Project:  Laid Back Luxury

What it is:  A two-bedroom maisonette in Putney.

The client:  A 30-something man-about-town who works in private equity, travels often, and who wanted his home to reflect his love of clean lined simplicity as well as his appreciation of the natural world. 

Background: Clever space planning to carve out as much functional space as possible within the small maisonette was key, as was discreet storage to keep clutter to a minimum. Working with a structural engineer, the kitchen and living rooms were opened to create an airy open plan space. As storage was paramount, a number of bespoke joinery and inbuilt storage units were designed throughout the house to free the visual landscape.  

Muses & motivations: As a clean, crisp look was paramount for the client, Scandinavian and mid-century modern furniture were the logical choices to complete each room, such as an original sideboard that becomes the focal point of the inviting living room. Unusual antiques and artefacts reflecting the owner’s interest in natural history and 20th century design were sourced from a couple of specialist dealers in our little black book.

 It’s all in the details: While the homeowner preferred the simplicity of white walls throughout the house, he was pursued to indulge in a little colour and texture in the kitchen and bathroom. In the former, subtly pigmented Moroccan plaster walls and and matte black brassware add tactility to create a calm oasis in the otherwise pared back mews, in the latter, striking navy blue cupboards in the custom kitchen offer a bold, yet judicious lick of colour the enhances, rather than challenges, the simple lines of the home.