This Bijoux London Apartment Avoids Feeling Cold Thanks to an Unexpected Yet 'Welcoming and Happy' Yellow and Blue Palette
Clever zoning, bespoke furniture, and warm colors help this small open-plan apartment feel surprisingly generous
New-build apartments can often fall into one of two camps: stark and minimalist or overdesigned in an attempt to compensate for their clean architectural bones. This two-bedroom duplex in London's Chelsea Barracks by Studio Squire manages to avoid both.
Set within a contemporary building designed by Eric Parry, the house design pairs pale, light-filled interiors with an unexpected palette of joyful yellows, soft turquoise, mossy green, and warm neutrals.
The aim, Angelica says, was to create 'a slick city bolthole that was both contemporary in feel yet cozy and comfortable too' – no easy task in a compact open-plan apartment where every inch needed to work hard.
Kitchen: Warm wood cabinetry and a rich deep red marble island bring depth and character to the compact kitchen, while soft natural textures and pale stone surfaces keep the open-plan space feeling light, calm, and inviting.
With its floor-to-ceiling windows and crisp lines, the apartment already had a strong sense of identity before the founders of Studio Squire, Angelica and Richard, stepped in. The challenge was less about transforming the apartment and more about softening it.
'The kitchen and bathrooms were existing and so we needed our designs to work alongside those, as well as details such as the modern door and window details,' Angelica explains.
The foundation of the scheme was intentionally restrained. 'The apartment needed to feel sophisticated and grown up, given its grand setting with Chelsea Barracks, but we didn’t want it to feel old-fashioned or too traditional, which wouldn’t have been right for the spaces,' she continues.
'We focused on keeping the majority of walls to a very calm, pale shade of cream and let the color and interest come in via the furniture and pieces we added into each room,' she adds.
Living Room: Studio Squire commissioned a bespoke L-shaped sectional sofa in Denali Ecru by Christopher Farr. On top, they styled throw pillows in Tikehau by Pierre Frey and Ismay Boucle, Gorse by Yarn Collective, to add pops of color and pattern. The cow-print armchair is the Fauteuil Dossier Basculant in Hairy Skin by Cassina, while the pair of armchairs are upholstered in a Duck Egg Blue Mohair by Claremont.
That layered approach is what gives the apartment its uplifting feel.
Yellow upholstery, soft turquoise accents, warm ochres, and mid-blue tones bring energy without overwhelming the relatively compact footprint. 'We opted for beautiful yellows and mid-blues in the living room, knowing those pops of color would feel welcoming and happy in the large open-plan space,' Angelica says.
Crucially, the color scheme for the whole home never tips into fussiness because the architecture remains so pared back. 'The large Tom Hammick artwork above the sofa felt like the perfect piece to complement the upholstery tones,' she adds.
Living Room: Framing the floor-to-ceiling windows are drapes in Shabby Beurre by Pierre Frey, while underfoot, the ‘Oliver’ Tibetan Knot Rug in bespoke colors by Peter Page adds subtle pattern. On top sits a Maison Jansen Brass and Chrome Vitrine Coffee Table from 1st Dibs, with an antique light fixture overhead.
For all its polish, what stops this apartment from feeling too pristine is the thoughtful mix of old and new.
'We were really conscious to obtain a good balance of newer pieces mixed with antiques and objects that felt they told more of a story,' Angelica explains.
Much of the furniture was sourced from British makers, adding another layer of richness to the scheme, while bespoke pieces – including the generous sectional sofa and striking dark red marble kitchen island – help give the space a collected, rather than simply decorated, feel.
'Ensuring there is a balance of both new and old pieces really helps to allow the rooms to feel more considered and charming, than if everything was brand new.'
Kitchen: At the center of the kitchen is a bespoke marble island unit made from Rosso Levanto Marble, with cleverly concealed cookbook niches. The ball-topped oak bar stools were sourced from Six the Residence and mirror the natural tones of the cabinetry.
The small kitchen introduces one of the home’s boldest moments: a richly veined marble island.
Set against warm timber cabinets and creamy walls, the dramatic stone adds just the right amount of contrast to the wooden kitchen. It’s a confident choice, but one that still feels entirely in keeping with the apartment’s sophisticated mood.
'The marble island took careful planning and consideration, both from a size point of view – we mapped it out countless times in situ! – but also the finer details such as the in-built ledges for cookery books,' says Angelica. Paired with ball-topped bar stools and natural materials elsewhere in the room, the result is a kitchen that feels polished but inviting.
Dining Nook: Sitting between the kitchen and living area, the dining nook comprises a banquette upholstered in Vineyard Velvet in Butternut by S.Harris. The Signature Dining Table by Konk is then surrounded by bespoke chairs upholstered in a mix of Matelas De Laine in Aubergine by Claremont and Aerial in Port by Brentano.
For Angelica, getting the proportions of the rooms exactly right was essential. Although the open-plan living area appears generous, every inch needs to work hard to accommodate dining, lounging, and cooking within a relatively compact footprint.
'The living space, whilst generous in size, was not actually huge given how much we needed to fit into it,' she explains. 'We needed a table to seat six as well as a generous seating space, and then our addition of the island, and so getting this spot-on took time and careful planning.'
The dining nook is a perfect example of how Studio Squire used color to define each zone. A deep yellow banquette instantly warms the space, while soft cream Roman blinds and natural oak tones keep the overall look feeling calm and airy rather than overly vibrant.
Primary Bedroom: A subtle wallcovering by Stereo Interiors wraps the primary bedroom, creating the perfect backdrop to the headboard in Marci Masala Mohair by Yarn Collective. The nightstands were sourced from Vinterior, styled with lamps by Vaughan. On the bed, a Kiss Cross throw pillow by Studio Atkinson adds to the scheme.
Downstairs, the mood shifts noticeably. While the living spaces upstairs feel sociable and sunlit, the bedrooms were designed to offer a quieter, more retreat-like atmosphere – an important balance in a compact duplex apartment.
'In the bedrooms, particularly as they are on lower ground levels, we wanted those to still feel bright and calm without being too fussy,' Angelica explains. 'We used accent colors on the headboards and otherwise tried to keep the design relatively simple and easy on the eye.'
That simplicity is what makes the rooms feel so restful. Upholstered headboards in rich rust and deep inky blue introduce color in a softer, more cocooning way than paint might have, while creamy window treatments, tactile linens, and pared-back styling help maintain a sense of calm.
Cinema Room: In the boldest room, Beau Cotton Linen Moire Wallpaper by Schumacher lines the walls. The daybed sofa is a bespoke commission, made by Recoire, and upholstered in Baker House Velvet in Olive by GP & J Baker. The bar unit is another vintage find from 1st Dibs, styled with a Louis Poulsen Table Lamp and Spotlight sconces in Green by Rose Uniacke above.
After the rest of the apartment’s wash of soft creams and buttery yellows, the movie room comes as a dramatic contrast in mood.
Tucked away from the light-filled main living spaces, the room has no natural light, but rather than attempting to brighten it artificially, Studio Squire chose to lean fully into its cocooning qualities instead.
'The richest room has to be the cinema space, which, given it has no windows, we fully leaned into and went with the amazing dark green moiré wall coverings and velvet custom day bed sofa,' she explains.
Small marble wall shelves are discreetly built into the walls – 'for your cocktail to rest on,' Angelica adds.
Bedroom: Mirroring the comfort of the primary bedroom, the second bedroom is also framed by curtains in Shabby Beurre by Pierre Frey. The headboard is upholstered in Kasuri Block Print Water Lily by Rose Tarlow, paired with a large bolster pillow in Marci Tumeric Mohair by Yarn Collective, and wall lights from Porta Romana.
What’s most striking about this project isn’t necessarily the statement marble island, the unexpected color combinations, or even the vintage finds – it’s the atmosphere Studio Squire has managed to create within what could easily have been a very minimal, impersonal shell.
'The home sits within the Chelsea Barracks complex just off the Pimlico Road, Angelica explains. 'It’s a very special part of London with so much character and charm all around you, being close to the river and the beautiful architecture of Belgravia – this certainly had a bearing on our approach.'
Despite the contemporary façade and relatively bijoux footprint, the home feels immediately relaxed and lived-in, with none of the stiffness that often creeps into modern homes.
Primary Bedroom: At the foot of the bed in the primary bedroom, Piano Stools sourced by Vinterior have been reupholstered in a Studio Atkinson fabric. A sculptural Punch Console by The Lacquer Company adds a playful vignette to the space, as does the Alma Floor Lamp by Original BTC and the plush Grid Rug by Nordic Knots.
Rather than filling every corner or relying on lots of big gestures, Angelica and Richard allowed the rooms to breathe, choosing instead to focus on proportion, comfort, and pieces with genuine presence.
'We wanted the key rooms to feel light and bright, making the most of the floor-to-ceiling windows and double aspect living room,' she continues. 'With that in mind, we were set on our pale walls and curtains from quite early on, knowing we would add in the layers of color and pattern throughout the fitted pieces, furniture, and accessories.'
Even the bolder moments, like the deep green cinema room or the colorful headboards downstairs, feel intentional rather than attention-seeking.
There’s something refreshingly optimistic about this apartment. The buttery yellows and soft blues bring warmth without overwhelming the calmness of the space, while the mix of contemporary pieces and older finds stops the space from ever feeling too pristine or predictable.
Ultimately, Studio Squire has created a home that feels chic and grown-up, but still full of ease, personality, and warmth. It's a reminder that contemporary interiors don’t have to default to minimalism in order to feel sophisticated.
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