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Michaelis Boyd partner Christina Gregoriou advises treating awkward spaces as an early design priority rather than leaving them until the end of a project. She points to a custom seat built around an exposed column at Miiro Paris as an example of turning a constraint into a defining feature.
Michaelis Boyd partner Christina Gregoriou says designers should identify awkward corners, narrow corridors and structural obstacles at the start of a project, rather than leave them until the end. In an interview with Livingetc, she described how the studio turned a newly exposed column and small niche at the Miiro Paris hotel into a custom seat, making a difficult part of the floor plan a feature of the design.
Gregoriou’s advice applies to residential, commercial and hospitality projects, according to the interview. She described common problem areas including unused corners, long corridors and structural columns that become visible during renovation. These spaces can feel difficult to use, but she cautioned that postponing decisions about them can leave them looking like afterthoughts.
At Miiro Paris, Michaelis Boyd renovated a hotel formed from two heritage Haussmann-era buildings connected from different streets. The secondary entrance had been treated as the less appealing side: it was dark, narrow and short on natural light. The studio changed how the area was used, shaping it as a moody, intimate speakeasy rather than retaining its earlier back-of-house and administrative functions.
During the strip-out, the team found a structural column that created a small pocket with no obvious use. Gregoriou said the studio fitted a custom love seat into the niche, working with the column instead of trying to conceal it. The source presents the project as an example of her broader design approach; it does not provide measurements, project costs or independent assessments of the result.
Why Early Design Choices Matter
The advice speaks to a common renovation problem: awkward spaces can become more costly or disruptive to resolve if they are ignored while the rest of a layout is planned. Gregoriou’s recommendation is to make those areas part of the initial design brief, so that a column, corridor or niche is considered alongside the project’s more obvious rooms and features.
The Miiro Paris example also shows how a constraint can influence a space’s use, not only its appearance. In Gregoriou’s account, the secondary entrance’s narrow, dim proportions helped inform the idea of an intimate bar, while the column shaped the location of a bespoke seat. That is a project-specific design decision, not evidence that every structural obstruction can or should be turned into a focal point.
For homeowners, the practical takeaway is to discuss difficult areas with the project team before committing to a layout. Structural elements may be necessary to a building’s stability, and design changes must account for them. The interview offers creative guidance, not technical instructions for altering a structure.
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From Hotel Renovation to Home Advice
Michaelis Boyd is a London architecture and design practice founded in Notting Hill in 1995 by architects Tim Boyd and Alex Michaelis. The source describes a portfolio across hospitality, residential and commercial work, and uses the Miiro Paris renovation to illustrate how its approach to constraints might inform home projects.
Gregoriou’s interview also refers to the studio’s bathroom design for WOW!house in collaboration with House of Rohl. She said the team began by choosing a statement round bathtub as the room’s central feature rather than allowing the functional layout alone to determine the feeling. The source excerpt ends before giving further details of that project, so its full design rationale and outcome are not available here.
What the Interview Does Not Specify
The source does not state when the interview was published or provide independent project documentation. It also does not give details such as the Miiro Paris renovation’s budget, schedule, construction constraints or how guests have responded to the redesigned entrance and seat. Gregoriou’s account establishes the studio’s stated design intent, but not a measured assessment of the project’s impact.
The supplied excerpt cuts off during the WOW!house discussion. It does not explain what other constraints shaped that bathroom or provide details about its finished design. The interview’s recommendations also do not address which structural changes were considered or what engineering approvals were required at either project.
Applying the Advice to Renovations
The next step for readers planning a renovation is to raise awkward areas during early conversations with their architect or designer: identify columns, recesses, narrow passages and rooms that seem hard to use before the overall layout is fixed. A project team can then explore whether those features should guide the design or remain functional constraints to work around.
No further announcement or project milestone is identified in the source. Gregoriou’s comments are design advice rather than news of a new Michaelis Boyd commission, and the interview does not say whether additional details about the Miiro Paris or WOW!house projects will be released.
Key Questions
What is Christina Gregoriou’s main advice for designing awkward spaces?
She recommends identifying difficult areas at the start of a project and giving them early design attention rather than leaving them until the end.
What did Michaelis Boyd do with the column at Miiro Paris?
According to Gregoriou, the exposed column created a small niche, where the studio placed a custom love seat rather than trying to hide the obstruction.
How did the studio rethink Miiro Paris’s secondary entrance?
Gregoriou said the dark, narrow entrance was reimagined as an intimate speakeasy, instead of remaining primarily a back-of-house and administrative area.
Does the interview provide technical guidance for changing structural elements?
No. It describes design decisions but does not give engineering instructions or explain approvals. Structural work requires assessment by qualified professionals and compliance with applicable building requirements.
Source: livingetc.com
