How a West End Tenement Became a Masterclass in Interior Design

"I love a contemporary luxe aesthetic, so when I got the keys to 42 Cecil St, I knew I wanted to make it my own while still respecting the property’s period charm. The previous owner had done an incredible job renovating the space, so it was essentially a blank canvas for me to zhuzh!"

"The living/dining room was the first space I tackled. Adding wide shelving in the recess beside the fireplace gave interest to what was a plain corner. I had a traditional plaster ceiling rose installed, which really allowed the ceiling height to shine, and paired it with a contemporary feature light to blend the traditional and modern styles."

"I drenched the walls in a warm off-white with crisp white woodwork, and I used mid-century inspired Farrow & Ball ‘Tourbillon’ wallpaper between the cornice on the ceiling. It was a cost-effective way to create impact and add another layer of interest. The Karndean flooring I chose is so realistic—many viewers questioned if it was the original parquet!"

"The wee toilet is one of my favourite spaces! It all started when I fell in love with the Milton and King ‘Ornithology’ wallpaper. I paired it with affordable tiles from a local retailer, and even taught myself to tile through YouTube during the lockdown. It was incredibly therapeutic! I also love the playful addition of the birds and bees on the ceiling - because, why not?!"

"My bedroom design is centered around House of Hackney’s ‘Artemis’ wallpaper. I loved it from afar but chose to frame it behind my bed in one large panel to make a bold impact. The light-coloured carpets balance out the rich, saturated colours on the walls, and the floods of afternoon sunlight really bring the room to life."

"Sitting around the original G Plan dining table in the front bay is definitely my favourite spot. The table has a special history - it was a wedding gift to my grandparents in the 1960s. When I bought the flat, I moved in with very little furniture, so when I found the table in the shed at my parents’, I knew it would be perfect for the bay window. I hope to bring my own family up around this table in the future - if it could talk, I’m sure it would have many stories to tell!"

"I absolutely love how inclusive the West End is. Coming from a rural background, I always thought you had to dress up to go into the city, but in the West End, it doesn’t matter how you look. You can just be yourself. It’s a wonderful place to sit in a café, park, or pub and watch the vibrant community go by."