CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY Wonderful wood panelling and sumptuous velvets lend this apartment character and comfort
This Birmingham f lat might be his home only on weeknights, but that doesn’t stop one owner from pulling out all the stops over the festive season
Astep up the career ladder was the driving force behind Michael Buffham-Wade’s purchase of a flat in the centre of Birmingham. ‘Shortly after starting my new job, the company relocated from London to Birmingham, so I needed to find somewhere up here to live during the week,’ says Michael. At weekends he returns to the house in southwest London that he shares with his partner Lee, whose job as a product designer keeps him in the capital. ‘Because it’s just me living here, I was the one who chose the property,’ says Michael. ‘I wanted a flat because it’s easy to maintain and I can just lock up and go. When I come home from work in the evening, I don’t have to think about anything.’
Michael was keen to find a well-located apartment within easy walking distance of the city centre. ‘In case my job takes me elsewhere, I wanted a property that I could easily rent out, but I also wanted a nice area for myself now. Ten years ago, parts of Birmingham were pretty ugly, but now it’s a vibrant city with more companies moving their headquarters here. It has incredible modern architecture springing up and pubs and restaurants all along the revitalised canal, which is nearby.’
After viewing several new flats – and even considering buying off-plan – Michael decided to look for a place that required renovation. ‘It seemed insane to buy a new property and immediately rip out thousands of pounds’ worth of fixtures because I didn’t like them,’ he explains. He eventually found this one, but it needed work. ‘It’s 12 years old and the fixtures and fittings were nasty, with plastic baths and wall-mounted heaters, which I found hideous. It had been rented out, so it was a sea of beige walls and laminate flooring. The bathroom had black mould everywhere because the fan had not been switched on.’
The apartment’s central location was appealing to Michael, as well as the fact it has three good-sized bedrooms so friends and family would be able to use it at weekends. ‘Most importantly, there are two terraces,’ he adds. ‘I’m Australian, so I had to find a flat with outside space. I really need it, and so
does Keiko, our Shiba Inu dog, when she visits.’
Michael knew from the start what look he wanted for the interior. Lee is a member of Soho House, a private members’ club with venues across the world, and as seasoned travellers the pair enjoy holidaying in its many locations. The Soho House publication
Morning, Noon, Night: A Way of Living became Michael’s style bible.
‘I wanted to emulate the look of a sophisticated gentleman’s club, with rich, bold, slightly decadent colours and a mix of textures and materials. I think that objects stand out more against a dark background, so a room becomes about the accessories and furniture,’ he says. Many of the flat’s fixtures and fittings are the same as in the couple’s London property, to remind Michael of home. When it comes to furniture, however, there’s a difference between the interiors. ‘Our London house is more traditional than this flat. But as it’s just me living here, I can indulge my passion for mid-century pieces,’ he explains.
Work on the property took three months, during which time Michael lived in a hotel nearby, visiting the flat daily to keep an eye
on the project. He chose a different style for each room in order to capture a variety of moods, using an array of textures and artworks to create depth and interest.
Now that the flat is finished to Michael’s high standards, the couple decided they would spend Christmas here, and brought all their decorations up from London. ‘Lee decorates the tree, but unfortunately it takes him about eight hours because he adopts a designer, layered approach, using about 2,000 lights.
It’s painful to watch,’ says Michael.
‘The flat’s warm, inviting colours are perfect for the festive season,’ he continues. ‘We welcome guests, lock ourselves away, play board games and relax. Lee does the cooking, which he enjoys, and the flat is large enough for a crowd. It makes a nice change – we even walk along the canal on Boxing Day.’
Michael sums up the style of his apartment by drawing an analogy between it and the work of one of his favourite artists: ‘I love Anna Lewis’s car crash style, where she puts things together that you don’t think should work but somehow do. That’s how I feel about this flat; a car crash that turned out just fine.’