This young, fashion-forward businesswoman initially rented her two-bed flat in central London, but it was only once she’d bought it that she could really call it home – with more than a little help from interior designer Sonia Pash and her ingenious storage solutions.
How has owning the flat improved your lifestyle?
The change was incredible. I rented the flat furnished for a year before buying it, and even after all that time it didn’t feel like home. There’s something deeply demotivating about living with generic, low-quality rental furniture packages. The flat itself was charming but the furniture was unsuitable and there wasn’t enough storage. When I saw it after the fit-out I couldn’t believe it was the same space, the change was immense and it felt immediately homely.
How did you work with Sonia and the Temza team to create the look?
They took me through some beautiful colour schemes and design options, and they had some excellent ideas on how to maximise the space. We went through everything, right down to the size of my handbags, making sure to find the perfect storage solutions for all my items. It’s amazing how easy it is to keep the flat looking tidy when everything has its place. Tell me about the use of colour and texture We picked lots of light, warm neutrals as the base, then layered it with blushes and darker blues, which makes it look stylish, but also very lived in. The textures are exceptionally playful; lots of geometric patterns that connect the rooms. The master bedroom has a diamond patterned wallpaper and that’s echoed in the bedside tables, which are three dimensional in texture.
What’s your go-to brand for interiors?
Amara is my absolute favourite; they have only great pieces! Their collection’s curated from different manufacturers so you can browse for anything you need in one place, which is useful if you’re not familiar with all the interior brands out there.
Can you talk me through some of the hidden storage spaces in the apartment?
In the hallway there are large bronze mirrored panels with coat storage behind them. And the storage bench is a great addition: it has various compartments for hats, gloves, scarves and all those other bits and bobs you never quite know where to put. You could easily miss the bespoke shoe storage, which is my favourite of all the joinery. Temza did a fantastic job here and turned a dead area into the most functional space. When they first showed me the design I thought it was a dream!
And how did they manage to accommodate your sartorial collection?
We have completely redesigned the wardrobe to make it much more practical – there were lots of unused corners before, which are now optimised. The upside-down U-shaped storage in the second bedroom was entirely the design team’s idea. It’s the perfect space for suitcases. The design is really smart: the nook in the middle accommodates a sofa bed, and there’s a niche on either side that functions as a bedside table.
How does the living room successfully marry form and function?
It has some beautiful additions! The bespoke media unit is a real feature with its natural brass dividers, and the bespoke desk area echoes the design, so everything looks pretty neat together. Still, they both have quite a lot of closed storage, so I have space for all my important papers and folders, which is an absolute must if you have a home office.
Which is your favourite room?
My wardrobe! Everyone’s going crazy right now about decluttering your closet and getting rid of half your clothes. And if that makes you happy, you should do that. But what you can do instead is get your wardrobe professionally designed to maximise the storage space and keep all your clothes. Now, doesn’t that sound a thousand times more appealing?
temza.co.uk