Reviving character-filled homes is one of the most rewarding challenges for Auckland-based interior designer Kristen Basra. As the owner and Creative Director of Spatial Studio, Kristen, alongside her talented team, breathes new life into beautiful heritage homes across New Zealand, balancing a careful collaboration with both the homeowners and the home’s original architecture.
Founded in 2016, Spatial Studio has been involved in numerous prestigious projects, with Kristen’s commitment to design excellence recognised in 2019 when she was crowned New Zealand’s Emerging Design Professional. Alongside her interior design work, she also has her own line of self-titled furniture, reflecting her passion for bespoke craftsmanship.
Kristen's approach to design is rooted in creating spaces that are practical yet beautiful. "Every project has its own detailing, design, and materials. It’s about making a home easy and practical while also making it beautiful and tailored," she explains. "Every day is fun yet serious work, but when you love and enjoy something as much as the Spatial team does, it comes easy."
At the heart of many of Kristen’s projects is a fireplace, often the focal point of a space. When selecting a fireplace, Kristen ensures it aligns with her ethos of simplicity and beauty.
The Tundra project by Spatial Studio showcases the Escea DS1400 Gas Fireplace set within a custom timber and marble feature surround. The dark timber and black coals fuelbed beautifully complement the fireplace and TV placement, enhancing the mesmerising flames.
Spatial Studio’s Racines d'argent project features the Escea DS1400 Gas Fireplace creating a striking statement, featuring the logs fuelbed with a custom tiered marble surround. This design seamlessly balances a timeless focal point within a modern setting.
"We love Escea fireplaces. Their products allow us to fully customise the look of the fireplace surround, with or without a frame, and the process to complete the project is really easy,” says Kristen. There are different sizes and shapes to suit various widths and depths, and the units don’t take up much space, which is important for smaller areas. Plus, the overall fire produces wonderful heat and is easy to control."
The beauty of stone lies in its versatility - it can be handcrafted for a simple, understated finish with subtle edges to complement the minimalist Escea DF960 Gas Fireplace (left), or elevated for a bold statement with tiered effect atop a floating hearth with the framed Escea DL850 Gas Fireplace (right).
Custom stone fireplace surrounds have become a signature in many of Kristen’s designs. “Stone is a gorgeous way to create a bold focal point in a room,” she says. “It can be designed in various ways, from a character-style surround that stretches to the floor with a hearth to a simple frame around the fireplace."
When working with Escea’s Architectural Advisory Team, Kristen emphasises how easy it is to specify fireplaces into her projects. Whether its bespoke joinery surrounds or detailed stonework, she ensures her designs are both striking and sympathetic to the home’s original style.
"In particular, we really enjoy working closely with the Escea design team to ensure all non-combustible material requirements are met when designing surrounds. The specifications are well presented in the drawings, and it’s very easy to get answers when we design something out of the ordinary. In fact, the specs are so clear that we rarely have many questions at all."
This Albany Road home features a traditional treatment fireplace installation with the Escea DF960 Gas Fireplace. “The fireplace stone surround extends classically to the floor which really grounds the fireplace in the space and allows lightness above it,” says Kristen.
“With window restrictions at Moa Road, we kept the Escea DL850 Gas Fireplace low and accentuated the stone surround width for a floating effect. The multiple step detail draws the eye to the fireplace’s glow creating a modernist design ideal for a contemporary bungalow extension.”
Kristen Basra’s thoughtful integration of fireplaces into heritage homes showcases her dedication to both beauty and functionality. Her ability to enhance original architecture while creating modern, inviting spaces makes her a sought-after expert in design. And now, Kristen shares her top tips for selecting and designing fireplaces that perfectly complement any home.
- Taking your time to determine the best position within your room and what you’re trying to achieve.
- Look at the proportions of the space and what’s around the fireplace. Shape and size are important to consider in terms of how it will fit with the rest of your home. Don’t go so large that it overpowers the room.
- Consider the surrounding treatment, if any, during the planning stages. We love stone surrounds to bring in character in what feels like artwork around the fire.
- Consider if you’ll position a TV above the fireplace too, and how that ties into the overall design and feel you’re trying to create.
