A Modern Duplex Apartment in London

A complete re-design in Butlers Wharf, East London

Luke, 30, had bought a 1,000 sq ft, two-bedroom penthouse apartment with a large terrace in a converted warehouse in Blackfriars, East London. He loved the space and the views but wanted a fresh, contemporary approach to the furnishings and decoration. The bathroom and kitchen had already been fitted out but the living room, bedrooms, dining area and outside area needed to be furnished and decorated.

‘I decorated and furnished my first property myself,’ he says, ‘but the result was a bit of a hodge-podge. For my second, I wanted professional help.’ He contacted interiordesigners.net and told us that he wanted something pared back, industrial, utilitarian and modern. The colour palette was to reflect this. He said that he enjoyed entertaining and wanted additional seating options for this purpose. He was also interested in a ‘talking point,’ as long it wasn’t too obtrusive.

We put Luke in touch with Kat and Jess who, after a briefing from us, met with Luke to discuss the project. ‘Kat and Jess seemed hungry for the project and, maybe because we are a similar age, we were on the same wavelength and had similar tastes’ says Luke. They compiled a set of images based on the brief including a few ‘wild card’ images to see how he would respond. Luke also had a Pinterest board with images he liked. Because he could articulate what he wanted and because he and the designers spoke the same visual language, design inspirations were quickly identified: Brutalist architecture as exemplified in the National Theatre; Scandinavian design; industrial materials; the city of London, and the building itself.

Jess and Kat developed a natural colour palette (the only ‘colour’ introduced was a navy wall in the hallway) combined with raw materials. Concrete shuttered wall panels line the walls in the dining area, and the master bedroom was fitted with bespoke panelling made from strips of oak. Natural daylight was maximised with the use of reflective materials such as the glass pendant lights and porcelain and copper.

Kat and Jess have established good working relationships with various trades and crafts people and like to commission bespoke pieces tailor made for individual projects. The Hayward blanket on Luke’s sofa was inspired by London’s Hayward Gallery and hand made to order by Custhom. The skyline of London was the inspiration for the striking ‘talking point’ in the dining area: a wall of ceramic white and copper Domus tiles that echo the shapes and forms of the Barbican. ‘By expanding Luke’s ideas, we were able to be really creative,’ says Kat. ‘It was exciting to make something original.’

Luke agrees: ‘It was fun and exciting. I didn’t have to chase anything. Communication was straightforward, too. There was a lot of empathy between us and I felt connected to them.’ The masculine, minimal scheme was balanced with the relaxed elegance of Scandinavian furniture, textiles and lighting characterised by light colours, natural elements and clean lines. The final scheme was an exciting mix of two modern design led concepts combined in a warm, inviting home. The roof terrace was made entertainment-friendly with the addition of outdoor furniture, whitewashed planters, fake hedging and architectural plants.

‘I love how the flat looks,’ says Luke, ‘it’s like living in a boutique hotel. Kat and Jess nailed it.’ Apart from the overall look of his home, his favourite thing is the way Field Day treated the walls: ‘The concrete panels, the custom-made wood panels behind the bed, the bespoke tiles in the living area, the huge mirror – if you took all the furniture out, I’d still love the flat. I didn’t know such things existed or were an option,’ says Luke. ‘It’s totally unique. I like making decisions but I don’t have the time or knowledge to pull something like together. Jess and Kate made it look easy.’

At the end of the project Luke wrote to us: “Having never used an interior designer before, the help and advice of Interior Designers has been really valuable. I didn’t know much about the process and they have helped me find someone perfect for my project. They helped with all my questions and I’m really happy with the designer I’ve selected, who I wouldn’t have been able to find without them.”