Home tour: A compact London apartment with a rooftop terrace

Olga Ashby Interiors made full use of the compact apartment space with versatile contemporary furnishing and eye-catching art pieces

Situated in culturally enriched South Kensington, London, the 732 sq ft apartment unit in Onslow Gardens is “a sanctuary of peace and calm in the middle of one of London’s most exclusive areas” to Camila Clarke, who uses the space as her pied-à-terre in the British capital.

“I’ve always been a citizen of the world,” says the Colombia-born homeowner, who grew up in London and Washington DC, and is currently residing and working in Silicon Valley. “Which is why the energy of London–its sophisticated and international nature–has always appealed to me.”

Above The entrance hallway

Above A custom marble console crafted by Olga Ashby

The entrance hallway

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“This apartment is a real gem because of the light coming from all sides,” adds Clark in regard to the two-bedroom apartment in a late 19th century white stucco building. “This, coupled with [access to] a gorgeous roof terrace made me fall in love with it instantly.”

However, the project was not without its challenges, especially with such tight spaces to work with.

“The biggest challenge was a narrow walk up to the fifth floor, and some of the pieces had to be dropped in through the roof,” says interior designer Olga Ashby, whose project took about 10 months to complete.

Above The antique mirror opens up the apartment space

The antique mirror opens up the apartment space

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But, Clark’s brief for the designing of the compact space was clear: a timeless but modern look, a cosy open space which is very liveable and guest-friendly.

“One of the main objectives was creating an easy flow and consistency, but still getting enough conversation pieces to make the home look interesting,” Ashby explains. “We achieved that by mixing a bit of iconic Italian designs with Scandinavian decor and traditional British features.”

A custom marble console designed by Ashby and an artwork by London-based artist Bianca Smith adorned the entrance hallway, with bespoke wooden joinery and bleached oak flooring with underfloor heating leads into an enclave with a unified colour scheme, cocooning the space in a comforting hug reminiscent of a warm, enveloping blanket.

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Above A tastefully designed apartment space by Olga Ashby Interiors

A tastefully designed apartment space by Olga Ashby Interiors

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Above A unified colour scheme that exudes luxury

Above Marble tables complement the Victorian fireplace

A unified colour scheme that exudes luxury

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The neutral-toned ambience, alongside a careful selection of luxury fabrics for the upholstery—a combination of velvets, linens, and boucle—creates a cosy home that is also elegant and visually interesting.

To the right, a Victorian iron silver spiral staircase leads to the expansive roof terrace, which Ashby adds: “The team had to dismantle and build back on the property.”

An antique mirror at the entrance reflects the open living area with a Victorian Chesneys fireplace: “It exudes old-world glamour, and I love turning it on, especially on a cold day,” says Clark.

The kitchen area with bleached oak flooring and marble surfaces

Above Bleached oak flooring and marble surfaces

Above Mandarin stone frames the bathroom

Bleached oak flooring and marble surfaces

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The space exudes modern elegance with another art piece by Smith, Gubi marble tables and an Ahsby-designed step rug in collaboration with Riviere Rugs, which gives the feeling of walking on a sandy beach.

The B&B Italia Camaleonda sofas are very versatile and allow the creation of multiple “Tetris” layouts and settings depending on the day’s mood, and size of guests invited to the space.

The open-plan layout connects to the kitchen area on one end of the apartment, highlighted by natural materials of marble and travertine; whereas mandarin stone frames the bathroom with complementing muted brass accents.

Built-in marble desk in the office and guest room

Above Built-in marble desk in the office/guest room

Silk-shined wallpaper and double sofa bed to accommodate guests

Above Silk-shined wallpaper and a double sofa bed

Built-in marble desk in the office/guest room

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On the other end, the office that doubles as a guest room, with its green and blue hues that bring forth a bit of sea calm, features a double sofa bed and a custom, built-in marble desk.

“We had to template the shape to fit the corner perfectly and made sure it fits a laptop,” elaborates Ashby.

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Above Suede walls embellish the main bedroom

Suede walls embellish the main bedroom

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Above A combination of luxury fabrics

Above Hidden storage solutions

A combination of luxury fabrics

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Where silk-shined wallpaper decorated the office-and-guest-room, white Russian suede walls embellished the main bedroom ingeniously fitted with nine closets and has access to a large fully lit and carpeted attic with plenty of space for more storage, which is “a dream for a fashion lover,” Clark exclaims.

“We couldn’t waste an inch of space and desperately needed to provide lots of storage for clothes and books,” adds Ashby.

Above The private rooftop terrace

The private rooftop terrace

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Upstairs on the rooftop terrace, heightened hedge-lined walls topped with white chimneys provide a separate private area for Clark and her guests.

“Olga gets my personality to the core and she is extremely detail oriented,” Clark concludes. “The energy of the flat is truly amazing. In my home, I feel relaxed, calm and able to recharge.”

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Credits

Photography: Vigo Jansons

Topics

apartment london compact space contemporary chic

Celeste Goh

Senior Writer of Tatler Homes, Tatler Malaysia

Celeste Goh is a senior writer covering architecture and design. Based in Malaysia, she reports on emerging architectural and home design trends, as well as insights by local and international architects and interior designers.

Previously, she covered men’s lifestyle, fashion, music and entertainment.