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S A N c T UA R I E S LONDON
Brit Charm
by y-jean mun-delsalle Photography courtesy of COURTESY OF OLIVE DESIGN STUDIO
A grade listed apartment in London archieves just the
right balance of old and new as it celebrates the building’s
underlying history and a spirit of contemporary elegance
178
singapor e tatler homes
O
riginally built by the
Grosvenor family in
the 19th century, this
apartment in the heart
of London was entirely
refurbished for a
Singaporean homeowner
who is an investor by trade and whose
primary residence is in Singapore. The brief
called for a minimal aesthetic that matched
the very classical, historic interior. Timeless
Italian furniture enhancing the feeling of
luxury while associating the classic and
contemporary styles of today was carefully
selected to correspond with the original
period features that were retained: ceiling
roses, cornices and panel moulding details.
The home’s earthy, textured scheme is
interrupted by Asian floral prints and splashes
of colour that brighten the interiors in a
subtle manner.
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The roof terrace
featurespractical
exteriorfurniture
fromGoModern
Opposite
The neutral
palette allows
the details in the
architecture to
stand out
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S A N c T UA R I E S LONDON
Lucy Clark, co-director of London-based
Olive Design Studio together with Katie
Singleton who collectively boast 16 years of
experience in the interior design industry
working on both luxury commercial and
residential projects in Europe and Middle
East, describes the firm’s design language,
“We tend to design interiors that have a
timeless elegance to them. This client wanted
to ensure the historical integrity of the
apartment in Belgravia was maintained, but
also introduce a masculine, Italian look while
adding links to their Singaporean roots via
fabric patterns and commissioned artwork.”
Eaton’s Honour
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Simple forms
evoke a subtle
yet outstanding
designstyle;Use
ofstrongcolours
are restricted to
specific corners
Opposite
An impressive
chandeliergraces
the living space
180
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom
apartment is located in Eaton Place at the
heart of London’s Belgravia district. Noted for
its extremely expensive residential properties
in one of England’s wealthiest districts,
Belgravia lies mostly to the southwest
of Buckingham Palace. The houses here
are large, predominantly three bay wide
buildings, joined in regular terraces in a
classical style with four or five main storeys,
plus an attic and basement and a mews house
behind. The Eaton Place residence occupies
the ground and lower ground floors. singapor e tatler homes
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S A N c T UA R I E S LONDON
“We love creating a really eclectic interior,
and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.”
As it contains many elements that are
listed, it restricted what the designers could
achieve. However, Clark notes, “As we love
designing in Grade listed properties, it was
a lovely combination to mix the old with
the new. It was great that our client wanted
to retain the period features in the grand
rooms. We loved the existing mouldings on
the ceilings and walls, which we picked out in
contrast colours to really make them pop.”
Clark describes the most important
consideration when doing up interiors, “The
main point is to always respect the canvas you
are working with. Eaton Place is a renowned
area in London and it is important to ensure
the period integrity is at the heart of the
design process and respected. With this in
mind, we complemented the interior with
stunning vintage chandeliers sourced from
Talisman, but also introduced an essence of
the new via contemporary pieces of furniture
sourced from Italy, Paris and London. We love
creating a really eclectic interior, and this was
the perfect opportunity to do so.”
GET THE LOOK
singapor e tatler homes
Opposite
Thislongcorridor
achievesanopen
and airy feel
Step-By-Step
Using bold forms and
silhouettes can help to
makenarrowspaceslook
widerandmoreinviting.
Complement your style
with selections from
Minotti. Visit marquis.
com.sg for more ideas.
182
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The bespoke
Schotten &
Hansen Milano
diningtablewith
a glass base,
paired with
PhilippeStarck’s
Ghost chairs;
Use of glass in
thedesignhelps
to continue the
beauty of the
understated
design
There are four stages to the designers’
creative process. Stage one is the concept
design, where they present the client with
concept images creating an overall look
and feel for the home to ensure they are
completely in tune with the client’s needs and
desires. They also present schematic layouts
to show their interpretation of the space
and visualise new space planning ideas. The
second stage is detailed design where they
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S A N c T UA R I E S LONDON
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Warmgreytones
dominate the
bedroom; A well
chosenstatement
piece speaks
volumesinawell
designed space
Opposite
The functional
design of the
bathroomspace
1 84
translate the concept designs established
in stage one into the interiors via detailed
design intent drawings, furniture and fabric
boards and schedules for tender. Then it’s
on to stage three, which is when building
works commence and furnishings are ordered.
Stage four is installation, and they offer a
home dressing and styling service to pull the
residence together.
In the Eaton Place apartment, grand double
doors lead visitors to an open-plan living and
dining room. The wooden flooring is stained
in a jet black gloss, covered with rainbow
silk rugs from Minotti that add a sumptuous
dimension, and fireplaces with contrast inset
marble reflect the period of the property.
Wall lights in bronze and onyx from Pouenat
in Paris are combined with floor and table
lamps from Serge Mouille and Galerie Van
Der Straeten. The main statement furniture
pieces, like a vintage-style Mart armchair,
were sourced from Minotti and B&B Italia,
with scatter cushions from Rubelli Donghia,
and a custom-designed Knowles & Christou
feature drinks cabinet stands out in particular.
Clark comments, “From every angle you look
at in the room, there is a conversation piece.”
As it was important to the client that both
London and Singapore were referenced in
the apartment, British artist Terence Gilbert
singapor e tatler homes
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S A N c T UA R I E S LONDON
“We always advise our clients to invest in their pieces as we know
they will stand the test of time and remain elegant.”
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Abamboogarden
and waterfall
takes centre
stage
Opposite
Acontemporary
four-poster bed
design elevates
the look of the
bedroom
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singapor e tatler homes
created a specially-commissioned artwork
depicting a similar cityscape of Singapore,
which combines the colours used in the soft
furnishings including teal blues and taupes.
An element of warmth was introduced into
the clean, contemporary kitchen equipped
with Miele and Gaggenau appliances. This
is accompanied by contrast stripe Roman
blinds for a cosy feel and a fun artichoke
print from Trowbridge Gallery. A selfcirculating waterfall surrounded by giant
bamboo trees in the middle of the building
spans both floors of the apartment, which
serves as an outdoor lightwell to allow in
extra light.
The master bedroom showcases a B&B
Italia four-poster bed, as well as window
treatments and bed scatter cushions in
a beautiful Asian-style Ikebana fabric
hand-printed on silk by Knowles &
Christou and textured grass cloth feature
wallpaper, which form a discreet link to
the client’s homeland. In the two remaining
bedrooms, Minotti beds maintain a
classical, contemporary Italian feel flowing
throughout the home combined with
patterned fabrics by Knowles & Christou
and Evitavonni. Clark says, “Minotti is a
brand we have incredible respect for. The
integrity of the family-run business is second
to none and the craftsmanship is of the
highest quality. We always advise our clients
to invest in their pieces as we know they will
stand the test of time and remain elegant.”
Location
London
Type of home
Apartment
Size of
property
2,800 sq ft
interiordesign
Lucy Clark,
Katie Singleton/
Olive Design
Studio
Time taken
4 months
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187