CLIENT
Far East Consortium (FEC)
DESIGN
Jolie Studio
LOCATION
Manchester, UK
COMPLETED
2023
Set within Manchester’s growing residential landscape, Meadowside was conceived as more than a collection of shared amenity spaces. For Far East Consortium (FEC), the ambition was to create a warm, welcoming environment that residents would want to use throughout the day, somewhere that could support work, relaxation, socialising and entertainment while still feeling cohesive and considered.
Working closely with Jolie Studio, The Furniture Practice helped translate this vision into a furniture scheme that was highly tactile, design-led and carefully tuned to the way residents would move through and use the space.
The completed project went on to win Project of the Year – Living at Mixology North 2023, recognising the strength of the overall design and the quality of the residential experience created.
At the heart of the brief was a desire to create a genuine sense of community, with amenity spaces designed to support different activities throughout the day. A cinema lounge featured flexible modular seating that could be reconfigured around a drop-down projector screen, while a dedicated music lounge offered a more intimate setting centred around a record player and comfortable lounge furniture.
Elsewhere, the coffee and bar area doubled as an informal workspace, with supportive counter-height seating designed for longer periods of use. A separate dining area provided another setting for residents to gather and socialise. Each space offered residents a different way to meet, work, relax and spend time together, helping to bring FEC’s vision for a more connected residential community to life.
Materiality played a central role in Jolie Studio’s design vision and the furniture specification. Timber, marble and warm natural leathers were layered with upholstery in earthy blues, greens and jewel-like tones to create a rich and tactile palette. A standout piece was the GUBI Wonder Pouf, upholstered in a silk and cotton Dedar fabric, with its intricate pattern and texture bringing a distinctive detail to the space.The palette was deliberately warm and considered, creating a refined residential experience with the richness and comfort more commonly associated with hospitality interiors.
Delivering the furniture scheme required a carefully planned logistics strategy. Access to the building was complex, with furniture needing to be unloaded in one location before being transported through the development, particularly when moving larger or more delicate pieces.
Our team developed a project-specific logistics approach to manage these constraints, carefully coordinating delivery and installation to ensure each piece reached its final location safely and efficiently.
Alongside furniture consultancy and procurement, TFP also provided styling support for Meadowside's amenity spaces.
Accessories, artwork and decorative objects were carefully selected to complement the furniture scheme and the wider interior design vision, adding warmth, texture and personality while bringing the spaces together as a cohesive whole.
