The Power of Pastel

Taipei studio NestSpace Design created this family home in Taoyuan City based on the colours and curves of a double rainbow, meaning pastel shades and arches predominate

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in the suburban area of Taoyuan, is this this airy, comfortable and spacious apartment. But it wasn’t always this way: Having previously struggled with a poorly lit and badly ventilated home where family members felt walled off from one other, the clients reached out to Taipei-based studio NestSpace Design with a brief to turn their apartment into a warm, welcoming cocoon that encourages socialising in the shared living areas.

‘We were inspired by the rare phenomenon of the double rainbow,’ NestSpace Design co-founder Jun-Cheng Yeh explains. Reflecting this concept are a subdued and muted colour scheme and a series of arched structures that feature throughout the 132-square-metre apartment. ‘Using the power of colour, we hope to achieve our fundamental objective of comfort and enhanced interaction between family members,’ says Yeh. Walls and cabinets are painted in shades of pastel blue and pink, while the living room and kitchen furniture offers bursts of darker hues. A consistent palette of desaturated colours ensures visual continuity and harmony.

According to Yeh, the terrazzo and wood kitchen island is the main feature in the apartment, and key to the overall design was the repetition of the island’s details, notably in the geometric cushions, tiles and wallpaper that figure throughout the space. ‘By creating an ordered and repeated composition, we reflect a dynamic flow but also maintain a sense of tranquillity,’ Yeh says.

While the combination of terrazzo and wood could appear heavy or dense, Yeh and his team used a terrazzo countertop and single leg to create a structure that appears to float in the kitchen, further enhancing the gentle sense of lightness that permeates the entire home.

Text / Nicole Chim
Images / Hey!Cheese