Located in the award-winning Chelsea Barracks development in London, the brief was to design a characterful yet elegant pied-a-terre for a couple with a real love for the British capital. The studio sought to make this project a true celebration of the skill and craftsmanship of UK artisans by collaborating with producers such as Studio Rupert Bevan, luxury joiners Shape London and furniture makers Konk and the Galvin Brothers.
A key concept for this project was the visual amplification and maximisation of the space. By using hand patinated mirrored surfaces throughout the interior the Studio were able to achieve this to great effect, while balancing the gloss of this finish with more tactile surfaces such as embroidered fabrics, hand-worked wood panelling and textured walls. The remodelling of the ceiling with the addition of moulding detailing also amplified the sense of spaciousness and height.
It was imperative that the apartment did not feel cluttered, rather it was to contain a careful balance of the lived-in and the new, together with a curated mix of antiques, key custom pieces and modern elements. The material palette reflects the clients’ preference for traditional materials such as hardwood and high-quality, soft natural fibres as well as a consideration for existing materials and finishes, such as pale parquet flooring and marble detailing in dark emperador. Walls have been finished in polished Venetian plaster, with a bold and impactful terracotta-toned hallway making way for breezy colour schemes of the bedroom and living spaces.
For the bedroom Studio Cache commissioned Rupert Bevan Studio to produce a custom room partition formed of 4 fully pivoting oval panels with patinated brass framework. One side of each panel is finished in a custom foxed mirror while the other is upholstered in a tactile fabric by Chase Evans. The partition not only visually expands the parameters of the space through reflections but also allows for greater privacy when entertaining guests.
To house the client’s bourgeoning book collection a library unit by Bermondsey-based luxury joiners Shape London was installed in the living room, incorporating foxed mirror panelling by Rupert Bevan Studio as well as embroidered fabric panelling by Marc Alexander.
The Studio was also thrilled to be offered the opportunity to curate and piece together a small art collection for the clients, installed as a gallery hang on the wall opposite the library unit. Works include pieces by renowned Moscow Conceptualist Victor Pivovarov as well as watercolours by the British artist Barbara Nicholl and photographs by Jeff Cowen.
The standout piece in the kitchen is a fully mobile island, designed and manufactured by Rupert Bevan Studio and featuring a hand patinated foxed mirror façade as well as an oiled and characterful worktop that will display the traces of parties and entertaining as a badge of honour.
Furniture highlights include the iconic Marenco sofa by Arflex, a custom dining table in solid American black walnut and patinated brass by the Galvin Brothers, T-chairs by Carl Hansen as well as lighting by Bocci.