2019-06-01 Homes and Gardens

W

henit recently

cameto

transforming

WillowKemp’s

apartment,whichis tuckeduphighinthe

atticofa converted19th-centurytownhouse

inChelsea,it’ssmallnessinsizedidn’t

compromiseonthegrandeuroftheideas.

ItcertainlyhelpedthatWillow,32,a

Cambridgearchitecturalgraduate,had

learnta milliontricksofthetradeworking

alongsidehermotherKitKemp,the

acclaimedinteriordesignerandhotelier.

Nowa buddingdesignerinherownright,

Willowhada clearideaofhow she wanted

herhometolookandfeel.

Structurally,shecarvedoutanextratwo

feetofceilingheightbyopeningupintothe

loft.Shealsoconvertedthetwoexisting

smallbedroomsintoonebigbedroomanda

generouslysizedbathroom.‘I knowpeople

wouldarguethatreducingthenumberof

bedroomslowersthevalueofa property,but

thewholespaceworkssomuchbetterthis

way,’saysWillow.‘Nothingfeelscramped

andlightfloodsthroughintoeveryroom.’

Notoneinchofspacehasbeenleft

unconsidered:thereis evena cupboard

abovea smallpowderroomspecially

designedtostorelargeitemslikesuitcases.

Mirrorshavebeenusedeverywhere,from

thelargeantiqueoneabovethesofatothe

splashbackinthekitchenandtheliningof

thealcovesinthelivingroom– allhelping,

asWillowsays,to‘reflectlightaroundeach

spaceandmakeit feelbiggerthanit reallyis’.

Thelivingroommultitasksasa space

forentertaining,dining,workingandeven

anoccasionalsparebedroomforfriends.‘I

admit I’m not much of a domestic goddess

butit’stheperfectplaceforhangingoutwith

friendsbeforeoraftergoingout,’shelaughs.

‘I chosetheapartmentforitslocationrather

thanitssize,specificallybecauseit’srightin

theheartofChelsea,whereI’msurrounded

byrestaurantsandbars.I alsolovebeing

abletowalktowork,’shesaysinreferenceto

Kit’sdesignstudioinSouthKensington.

Theapartmentis nowa sophisticated

retreatforWillow,withherfavouritefabrics

takingcentrestage.Shehaschosena palette

ofbeautifuldesignsfromthelikesofRobert

Kime,RaoulTextiles,WilliamYeowardand,

ofcourse,Kit’sownrangesforChristopher

FarrCloth.‘Thelookis tailoredyetcosyand

fun – and exactly what I wanted,’ she says. &

INSIDERINSIGHT

SeCReTAddReSS

TheRoyalAcademy’sSummerexhibition for

interestingartworkandsculpture.

MoSTSuCCeSSFul pART

oFpRojeCT

Theatticflathasslopingceilingsso,to

maximiselight,thecurtainsabovethe

windowseathavebeenhungona metalswing

railthatpivotsbackintothewindowreveal.

BIggeSTINdulgeNCe

Woodenflooringandfabriconthewalls.

SMAllChANge– BIgIMpACT

usingKit’soneWayfabriconthewallfrom

thefrontdooruptothekitchen– it cleverly

leadsyouupthestairsandmakesthe most of

an area that’s often overlooked.

inspiration