Materials as a Whole: Beauty, Longevity & Sustainability
Material selection is rarely just decoration. At Gaia Starace Design, materials are considered from the inside out, as integral to the architecture, mood, and function of a space. Stone, timber, metal, fabric, and colour all respond to light, proportion, and the way a space is lived in.
Materials are never chosen in isolation. Each interacts with the others, a timber floor warms a room, a stone surface anchors it, fabrics soften edges and absorb movement. Thoughtful combinations create spaces that feel resolved, grounded, and cohesive.
Sometimes a single material becomes the anchor of the design, a stone wall in a bedroom, a timber ceiling in a living room, or a sculptural kitchen bench. This choice informs decisions across the interior, guiding finishes, joinery, lighting, and furniture placement.
Longevity & Sustainability
Selecting materials carefully is not only an aesthetic choice, it is an ethical and functional one. Materials that are durable, timeless, and of high quality age gracefully and gain character rather than degrade.
When material choices are made early, they can shape the design itself: a wall treatment, a joinery finish, or a textured surface can inspire spatial planning and guide the home’s mood. Fewer, well-considered materials reduce waste, support sustainable sourcing, and ensure a home remains beautiful and functional for decades.
Material thinking is an art and a discipline. It combines intuition, observation, and technical understanding to produce interiors that are authentic, coherent, and deeply personal.
At Gaia Starace Design, materials are treated as more than surfaces…they are anchors of experience, sustainability, and design integrity, forming the soul of a space.
This way of working is central to our Interior Advisory and Bespoke Residential services, where spatial clarity, material integrity, and lived experience guide every decision.
