Before the Renovation

A fashion executive needed a London apartment with Mary Poppins-style views and a balanced layout.

The Partition Strategy

Claire Sa removed the living room-kitchen wall for a glazed screen that hides pots and pans.

“Rather than go fully open-plan, it hints at the volume of the whole space, and means you can’t see things like pots and pans”

Textured Living Room

Sa used linen wallcoverings to add subtle grain without feeling twee or too Old World English cottage.

“The key with small spaces, perhaps contrary to what people often think, is to make them feel more intense and filled with books and pictures on the wall”

The Mirror Trick

A mirror in the corner hides the fridge and doubles as a reflective surface for light.

“This is something we do quite often because you can hide stuff behind it; in this case, it’s the fridge”

Ceiling Design

Sa added tongue-and-groove paneling to the kitchen ceiling for visual interest.

Carpet Compromise

Over-sized sisal carpeting satisfies acoustic needs without wall-to-wall coverage.

Window Frame Paint

Bottle green window frames maximize tree canopy views with dark color contrast.

“It’s funny how if you have white windows the outside isn't pulled in so much. Yet when they are dark, it just pops”

Free-Moving Art

Brass rails above shelves allow seamless movement of art pieces.

“I like mixing artworks up”