5 color and storage lessons this stunning London apartment will teach you
It's a masterclass in small space decorating
This beautiful home in London's Hampstead has been transformed into a vibrant yet relaxed space that embraces the use of color and pattern.
London-based design studio Kitesgrove was appointed by an entrepreneurial and design-aware couple to transform their apartment. The brief? To create a modern members' club feel, fully embracing color, texture and pattern whilst also utilizing a mix of quality, artisanal pieces with specially-sourced antiques. The finished rooms balance rich and layered schemes with an overarching calming aesthetic.
Art is used in all of the rooms to bring vitality and life to the space. So if you are looking for apartment living room ideas, clever color schemes for tight spaces or even storage inspiration for a tiny home, look no further.
The team had the opportunity to create a number of bespoke items for the project, as well as work with specialist interiors brands, all known for their uncompromising quality, like Soane Britain, Pinch, Lewis & Wood, Guy Goodfellow, The Rug Company and Ochre to name a few.
We love how the finished scheme oozes color confidence while managing to remain laidback and tranquil at the same time. See five things you can take away from the home about embracing color in your own interiors below.
1. Dark hues showcase pretty prints in reception rooms
The initial starting point for the living room ideas came from a palette of fresh greens and blues. Farrow & Ball’s quietly elegant De Nimes was used for the walls, grounding the light-filled space.
The green shades from the Soane Tendril Vine curtains and the Ottoman in Holland & Sherry Quaintrelle Dandy II Tea Time tie in perfectly with this palette, whilst the B&B Italia sofa, upholstered in Holland & Sherry Oshin Dusty Pink, is offset against the darker walls and instantly lifts the room.
The silk yarns of The Rug Company’s ‘Meridian Aqua’ radiate a subtle sheen that complements the other tones in the room, while the bespoke sheepskin chair brings a tactile, textural warmth to the space.
The cool drinks cupboard elevates the room and adds that aforementioned members' club feel.
2. Dark wood and rich velvets create a grown-up feel in a dining room
The bespoke Fiona McDonald table with a dark marble top sets a more formal tone, and offers wonderful inspiration for dining room ideas.
The Gubi chairs, upholstered in forest green velvet, add depth to the scheme, whilst the delicate folds of the Pinch Anders light act as a sculptural focal point to the space.
The whole look is anchored by on-trend yet timeless wooden panelling in a dark hue, which works to anchor the space.
3. Crisp colored patterns add life to work spaces
The project also involved some clever small living room storage ideas and included complex joinery, including a discreet home office hidden in a secret cupboard finished in a rich Eucalyptus Pommele veneer.
We love the bespoke desk chair, designed by Kitesgrove, which is a versatile piece, equally suited for a day’s work or as a dressing table stool. The leather handle on the chair’s back brings an elegant, streamlined detail to the stool’s sculptural form, as well as functionality. And the geometric print is visually pleasing as well as working to add a little color to the space.
4. Different shades of the same color create a calm bedroom
Pairing lighter and deeper tones of the same hue creates a warm and inviting look with depth and dimension.
The Soane ‘Coral, Green’ walls here provide a light and calming backdrop; a beautiful neutral base for the contrasting Pierre Frey velvet headboard in Forest green, that really accentuates its soft silhouette.
5. Pink can work in a master bedroom
Look no further for chic bedroom ideas than this stunning master. The walls painted in Paper & Paint Library’s Temple, Farrow & Ball Joa’s White and James Hare Vienne Silk Wallpaper in Rosewater ensure fluidity within the house, tying in dusty pinks and almond tones.
The Ikat curtains add a contemporary shot of color, which picks up the claret tones of Ochre’s Wisp dining bench in textural nubuck leather and suede as well as the velvet cushions. A deeper, glossy oxblood is introduced in a hand-lacquered bespoke bedside table from Pandora Taylor Design, which offers another example of how different tones of the same shade work beautifully together.
The stunning bespoke closet is also a great example of how to make the most of your space, with lots of shelves that can be used to display objets or as storage.
Meanwhile, the natural beauty of the veined marble walls and vanity bring a timeless sense of luxury to the master bathroom, which is punctuated with traditionally styled fixtures and fittings and an indulgent slipper bath.
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Ruth Doherty is an experienced digital writer and editor specializing in interiors, travel and lifestyle. With 20 years of writing for national sites under her belt, she’s worked for the likes of Livingetc.com, Standard, Ideal Home, Stylist and Marie Claire as well as Homes & Gardens.
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