BIGLARKINYAN DESIGN PARTNERSHIP INC. TAKES A HOLISTIC VIEW
by Genevive Diesing – North American Design Magazine – Winter Issue 2009
When it comes to a client’s home or workplace, BiglarKinyan Design Partnership (BKDP) Inc. is focused on providing what it calls “universal” design to appeal to a wide range of consumers. The company both designs the interiors and manages the construction of its projects, using a holistic approach that enables it to deliver economical, adaptable and timeless results.
“We control the design and construction phases to maintain design integrity and excellent quality,” Partner Fardid Biglar says.”We manage the different parts of construction to yield better efficiency.” Fardid says BKDP provides a one-stop shop service, which both its clients and contractors appreciate. “We have a bit more of the inside scoop as to how the industry works,” Partner Kenneth Ho says.
“That makes implementing interior design projects more successful.”
“The contractors that work for our firm often enjoy working with us because our designs are pragmatic and simply implemented.”
CONSCIENTIOUS DESIGN
Kenneth says one of the most common mistakes design firms make is assuming they know their clients’ needs.
“Recently, there was a project we were working on; a very contemporary loft in a fairly historic building here in Toronto,” Kenneth recalls
“Our client had very specific requirements for how they wanted to live. These particular clients described their dream space as cold and institutional.”
While the description was unanticipated BKDP listened. Not only did the firm deliver a space that met the clients’ needs BKDP did so with its signature universal approach.
It utilized high-quality materials with “an intrinsic beauty” to withstand time and trends.
The client was also on a budget, so BKDP mixed and matched materials to value engineer, the company says.
The result was a luxurious gray limestone floor with a “tone-on-tone look,” custom matched charcoal paint for the cabinets, “with a form that could be dressed up or down to respond to mainstream trends if they decide to sell the space,” Biglar notes.
The company used plenty of stainless steel because it picks up the tones of the surrounding materials.
DESIGN GUIDANCE
BKDP says it guides clients through the design process, because although “they often already know what they want to achieve, they just don’t know how to express it visually,” Biglar says.
“The design process is a two-way process,” he continues. “we put ourselves in our clients’ shoes to make realistic choices.”
“Whatever we present to clients, we expect to get a certain amount of feedback to ultimately realise their dream space.”
CONSISTENT PRINCIPLES
Most of BKDP’s projects maintain a sense of symmetry and utilize high-quality, value-oriented materials, Biglar notes.
“We try to design so that no matter what your budget is, the results are visually appealing in ters of proportions and sensibilities,” he says.
“Also, everything is fairly pragmatic. We don’t do anything for the sake of just making a statement everything has a reason for being there.”
LISTENING TO CLIENTS
BKDP says its strength lies in listening to its clients’ needs and developing and architecture that is an expression of their lifestyle and stylistic preferences combined with BKDP’s own unique design sense.
In addition to its diverse accumulation of suppliers and products, BKDP says it pushes the envelope, striving to design in an inventive and creative way.
It says it provides solutions that are “unexpected and refreshing, while keeping within realistic budgets and timelines.”
The company says that its partners “carry distinctive personalities and innate abilities to envision styles, concepts and trends”
In addition, they are members of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario and hold degrees in architecture.
FUTURE PROJECTS
Biglar sees more commercial projects in BKDP’s future. “They’re a little bit more of a fun challenge,” he explains.
“At our firm, we like to deal with new adventures and we really enjoy opportunities to push our creativity further.”
“Larger commercial projects will give us an opportunity to really demonstrate that to a larger audience.”