Lewis Knox
Lewis Knox

Sona Studio

Showcasing intelligent living through atmosphere and design

For SONA’s Cheshire experience centre, we were asked to create a space that felt immersive, welcoming and atmospheric. Somewhere clients could experience integrated technology within a carefully designed interior, rather than a traditional showroom environment.

Sector: Residential
Style: Contemporary
Location: Cheshire, UK
Status: Completed 2025

From the beginning, the ambition was to move away from the feel of a typical technology showroom. Instead of obvious displays and demonstrations, the space was designed to feel closer to a home environment, allowing lighting, sound and automation to be experienced more naturally and comfortably.

The interior palette was intentionally darker and more atmospheric, using smoked oak finishes, textured wall panelling and layered lighting to create depth throughout the space. Softer furnishings and warmer materials help balance the technical elements, ensuring the showroom still feels relaxed and inviting to spend time in.

Each area was designed around a different experience. Open-plan living spaces flow into cinema and entertainment areas, allowing visitors to move naturally through the showroom and experience the technology within varied settings. Lighting plays a particularly important role throughout the project. Integrated subtly within shelving, joinery and architectural details, it was used to shape the mood of each space and demonstrate how atmosphere can completely change the way an interior feels.

Working closely with SONA and the wider project team from an early stage meant the design and technology could evolve together. Nothing feels separate or applied later – everything sits naturally within the wider interior. The result is a showroom that feels calm, immersive and residential in character; a space that demonstrates technology through experience, rather than display.

Warm, dimly lit modern reception or bar interior with a central white-fronted island under recessed ceiling lighting and a slim black pendant, a backlit onyx feature wall behind the counter, illuminated shelving of amber bottles to the left, and three large abstract framed paintings along the right wall.

Dark oak finishes and textured cladding were used throughout the showroom to create a warmer, more architectural backdrop for the integrated technology systems.

Dimly lit luxury tasting room with a backlit patterned stone wall, a central marble island topped by a vase of white flowers, and illuminated shelving displaying rows of amber bottles and jars of snacks.
Close-up of dark vertical-ribbed wood paneling under an angled shelf with a small recessed spotlight casting a warm glow and a blurred pale column at the left edge.

Lighting was carefully layered into shelving, joinery and display areas, allowing the atmosphere of the space to shift naturally throughout the showroom experience.

Backlit patchwork of white and dark-grey marble with glowing seams, flanked by dark wooden shelves with brass rails and a row of empty wine glasses, with soft-focus white flowers in the foreground.
Three tall ribbed glass bottles of golden lager with white caps standing on a wooden shelf, warmly backlit by vertical lighting against a dark background.
Close-up of a wooden cabinet edge and metal countertop trim in sharp focus with a softly lit shelf of three blurred amber bottles and ribbed back panel in the background.

Bronze detailing and double bullnose marble surfaces were introduced for texture and depth, balancing the cleaner technical elements within the space.

Luxurious dimly lit bar interior with a marble-topped island and vase of white flowers, backlit stone feature wall and illuminated shelves of bottles, a modern multi-arm chandelier overhead and a TV screen showing a lion's profile.

The custom media wall was designed to conceal audiovisual elements within the joinery, allowing the technology to feel fully integrated into the wider interior rather than treated as a separate feature.

Contemporary living room with a large beige sectional sofa and cushions, a central upholstered bench with a book, a wall-mounted TV set into dark cabinetry with backlit display shelves, floor-to-ceiling curtains, a round glass side table with a plant, and a large abstract painting on a textured wall beneath warm recessed tray ceiling lighting.

Open sightlines and connected spaces let visitors move naturally through the showroom, experiencing each environment as part of a wider, cohesive interior.  

Neutral-toned living room showing a large abstract painting in a thin black frame centered on a textured wall between two lit wall sconces, above a beige sofa piled with cushions, with floor-to-ceiling curtains and a small potted plant on a round side table to the left.
Luxurious dimly lit home cinema lounge with warm recessed cove lighting, a low grey sectional sofa and long ottoman on textured carpet facing a large wall-mounted screen framed by illuminated shelving, and a backlit stone feature wall with a minimalist counter and abstract artwork in the background.
Small leafy green potted plant on a round glass-topped side table with a dark metal frame, a beige textured surface beneath and a blurred ceramic bowl on the lower shelf.
Modern reception area with a central marble‑topped island, backlit veined marble feature wall framed in dark wood, shelving with bottled products on the left, three abstract brown-and-cream paintings on the right, recessed cove lighting and a pendant light above a herringbone wood floor.
Close-up of a rounded pale marble countertop or windowsill edge with a smooth polished surface fitted against a dark wood vertical panel.

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