Designer's notes

Contemporary and Colourful - New London Docklands Apartment

The clients took possession of their brand new apartment, their first home purchase together, last year. They contacted me to help them achieve a vibrant lounge/dining room that would be ideal for both daily living and entertaining. Of course, the pandemic hit but we continued to work on the apartment digitally and I can now finally share the finished results. The apartment was completely bare when I first visited, and it was a pleasure to be able to work on a blank canvas with them. My client had three hardcore requirements that she wanted me to fulfil: 1) A Buddha corner with plants - that provided a relaxation focal point 2) As much colour as possible - ideally starting with a teal/turquoise blue sofa 3) A bookcase – she enjoys reading immensely We started with deciding on a colourful rug, a gorgeous orange armchair and a bold coloured sofa (after a number of mishaps with deliveries and everything else that could possibly go wrong). To balance out the colour, we choose a modern white dining table and white leather chairs (we joke that she can never use Tumeric again ). I recommended putting the bookcase against the side of the fridge in the open plan kitchen to maximize space saving and we are really happy with how this positioning has turned out. A great way to add colour into the choice of accessories was to choose modern glass vases/bowls in differing shapes, sizing and colours to accentuate the space. The large brass Buddha statue in the corner is flanked with plants at differing heights and a lovely large glass vase in the same vein. The coffee table serves as a great place for her books and candles and there is ample room for her collection to grow. The drinks trolley adds a lovely touch and is ideal for entertaining purposes. We have used a hexagonal mirror over the dining space to accentuate the sweeping views of Canary wharf from their balcony. I applaud my clients’ fearlessness with colour – she embraced colour and asked me to push forward, even when I was weary. The result is a lovely colour filled space that is a joy from the moment you enter.