SMALL WONDER

Every inch of space in this top-floor pied-à-terre has been used to great effect

When Jolyon Prowse came upon a top-floor flat within a Victorian stucco townhouse in Kensington, he knew he had found the perfect pied-à-terre even though it was a diamond in the rough. ‘It was not an auspicious start,’ he says, ‘as the flat had been converted in the Nineties and rented out for

30 years, so had been allowed to deteriorate.’ An experienced property developer, Jolyon called upon two industry insiders to help transform the space – Victoria Wormsley of French-brooks Interiors and structural specialists Chester Row, who would undertake the reconfiguring work to create a more open, light-filled home.

Jolyon divides his time between a working week in London and weekends in Wiltshire, so the flat needed to be a comfortable base. ‘In addition to creating the feeling of space, I wanted a modern, slightly edgy look, but it still had to be somewhere that felt like home after a long day.’ Key to the transformation was making the kitchen and living space open plan and installing remote-controlled skylights, plus making the staircase to the flat’s roof terrace open tread. Even small touches, such as opting for pale flooring throughout the flat, give a streamlined effect.

The primary purpose of any pied-à-terre has to be a good night’s sleep and the two bedrooms are unashamedly luxurious, but also instantly welcoming. Statement headboards, pared-back blinds, and Christopher Farr, Jim Thompson and Sahco fabrics in a soothing palette of blues and yellows are a winning combination.

The pièce de résistance has to be the roof terrace. It has views as far as the London Eye and offers a private retreat in the heart of the capital, complete with an inbuilt music system and lighting. ‘Even on a cold, crisp winter day, it’s like having a second living space,’ says Jolyon, ‘which for a central

London flat is a real joy.’