Retro Metro - Karl Fradgley - Interior Designer & Colour Consultant

PORTFOLIO

CLIENT: McINERNEY HOMES, 
THE FIONN LAOI SHOWHOUSE, BALLINCOLLIG, CO. CORK
 
Launched on 27th September my Showhouse is a treat for the eyes. Unique in this market my brief was to create a modern urban look in a countryside setting, all the while appealing to as broad a market as possible.
 
I started with a large white porcelain tile which is run across the entire ground floor. The theme of greys, charcoals, golds and hints of jewel colours flowed from this and the end result is a blend of smokey urban sophistication and middle eastern texture and shape. 
 
Open Saturdays and Sundays and by appointment on weekdays.
 
LIVING ROOM
living room furniture - slinky recliner and gorgeous retro styled sofa with purples and lime green accentsSymmetry and Asymmetry combine to create a unique living room Simple clean lines for the fireplace and Magnificent antique Chinese cabinets
 
KITCHEN
same textured wallpaper used in sitting room is used to define the dining area in the kitchen. Gorgeous black marble tableattention to detail is key - exquisite table settingsleek high gloass black kitchen is masculine and sexy
 
HALL, STAIRS AND LANDING
View into hallway through to kitchen - note porcelian flooring is continued across whole ground floor Gorgeous handpainted, laquered cabinet. If you visit the showhouse be sure and open the doors - it is beautifully finished inside. landing with strip of canvases to draw the eye 
 
MASTER BEDROOM
Seagrass wallcovering, Handmade Velvet and Silk headboards, Handpainted Chinese butterfly side cabinets and tangy Yellow glass lamps all team to create a sophisticated and luscious master bedroom 
DOUBLE GUEST BEDROOM
gorgeous earthy tones in the wicker textured wallpaper, handmade headboard and goose feather cushions 
TEENAGED BOYS BEDROOM
Loft style bed to sleep 35 piece canvass stetches the room and coupled with funky FATBOYs this teenagers rooms is ice cool.
CLIENT: V. CONNEELY, Riverstick, Cork.
A very unusual house in a beautiful country setting. The rooms were uniquely shaped including a very angular  kitchen and a diamond shaped family area.
 
Working with white and black marble flooring across the main living areas I created a scheme inspired by nature with an urban, smokey twist. The living spaces were all about charcoals, whites, golds and splashes of vibrant scarlet. Furniture is grouped together to help create a sense individual function for various spaces. Each piece is modern and streamlined to calm the tricky spaces. Careful planning inside these rooms ensures the interior is a success.
 
The kitchen is off white shaker style with a quirky hinge detail. Extra care was needed to ensure this space worked. The black floor sweeps in from the living areas which are both white, edged in black.
cleverly designed kitchenview into kitchen from family roomview from kitchen across fantastic breakfast bar with zingy red stools - into family room and living room beyondgrouping furniture in the awkwardly shaped rooms ensure they work
 
Sexy stone is used on the fireplace, the patio wall and the window pillars in the living room to warm up the marble and create designer detail and focus.
 
 
CLIENT: JACOBS ENGINEERING, Cork.
The worlds' largest engineering firm hired Retro Metro Design to redesign the Canteen, Movement Areas, Front and Back Reception. The project included develpoment of an effective open area for staff to move around the building, new stairs and elevators, bespoke designed eating benches and reception desks - designed by Retro Metro Design. The end result is a sleek and sophisticated, modern, commercial interior that the workers at Jacobs are delighted to enjoy.
CANTEEN
new canteen / restaurant
View into canteen area from new thoroughfare - this whole area used to be offices and store rooms
stripe detail at entrance to canteen area
FRONT RECEPTION pictures 1 and 2 / REAR RECEPTION picture 3
waiting area at front receptionhandmade curved reception desck
rear reception including new stairs, elevators and handmade desks
CLIENT: N. MORRISSON, Cork.
My client wanted a sophisticated, chic and more formal reception room in her 1920's home. The palate of Grey, Cream and Smokey Duck Egg Blue was chosen and splashes of pink add zest. I used oatmeal 2 seaters to bring balance to the space and the window treatment is a damask fabric that was reversed to make the blinds. Julian McDonald wallpaper is used to create the most magnificent feature wall. My client was a joy to work for and was delighted with the end result.

CLIENT: D'ARCYS D2, Ballincollig, Cork.
Munsters leading hair salon teamed with Munsters leading interior Designer to create an ultra stylish statement. A catwalk of brown slab tiles strikes a pose through the middle of the salon and up both walls. The stairwell wall is treated with hand-plastered Venetian Travertine which introduces clients to the new salon with exuberance and drama. The end result is Corks must stylish Hair salon.
view across the salon floor to wall detail view across salon floor of catwalk feature. Beautiful Travertine feature wall
CLIENT: A. O' GRADY, Jacob's Island, Cork.
My client wanted a chic look to this rented apartment in order for him to acheive to rental potential in a highly competitive market.
We went for a combination of stoney green colours and warm reddy browns to ensure a sense of home and comfort in this exposed coastal position. The views are fabulous and the intention was to bring a sense of nature in from the outside while keeping the place cosy during the winter.
the living area with striking art and black bamboo open plan living with a chic finish 2 tone kitchen with glass spashback bringing the outside in and the inside out to create a larger living space
CLIENT: DARCY'S HAIR SALON, Paul Street, Cork.
SOON TO FOLLOW - DARCY'S D2 SALON, Ballincollig.
Cork's leading salon is soon to be fully refurbished but in the meantime I have created a cosmetic overhaul that has given the interior a whole new lease of life. The colours STONE, OCRE GOLD & SOFT COPPERY SHADES all serve to create a soothing calming retreat for clients to be pampered. Gorgeous stripe details are used to blend the colours together and help to define certain areas such as reception and colour bars. We buffed and varnished the beautiful Merbau floor upstairs.
All simple inexpensive changes have led to a lucious, stylish and calming interior.
faded strips at new reception area fading stripe detail becomes the theme lucious colouring tones into itself to create a calming vibe coloured recess helps define the space the yellow green spans the curved feature wall
CLIENT: Mr. and Mrs. Dunlea
Set in the gorgeous harbour develpoment of Jacobs Island. A large house with stunning views, my client's have kindly allowed me to display 2 of their rooms - Master Bedroom and Main Guest Suite. stunning 4 poster bed in master bedroom gorgeous details in the wallpaper and hand painted silk curtains funky egg chair adds to the eclectic vibe hand painted chinses vanity cabinet with mirror
soft lemon in the guest bedroom hand painted silks again - this time in ivory manhatten suite furniture coupled with another egg chair.

CLIENT: M. Fitzpatrick

At Retro Metro we endeavour to provide services that cover all budgets. This job was smaller than most of my projects - 3 bedrooms and a TV room. My client had done quite a bit of work on her house as it was and I designed the bedrooms with the rest of her home very much in mind.

I kept the Bedrooms in cooler, calming tones to aid restful sleep and enhance the sense of relaxation that a bedroom should capture.

master bedroom in Herb greens with Brass and Lilac accentsHome made headboard adds a touch of chic at the min. priceChunky chest of drawers for loads of storage

The rooms were all very small so accenting one wall helped to visually push the other walls outwards creating the illusion of more space.

A dark Aquamarine sets the tone in this guest bedroom. we coupled it with a splash of gold. A dark Aquamarine sets the tone in this guest bedroom. we coupled it with a splash of gold.


 

 

 

 

 

 

CLIENT: Mr. and Mrs. G Jones

A large detached house that needed direction and a designer touch to realise its' potential to be a wonderful home. The look is elegant and classic with a funky twist to reflect my clients personalities.

The modern, sleek ,deep blue kitchen was lost under a poorly fitted pine counter and the "safe" colour scheme. A bold, ultra-stylish fashion paper was selected to liven up the space and the "Cocoa" tones on the rest of the walls make the room much more inviting. The finishing touches - a magnificent, stone slab table and beautiful, solid quartz and granite worktop.

Stone table works wonderfully with the high fashion wallpaperthe scheme is continued through to the inviting sunroomThe modern, blue kitchen emerges from the pine & is reinvigorated. The

With two living rooms to redesign, I chose to make one a formal reception area and the other a more relaxed, family room.

My Clients' "Aubergene" and "Olive", silk curtains provide the inspiration for the "Olive" green and "Mud" coloured scheme in the family room. The more formal drawing room was a blank canvas. The general theme is continued, using a more delicate "Gold" and "Barley" colour scheme, with a "Scarlet" accent.

Aztec inspired occassional cabinet with retro, 70's style sofa - very chic!The The more formal reception room has Gold Guilted paper and a wrought iron fireplace.Modern styled furniture adds a sense of fun.The

The Master Bedroom needed a touch of class. A soft "Mint" and "Pearl" coloured statement wallpaper is chosen and low line, 70's style furnishings. We kept the guest rooms' original colour schemes but completely toned them down. The curtains had to stay and so these rooms developed from them.

The stunning wallpaper creates a style statement in the master suite.The budget for guest bedrooms was small so small changes were made to make a big differenceA more feminine guest room.The beautiful mosaic floor sets off the entrance hall.

CLIENT: Jason and Catherine Davis

An urban townhouse for a professional couple and an interior that sparkles. My clients were a joy to work with and they embraced my designs wholeheartedly. The look was urban chic, tinged with dramatic elegance. We went for one-off unique chinese cabinets for the reception rooms coupled with a 70's swivel armchair in the living room and a magnificent "Zebrana" wood table and chairs in the dining area - the antiques of the future.

Handmade papers with lucious feather prints abound. The turquoise and gold master suite is comfort defined with a frosty shag-pile carpet and the turquoise glass bowl sink in the ensuite coupled with the marble bathroom tiles finish the look.

Master bedroom is turquoise and goldMaster bedroom and ensuite with glass bowl sink and marbles

living room with printed paper, swivel chair and Chinese cabinetsStunning Forest greens create a calm oasis in guest bed.

CLIENT: Mrs. M. Tobin

A Client with a very specific vision - "I want this house to be cosy but bright and airy too". A classic combination and a design challenge. Using the client's collection of antique furniture as inspiration, the design flowed from room to room. A blend of neutral tones, accented with slightly deeper, barley colours, is used in the reception areas of the house. Tangerine touches warm up the kitchen and sunroom, while the introduction of a bold jolt of regal purple adds an air of occassion to the master suite.

Barley in the drawing roomAntiques set the tone for the Dining roomCosy and airy - Living roomTangerine sunroom

CLIENT:"SHOWHOUSE" - RTE./VISION INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS

R.T.E.'s top rated interior design show - hired me to fulfill a tight brief with an even tighter budget. As revealed to the nation on thursday 23rd march, RTE 1 @ 8.30 pm, my design was a blend of elegance and "retro-glam" chic. The look was a bold statement of urban, smokey elegance in a rural setting. Fusing the two elements was a difficult task but a challenge I relished. All agreed that the end result was beautiful.

Dining area - Black glass with mustard accentKitchen with oriental cabinetLiving room with Japanese printed paper

Master Bedroom with lush greens and striking stripe detailBathroom with charcoal slate slabs & designer sink

Cranberry Guest room

CLIENT: Mr. D. Barry

Urban bachelor retreat with bold line and unusual colour choices from "blueberry" to "vivid orange". The chalky off white base gave a masculinity to the warmer accents which made the man's house a man's home. The budget was relatively small, so attention was paid to the main traffic areas and to the clients master bedroom. The end result was a smooth, flowing, stylish interior for a bargain price.

Blueberry Living roomOrange kitchen wallChocolate master bedroom with stripe to draw the eye


CLIENT: Mr. Yves Martin & Ms. S. Kenny

A glamorous oasis with retro printed papers lush specimen ferns, and an eclectic blend of hand painted Pakistani wall panels and modern urban linear furnishings. My clients were utterly delighted with the finished result and all well under budget too.

T.V. room - funky print paper and dropped pendant lampsDrawing room - handmade Pakistani floor cushionsDrawing room - Vietnamese painted panels