Our city apartment renovation in the heart of Greenwich
HOW WE RENOVATED A TYPICAL CITY apartment INTO A CONTEMPORARY HOME IN the heart of GREENWICH
The location of the Wyndham River Gardens Walk apartment in Greenwich boasts stunning and expansive views of the River Thames and the city of London. This was one of the main draws for our clients when choosing this property as their home. After ten years they decided they wanted to renovate the space and appointed Muchmore Design to help them with the process.
Our designer Rose Lambert took the lead on this project and helped the couple reimagine the space and turn creative ideas into a reality. Safe to say the apartment has been transformed into a sophisticated space, inspired by city living.
“We would like to transform our flat to something stylish and high quality but the theme should never override the functionality and practicality of everyday living.”
Q&A
The designer behind the design, Rose Lambert
Q
What was the project brief?
“The project involved a full rip-out and re-fit of all rooms within the property. Work on site took six months as the scope of work involved every aspect be redesigned and considered; from the flooring and wall treatments to the kitchen, bathrooms and joinery design as well as lighting and furniture selections.”
Q
WhERE DID YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM with the design of this project?
“I mainly drew inspiration from the location and the views of the apartment - especially as you have the amazing views of the city right in front of you. I wanted the apartment to feel sophisticated and stylish with elements of city lifestyle living. Initially I looked to the River Thames, which is situated right next to the property to inspire colour choices for the design. I started off by selecting the wallpaper in the hallway, which is like a flow of water. I took the colours from that to draw on for the other elements within the apartment - such as the joinery and the kitchen units.”
Q
Did the clients give you design direction?
“We always encourage our clients to highlight their aspirations and give input for their home from the outset. The owners outlined their requirements but were also very happy to be led creatively. They had some specific ideas for the joinery details so there were some back and forth discussions on that and also with the kitchen. I presented my design ideas in phases giving them plenty of opportunities to give me feedback and make amends. The final scheme was a collaborative effort to ensure our clients felt involved throughout the creative process.
We worked closely with Espresso Design, to create the technical drawings and select the finishes. I attended meetings between the client and Espresso Design to make sure all the elements of the design came together and that the kitchen would work with the wider scheme. Espresso really suited the brief for this particular project, with their sleek contemporary designs and a great choice of integrated high end appliance options.”
Q
Can you describe the final design and any elements from the project that were a big highlight?
“I feel like the description of the final design really fits the brief that we had from the very beginning. We wanted the interiors to look sophisticated and stylish to reflected the metropolitan views and surroundings. Although the home is a city apartment the space feels like it’s situated in its own private nook overlooking the city scape of Canary Wharf. There are a lot of fun elements within the design, especially the joinery - in the primary bedroom that included a secret door leading into the ensuite bathroom.”
(Joinery drawings for the master suite are highlighted below.)
“A big consideration was the beautiful engineered wooden flooring which was a big element within the design and reflects the stylish and atmospheric scheme that sets the tone for the apartment. It was laid in a herringbone design with a straight plank border around the edge.
As there are a lot of large floor to ceiling windows in the property, window dressings were a really important feature to get right. We installed motorised blinds in the living area and primary bedroom, as well as sheer curtains to provide some privacy. We chose neutral fabrics to make sure we didn’t take away from the stunning views.
Overall the big highlight for me was working with open minded clients that considered my ideas and specification, making the design process really enjoyable. The home owners put a lot of trust in me; I wanted to do the very best job for them.”
Q
Any stand out suppliers you used in the project?
“We used some beautiful wall coverings within the project. The Tektura hallway wallpaper was one of the starting points for the whole design and looks stunning. The linen wallpaper supplied by Vescom wrapped the whole living space and gives a subtle texture complimenting the green tone of the kitchen and letting the fantastic views shine. We added an element of fun to the powder room by choosing a bold House Of Hackney print that is a lovely surprise when you open the door to the space.
We chose Claybrook in both bathrooms for the floor and wall tiles. They have a great range of contemporary choices that worked well in the space. As well as being great quality, they were also good value for money.”
Q
Were there any challenges?
“A lot of different challenges appeared as often happens during the building process, however it teaches you to think quickly on your feet and find resolutions.”
One particular challenge was installing two bespoke shower screens into the ensuite bathrooms. Due to the apartment being on the 9th floor we used a specialist team to carry the glass panels up the residence stairwell. We also had to be very careful to get the exact dimensions when ordering these items as an incorrect measurement would of been very costly.”
Q
How did the budget work on this project?
“We had a good budget for the square footage which allowed us to specify high quality items throughout the apartment, which is evident in the final design. I focused a good proportion of the budget in the living area as it was the hub of the home and the largest space within the apartment. ”
Q
How did you Style the project?
”I worked alongside our stylist Sophie to choose artwork, mirrors, bed linen, cushions and accessories to accent the design. We had bespoke artwork and cushions made for the space, to make sure they complimented the colour palette within the design. These items helped add the finishing touches to the overall scheme and aesthetic of the apartment, making it feel like a true home."
