Houzz Tour: A Sleek and Contemporary Apartment in West London
A cream colour palette and glossy finishes make for a luxurious London home
In order to create a welcoming city home, the owners of this Knightsbridge apartment worked closely with Anna Grace-Davidson, founder of interior design company Anna Casa, to totally redesign the layout and interiors. ‘Previously, the rooms weren’t spacious, the apartment was dark and lacked any personal character, and the layout didn’t really work,’ Anna explains. She completely opened out the entrance and reconstructed the living and dining rooms to create an open-plan space that could make the most of the breathtaking London views. She kept everything neutral, using mostly white, cream and ivory. ‘We had the same colour palette in all the rooms, then in each room we introduced a different accent colour to brighten it up and add personality,’ she says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A family of four
Location Knightsbridge, central London
Designer Anna Grace-Davidson of Anna Casa Interiors
Size 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A family of four
Location Knightsbridge, central London
Designer Anna Grace-Davidson of Anna Casa Interiors
Size 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
The rug oozes warmth and luxury. ‘It was very important to create softness and comfort for a welcoming appeal,’ Anna explains. Wall panels behind the armchair hide rooms containing pipes and technical equipment. ‘In order not to have too many doors, we decided to conceal them with decorative panels,’ she says. The panels are custom-made, and upholstered in fabric by Jab.
Console, Malerba. Floor lamp, Visionnaire. Opera armchair, Anna Casa. Rug, Veedon Fleece.
Console, Malerba. Floor lamp, Visionnaire. Opera armchair, Anna Casa. Rug, Veedon Fleece.
‘The clients were extremely keen on having a light-filled interior,’ Anna says. So the designer chose an off-white colour palette, bringing in subtle colour tones through the details, such as the striped wallpaper in the hallway. The clients love flowers, which bring a nice touch of natural colour into the home.
Jules side table, Baxter. Artwork, Alex Turco at Anna Casa.
Jules side table, Baxter. Artwork, Alex Turco at Anna Casa.
The open-plan living room is filled with light. ‘It gets plenty of natural rays during the day, and the city lights flood the apartment in the evening,’ Anna explains.
‘All the furniture is very practical. Nothing is there just to fill the space. The cream leather sofas add form and subtle texture to the room,’ she says. The coffee table is topped with onyx, which Anna chose to complement the sofas and bring in another layer of texture.
Sofas, Fendi Casa. Coffee table, Visionnaire. Curtains made from Orienta fabric in Misty Rose, Sekers. Rug, Veedon Fleece. Office desk, Reflex. Office chair, Baxter.
‘All the furniture is very practical. Nothing is there just to fill the space. The cream leather sofas add form and subtle texture to the room,’ she says. The coffee table is topped with onyx, which Anna chose to complement the sofas and bring in another layer of texture.
Sofas, Fendi Casa. Coffee table, Visionnaire. Curtains made from Orienta fabric in Misty Rose, Sekers. Rug, Veedon Fleece. Office desk, Reflex. Office chair, Baxter.
Although open plan, clever zoning has created intimate conversation areas. ‘The sofas are in the centre of the room and next to the fireplace, creating a cosy ambience,’ says Anna. The Reflex clock is on the other side of the fireplace, so the column really is pivotal to the design of the whole space.
Sheepskin chair, Baxter. Fireplace, custom-made.
Sheepskin chair, Baxter. Fireplace, custom-made.
A glass table in the dining area maintains the light and contemporary feel of the apartment. ‘It gives the space a fresh and modern feel,’ Anna says. ‘The idea was not to block the area, but give it a certain fluidity.’ Another luxurious rug warms up the glass and chrome.
Dining table, Fendi Casa. Dining chairs, Roche Bobois.
Dining table, Fendi Casa. Dining chairs, Roche Bobois.
The kitchen is all bespoke and tailor-made for the client. It’s a contemporary and sophisticated space, and is their dream kitchen. ‘It’s practical, functional and timeless, with a luxurious quality,’ Anna says.
‘The units are made from Parapan, which has the aesthetic of a shiny lacquer but is actually acrylic and very easy to treat. It won’t scratch or damage,’ she explains.
See 8 contemporary white kitchen schemes
‘The units are made from Parapan, which has the aesthetic of a shiny lacquer but is actually acrylic and very easy to treat. It won’t scratch or damage,’ she explains.
See 8 contemporary white kitchen schemes
‘In the kitchen, we used LED lights inside the ceiling cornice to make it look higher and to create atmosphere,’ Anna says. There are also lights in the floor. ‘It’s important to be able to set the atmosphere in the kitchen, too.’
The chandelier softens the space, taking it from cool and contemporary to sumptuous. ‘It’s a focal point, but doesn’t overpower the minimal aesthetic,’ Anna adds.
The chandelier softens the space, taking it from cool and contemporary to sumptuous. ‘It’s a focal point, but doesn’t overpower the minimal aesthetic,’ Anna adds.
The blue bedroom is for a teenage girl. ‘We made the girls’ rooms very similar, as they didn’t want any arguments,’ Anna says. The client wanted blue as it was calming but also positive. ‘We were trying to create a nice bedroom space, but also something practical, so there’s a decent desk for homework,’ she adds. Built-in wardrobes on the other side of the room also house a TV.
Curtain fabric, Romo. Bedspread, Missoni Home. Desk chair, Roche Bobois. Carpet, Stark Carpet. Feature wallpaper, Luna by Sahco.
Curtain fabric, Romo. Bedspread, Missoni Home. Desk chair, Roche Bobois. Carpet, Stark Carpet. Feature wallpaper, Luna by Sahco.
The other daughter’s bedroom has many of the same features, except for the zingy throw and cushions. ‘I chose the bedspread to make this room a bit brighter,’ Anna says. All of the furniture, as in the previous bedroom, was made bespoke. The bedside table and desk are made from Parapan acrylic, like the kitchen units, as it’s so robust. ‘The client wanted everything to be shiny, and you can polish Parapan to a high gloss,’ Anna explains.
Bedspread, Missoni Home. Chair, Roche Bobois. Carpet, Stark Carpet. UM Pearl feature wallpaper, Brian Yates.
Bedspread, Missoni Home. Chair, Roche Bobois. Carpet, Stark Carpet. UM Pearl feature wallpaper, Brian Yates.
‘The master bedroom is all about comfort and complete luxury,’ Anna says. ‘My vision was to make it a personal sanctuary without compromising on style.’ She chose soft textures for the carpet, bed linen and curtains. ‘The use of different textures was important to add layers and dimensions,’ she explains. The bedside lights are an interesting alternative to a typical table lamp. They were made bespoke, and add a sense of drama to the room, while the mirrors help to enlarge the space.
Carpet, Oliver Treutlein. Bed linen, VS Interiors. Curtains made from Delilah fabric in Champagne Beige, Wemyss. UM Scala feature wallpaper, Brian Yates.
Check out how to bring a touch of luxe to your own home
Carpet, Oliver Treutlein. Bed linen, VS Interiors. Curtains made from Delilah fabric in Champagne Beige, Wemyss. UM Scala feature wallpaper, Brian Yates.
Check out how to bring a touch of luxe to your own home
A generously sized rain shower is a luxurious addition to the master en suite, in keeping with the rest of the property. ‘I wanted to add a focal point, so I chose a beautiful flower pattern for the back of the shower,’ says Anna. ‘The natural tones complement the tiles and, because it’s a large pattern, it doesn’t over-complicate the space.’
Wall tiled in Dandelion Blanc, RIM.
Wall tiled in Dandelion Blanc, RIM.
‘The client wanted the master bathroom to follow the same scheme as the rest of the apartment and be very bright and shiny, so the tiles look like glossy leather panels,’ Anna says.
Lighting was key to the luxurious, bespoke feel. ‘It was important the clients could change the lighting scheme, with different settings for make-up, showering and evening light,’ Anna explains. ‘I wanted them to be able to create different atmospheres.’
Lighting was key to the luxurious, bespoke feel. ‘It was important the clients could change the lighting scheme, with different settings for make-up, showering and evening light,’ Anna explains. ‘I wanted them to be able to create different atmospheres.’
This is the en-suite bathroom of one of the teenagers, who wanted something bright and contemporary. The room is still light and glossy, but the green panel adds a burst of energy and interest.
Walls tiled in Off-white ceramic base, RIM. Floor tiled in Glitter white high honed, Via Arkadia. Shower tiled in Windy Verde, RIM. Tap and shower, Grohe.
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Walls tiled in Off-white ceramic base, RIM. Floor tiled in Glitter white high honed, Via Arkadia. Shower tiled in Windy Verde, RIM. Tap and shower, Grohe.
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What do you like about this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Clock, Reflex. Chandelier, Kolarz. Manhattan wallpaper, Brian Yates.