Designers Graham Charbonneau and Dave Bickmore have helped create some of the Adelaide's coolest spaces, including Fugazzi Bar and Hotel Indigo. Genevieve Toop sits down with the studio -gram founders to discuss the hottest South Australian architectural trends of 2021 and what is in store for luxury home design in 2022.

Did you notice any common requests when working with your clients in 2021?

Generally speaking, space was on the top of their list. Most people have spent more time than ever at home over the past 24 months, and that has driven everyone to think a little differently about their homes, to put more emphasis on home offices, gyms and retreat-based spaces.

Has COVID-19 had an impact on those priorities?

Absolutely. Clients are now very focused on spaces like studies, especially individual studies to support multiple people working from home and kids studying from home.

Here's a selection of our top sales from 2021. Can you see any similarities from a design/architectural viewpoint? Why do you think they were so popular?

All have heritage aspects to them with more contemporary extensions. There is certainly an attraction to the beauty and the detail found in older architecture, yet a desire for the openness of more contemporary design. They are also very spacious homes on larger allotments. This reinforces the previous points, with the past 24 months driving a desire for people to seek more space within their home living environments, both internally and externally.

What are your predictions for residential home design trends in 2022?

With clients being more focused on home, we are seeing a large emphasis on entertaining, kitchens, bars and outdoor spaces. With our success in the hospitality space, we are getting a lot of enquiries from families seeking home designs that blend the boundaries between a traditional home and their favourite hospitality spaces.

What was the coolest home design concept you saw in 2021?

Peter Stutchbury designed a house that could take his client to the stars without leaving the lounge room. The client, Basil Borun, can now see the stars directly from his wheelchair, in his lounge room, through a large elliptical skylight in the roof that can open and close. It is a great example of architecture responding to a client's specific needs, and it is awe-inspiring in its execution.

Photo: peterstutchbury.com.au