Build September 2016

Build Magazine 31 Construction Kingston-based designer Lili Giacobino is setting out to bring to life the facades and interiors inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein’s beloved book The Hobbit. In so doing, she is joining a growing international movement devoted to echoing the stylisations of Tolkein’s work, which were popularised in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series. riginally from Switzerland, Giacobino worked as a social worker helping children with special needs when she began to help make the childrens’ ideas a reality through decorations and additions to their surroundings. She started her own furniture company in 2005, focusing on the use of recycled cardboard. She moved to the UK in 2008 to study Product and Furniture Design at Kingston University London, graduating with a First Class Honours. After 3 years as a property developer herself, Giacobino awakens the nostalgic imagination within us through her interior design. She utilises her knowledge in plumbing, carpentry, tiling and her expertise in furniture to give form to her creative and fantastical designs. She states, “the Hobbit house uses recycled floorboards and reclaimed portholes found second hand, which came from a ship that had travelled the world. These additions create a lovely sense of adventure and narrative for the project, much like the novel it was inspired from.” “In a Hole in the Ground, There Lived a Hobbit.” O She confesses to her interest in “upcycling and recycling materials found around [her]”, as she sees the “new life for the material and a whole new story it can tell; it triggers the imagination.” As well as her Hobbit house design, this feature is also found in her most recent property development where by tilting a specific book on the shelf it opens up to a hidden room, as if plucked from its own fantasy novel. However, like most vast, mystical spaces, Giacobino believes that, “it is not about how much space you have but how you manipulate it and how you wish to feel within it.” It is her priority to develop the space, regardless of size, to become the ideal atmosphere for your aspirations. She now wishes to share her sense of adventure with you and incorporate her creative flair into a dream space, personally tailored for you. Looking beyond the current design trends, this interior designer aims to transform your home or even just an unloved room to suit your interests and appeal to the unique individuality of each person. “A virtual makeover of the room is a perfect way to begin the process, and also to visualise the changes to the space. It’s amazing to see how one space you see all the time can be transformed before your eyes, while you sit relaxing with a cup of tea!” edithpifpaf / Shutterstock.com