Since its founding in 2002, Ambience Home Design has established itself as a prominent high-end design studio in the Marbella area, with projects also extending beyond the borders of the Costa del Sol and Spain. Though its founder, Andrea Böck, says she follows no set style, the Ambience approach and philosophy are visible to the discerning eye in a great variety of interiors – and outdoor living spaces – created for private homes, restaurants, nightclubs and business premises.

Andrea and her team have experienced the transition from more classical styles to the sleek, white-toned minimalism of recent years, and are now in the midst of a new evolution that is moving away from stark perfection towards a more natural, more relaxed and more comfort-driven approach to home decoration. “The new trends are moving away from outward presentation to a more homely style that has to look wonderful but is also very much focused on comfort and well-being.”

As a result, the styling of furniture and objects such as door handles, baths and taps is sleek and modern, but the materials are changing. “A few years ago, chrome and lots of shiny ‘bling’ objects were the in-thing, but they have gone right out of fashion,” says Andrea. “Now, at best, you can still find brushed chrome, but people prefer steel, iron, brass and rose gold in combination with very avant-garde forms and shapes. It’s an exciting new blend of styles and materials.”

A Sense of Well-Being

We know that the Covid experience of the past year has placed renewed importance on the home as the central base of one’s life, and as a result the property sector, DIY and also interior design industries are all booming, as large numbers of people have a reinvigorated appreciation of the home and what it means. This has resulted in greater investment in a new, more spacious property, or the upgrading of the existing one, and here too there have been some new trends.

“We too are very busy and our clients are highly diverse in terms of origin, age and tastes, but what they have in common is a greater focus on making their villas, apartments and penthouses not just a showcase but also a truly comfortable home where they can relax, spend time with family and friends, and also create a sense of well-being. As a result, we’re moving towards more natural materials and tones, with open-plan layouts focused on creating special zones.”

“Today’s buyers in this region are spending much longer periods of time here, and this produces changes in their spec lists for the houses themselves – such as including more storage space, larger bedroom suites and living rooms, as well as home gyms, entertainment areas and of course professional workspaces.” Andrea and her team are loving the increasing diversity of projects, and she enjoys the process of creating unique designs for each home, owner and location.

The Rise of Wabi-Sabi Design

In doing this she is often asked to embrace an ancient but increasingly popular design philosophy that has its roots in Japan and Buddhist thinking in general. Wabi-Sabi pursues a sense of timeless, balanced harmony that incorporates into its designs an acceptance that beauty is transient, perfection fleeting, as well as an understanding of the workings of time and nature on that which we create. Its result in modern designs is a less rigid approach to creating beauty.

“The focus has changed. People still desire beautiful homes that look and feel impressive, but they also want to create their own oasis of style, comfort and happiness, and for this, natural materials, as well as stunning colour palates, textures and private areas where you can hide away or indeed socialise are of great importance. Naturally this also includes outdoor living spaces, which are such a feature of life in Marbella, and gardens are a vital element in this too.”

In addition to interior designers, she has five qualified architects in her team at Ambience Home Design, and works closely with landscaping firms, as well as selected builders, lighting experts and other specialists in projects that range from home decoration to complete refurbishment and even new-build concepts. “For this, people these days want to see detailed renders of such a quality that they can be confused with actual photos, so they have become part of all our projects.”

Conducting an Orchestra of Design Elements

Such rendered designs even feature specific furniture pieces and artwork to provide a virtual representation of the real-life design. “The beauty of this technology is that you can look at it and make changes along the way, either in person or in Zoom meetings where we share screens during these creative processes,” says Andrea. “Even if it slows down the process, it allows us to communicate design concepts in a more accurate, visual way.”

This, together with a new, more organic design trend allows for a wider eclectic blend of design elements, which the skilled professional knows how to bring together to stunning effect. “We work with specially sourced, mostly Italian, furniture brands, and I love discovering new ones at the Milan and Paris design fairs,” says Andrea, “but now we can once more add ethnic, classical and antique elements to modern interiors… and when done correctly this produces some of the finest results of all. It is perhaps more difficult than a rigidly adhered to style, but so much more rewarding.”