Parliament Hill, Hampstead, London

A complete renovation of this loft apartment on Parliament Hill in Hampstead, London, with a Scandinavian influence to the design.

We were engaged to undertake a complete renovation of this loft apartment on Parliament Hill in Hampstead, London.  The clients were interested in the natural feel and apparent simplicity of Scandinavian design, and we brought a range of Scandinavian ideas and finishes to the interior.

We proposed to create a more minimal look to the apartment and with light finishes to reflect the natural light in abundance on this upper floor.  We started by cleaning up many of the details in the apartment, simplifying surfaces and ceilings and removing unnecessary details and mouldings for sleeker appearance.

For the flooring we chose Douglas Fir from Dinesen in Denmark.  These boards are incredibly wide and long, and working closely with Dinesen we were able to design the flooring so that there are no breaks in the planks in any of the rooms in the apartment.  Each piece of timber runs continuously from one end of the room to the other.

All of the stair treads and winders up to the mezzanine were also replaced with single pieces of Douglas Fir.  The white lye and soap finish to the timber provides a soft and light natural feel to the whole apartment.  At the same time it is very practical, allowing for easy cleaning as well as resisting everyday wear and tear.

The Scandinavian influence continued to the furnishings.  In the sitting room we included a sofa upholstered in faux suede from Denmark’s Kvadrat, with felt accent cushions from Finnish designer Anne Kyyro Quinn.  A fitted unit opposite houses storage space and AV equipment.  Reclaimed cast iron radiators were sourced and refinished to match the new interior scheme.

The kitchen is a minimal design which was custom made for the space, with feature appliances from Smeg and Elica.  A quartz composite worktop, ceramic undermounted sinks and a filter water tap complete the specification.

In the shower room we used huge porcelain tiles to increase the feeling of space.  Simplicity was crucial and so we also designed the fittings layout in conjunction with the finishes.  As such all of the bathroom fittings including the shower enclosure are fitted to tile lines to minimise visual disruption, while at the same time being in the perfectly situated for their functions.  Vanity wall lights are fitted through the mirror, and we designed a bespoke washstand and storage unit in limed oak for the bowl to sit on.

In the second bathroom a solid limestone basin is the centrepiece of the room, and a large mirrored unit above provides extensive storage.

In the study we designed custom fitted cabinetry for further storage, and also hid a fold-down bed within the cabinetry for occasional use.

Location

Hampstead, London

Rooms

Complete apartment: Reception rooms, Kitchen, Bedrooms, Bathrooms

Style

Scandinavian Contemporary

Scope

Layout & remodelling, Services, Joinery, Furnishings, Fittings, Finishes