DREAM SITTING ROOM
Sophie Ashby has created a nature-inspired scheme
Sophie’s company, Studio Ashby, is celebrated for its considered approach and use of interesting colours, art and bespoke pieces.
1. THIS THREE-BEDROOM APARTMENT is situated in Holland Park Villas, a new-build development by Native Land. Pictured here is the sitting area within the open-plan living, dining and cooking space. The interior architecture was very pared-back and calm, so it was a question of bringing character and richness with layering and a mix of bespoke designs, antiques and contemporary off-the-shelf pieces. 2. The joinery, which hides services such as an air cooling system, was already in place, but it was spray-painted a pale grey. The first big decision was to replace this with rich burr elm timber to add warmth to the room. The artwork, which was commissioned for the space, glides to the side to reveal the television.
3. THE PALETTE WAS INSPIRED by Holland Park and features natural, earthy colours: greens, blues, russets, oranges and yellows. We started with the rug, which we designed as an ode to the park, incorporating peacock feathers as well as leaf motifs.
4. This is quite a grown-up room, and the seating arrangement reflects this, with a pair of bespoke, classic sofas in a sage-green velvet, teamed with a tan daybed. We designed a cluster of three coffee tables to nest together and the two smaller pieces easily glide around.
5. ARTWORK ALWAYS FORMS a key element in our projects. For the left-hand wall, we sourced a mix of pieces, reframing them to give a coherence to the collection. On the opposite wall, black track lighting with repositionable lights specified by the architects illuminates a pair of botanical photographs. We complemented this architectural lighting with pieces that provide a soft, ambient glow, including a pair of ceramic lamps and a floor lamp.