BLUE NOTES

Striking walnut storage helps to zone the dining area within this large living space

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROJECT?

This Thirties property in north London was part of a huge house before it was sliced in two by a developer. The main living space incorporates the dining and sitting areas, as well as the kitchen. The sitting/dining area was originally painted white, making it a cold, sterile space, with a wall of glazing and large, concrete-effect ceramic tiles that made it echoey.

HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE SPACE?

I needed to tone down the hard details in order to give the room a softer feel. It was important that the client would feel comfortable dining here alone. Key to this was zoning the different areas, so for the dining space, I wanted to use striking joinery to create a large-scale focal point that would add interest and warmth, while improving the acoustics.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE JOINERY?

I designed a feature wall of floor-to-ceiling sliding doors made from slatted walnut. The rich tones of the timber help warm up the space, while the vertical slats are great for absorbing noise. Doors conceal shelving that houses the client’s collection of chinoiserie vases. The shelves have been painted an inky blue to complement the sofa, which the client brought from her previous home and I reupholstered in a dark indigo linen.

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE COLOUR PALETTE?

The walls are painted a deep blue with a soft lavender accent to it, which brings intimacy to the space. In the sitting area, there were originally two large rectangular alcoves on either side of the television, which I infilled to make them slimmer and created shelves painted the same blue as the walls so as not to detract from the timber storage feature. Mustard yellow works well against blues, adding a punch of colour. It also contains a hint of brown that ties in with the walnut.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR CHOICE OF PIECES IN THE DINING AREA?

We wanted to create a Sixties European feel. This is beautifully encapsulated with the pendant light, which has a brass finish that works perfectly with the mustard and walnut tones. I was concerned that a round table would encroach too much on the walkway through to the living area, so I suggested a rectangular design with curved edges instead. The low-level chairs are brilliant high-street buys that reference the shape of the table. They have just the relaxed, vintage look we tried to achieve.