Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 10

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 12

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 14

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 06

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 11

 

Child Studio was commissioned to create a residence for a London-based hotelier and restaurateur, with particular attention paid to the spaces to dine, host parties and entertain. Tucked away in a historic mews courtyard in the heart of London’s Mayfair, the secluded site presented a blank canvas for the designers.

“The inspiration for this project came from Yves Saint Laurent’s Grand Salon at Rue de Babylone in Paris. We were interested in finding an authentic design language for this project, balancing the Art Deco references with the 1960s & 70s Modernism,” commented Che Huang and Alexy Kos of Child Studio. “The spacious Living Room is a social space where the guests can convene in a warm and relaxed environment. Here, we assembled a mix of collectable 20th-century furniture pieces, complemented by an eclectic collection of sculptures, heirlooms and art books, contributing to the effortless and lived-in atmosphere.”

The dramatic open space is anchored on either side by narrow full-length skylights inserted along the walls to bring daylight into the building. The designers wrapped the space in a series of crafted wooden library walls, subdividing the interior into various zones, including the lounge, dining and study areas.

The focal point of the spacious lounge is the grand undulating fireplace located beneath the linear skylight. The gentle curves were sculpted in polished plaster, contributing to the soft and ethereal atmosphere. “This fireplace was designed to bring a sense of scale and permanence to the space,” explained Huang and Kos. “It is amazing to see how its soft geometry responds to the shifts in lighting throughout the day.”

 

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 04

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 01

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 07

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 05

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 08

 

The tactile materiality is supported by the furnishings: delicate Japanese paper lamps by Ingo Maurer are perched atop white Calacatta Viola marble side tables. Antique mid-century finds, such as the Pernilla lounge chair by Bruno Mathsson, the bentwood Caprani floor lamp and the leather armchairs by the Danish master Kristian Vedel are arranged around a large asymmetrical coffee table in Maple wood, which was designed by Huang and Kos to match the warm tone of the iconic Eames folding screens.

The intimate dining area is formed by custom library cabinets with deep red Rosso Levanto marble cladding. It is separated from the kitchenette by a glass brick partition, allowing the daylight to filter softly through the geometric pattern.

“The material palette of this room draws inspiration from the modernist Villa Muller by Adolf Loos,” explained the designers. “The combination of dark Mahogany wood, patterned marble and green upholstery feels so chic, yet warm and unpretentious.”

The velvet dining chairs by Charlotte Perriand are paired with a rare antique ‘Uchiwa’ chandelier by Ingo Maurer—the handmade lamp consisting of large overlapping fans hanging from a bamboo frame. The custom round Maple table was custom designed by the studio, whilst the hand-knotted wool rug with a gradient pattern is from Child Studio’s rug collection dedicated to the Bauhaus Movement.

 

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 16

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 18

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 17

Child Studio Mayfair Residence London Photo Felix Speller Yellowtrace 20

 

Concealed behind the library shelves is the owner’s study. This quiet space is dedicated to focused work, and the eclectic collection of sculptures, objects, books and artworks line the shelves of this tranquil sanctuary. The artworks include antique lithographs by George Braque, Jean Cocteau and Karel Appel and photographs by Guy Bourdin and Man Ray.

The wooden walls are adorned with 1960s Danish acid-treated brass sconces. Other vintage accessories include a floor lamp by the pioneering Italian manufacturer Stilnovo and the 1960s desk lamp by Spanish modernist Pedro Martín.

“There is a subtle shift in atmosphere between the spacious lounge and the more intimate adjacent rooms” commented the designers, “but the whole place is unified through the crafted woodwork detailing and warm materiality”.

 

 

 


[Images courtesy of Child Studio. Photography by Felix Speller.]

 

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