favourite room type to design. We love to work on every room as each is different and offers different moods and aesthetics. Drawing rooms, for example, are normally a more formal part of the house where we would allocate a larger percentage of the budget. As a result, they can be more exciting to design because a larger budget allows us to be more creative with bespoke key pieces of furniture to add a level of individuality to the room. Family lounges are fun too as they offer a different mood. These spaces are normally more relaxed and casual. Master suites are so enjoyable to work on too. In these settings we can create a tranquil space, the perfect haven for our clients to unwind after a long day at work.

Top lighting tip or trick?
Layering is the key element for a cosy and beautiful home. Different sources of lighting offer different moods and ambiences be that during the day, or in the evenings when socialising or having a dinner party. Adding wall lights immediately adds depth to any room, while table and floor lamps add coziness. On a more subtle level, incorporating soft lighting into any ‘built-in’ cabinetry will immediately add drama to what could be a boring piece of joinery.

Favourite Heathfield lamp?
Another difficult question, as we have so many favourites. However, a few of our favourite ‘go-to’ staples that we use quite often in our projects are: the Holt and Alette chandeliers for their elegant and architectural forms; the Roehampton pendant for its elegance and timeless quality lighting that suits any room. The Blanca table lamp is also one of our favourites alongside the Orion and the Adora which have featured in a few of our recent projects also.