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With double-height ceilings, raw brick walls, and exposed pipes, this London apartment feels like stepping into a loft you’d find in downtown Manhattan. Formerly a printing factory, it’s quirky and almost entirely open-plan. But Melanie Liaw, one half of interior design studio Duelle, found its lack of doors to be the most eccentric feature of all. “Everything was open—even the wardrobes,” she remembers.
Hired by a young, outgoing client, Liaw’s brief was to refresh the space and push it along from its Noughties-era makeover, which leaned heavily on stark white paint and stainless steel. Early on, there was much debate as to whether the brickwork should be covered. In the end, they decided to stick: “It would have changed the space a lot, and actually, the owner’s appreciation for texture and [mixing] the old with the new, it felt like the right decision,” muses Liaw. Instead they drenched the guest room in a cocooning shade of lilac, refreshed the existing kitchen, and added cafe curtains for privacy.
Liaw was also tasked with picking out furniture that felt fun, social, and comfortable. “Everything that he had moved in with, he wanted to get rid of and just start fresh,” she explains. Rolling up her sleeves, she relished rifling through her Rolodex to handpick unique pieces from London’s most esteemed vintage dealers. Ahead, Liaw explains in her own words how she created a refined home that’s as unique as its setting.
What was the very first thing you bought for the project?
The first purchase to arrive was the 1930s American Sarough rug. We wanted to play with iconic design pieces alongside lesser-known vintage finds from a mix of eras. What’s so special about this rug is the tones of coral pink and soft blue that were specific to the U.S. market at that time (usually with older rugs you get navy or royal blues). It really helps ground the space.
What design decision felt like the biggest risk?
The crazy pink dining table, especially because the client only saw it via video! It’s a vintage Italian piece in resin, with new legs that we had fabricated in blackened steel. We didn’t do [renderings] for this project, so it required a lot of trust, like: ‘Your big blue corner sofa is going to work with this pink dining table!’
What was the biggest splurge?
The Strips sofa, a 1960s design by Cini Boeri for Arflex, was quite the investment. The client loves LEGO and so its blocky, toy-like modules just made sense. It’s an iconic piece that seats at least half a dozen people. What’s also special about it is that the covers zip-off; we specified it in cornflower blue and it became an anchor for the scheme.
What was your biggest save?
We didn’t rip-out the kitchen—not even the handles. Instead we had all the low cabinets re-sprayed in a chocolate brown that feels much more right for now (it was formerly Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball). A specialist team came in one afternoon, took away the doors, then came back 10 days later and fitted them within the day. It looks like a new kitchen, so that gave us plenty of bang for our buck.
Did you get to work with any exciting new suppliers?
I’d been wanting to use London hardware brand izé for a while. They make everything to order and collaborate with cool designers. I landed on these egg-shaped knobs by architects 6a, which we used as coat hooks along the entrance, and then turned them horizontally as pulls for wardrobe doors. I love them.
What was your favorite paint color that you ended up using?
The first room you see as you walk into the apartment is the guest bedroom. Visitors use it to access the en-suite bathroom so we wanted to add an element of surprise in there. Pale Lilac by Mylands gives a nod to a vibey, members lounge sort of feeling.
Were you able to upcycle anything?
We took out the huge, walnut bookcase that was blocking the light in the living area and had it made into compact nightstands. We planed down the wood and gave it a new lease of life.
What was a simple idea that delivered a big impact?
The flooring was a real mixed bag of yellowy and red woods. But instead of re-doing them we painted much of it in an off-white with a sheen. We wanted to channel those ’90s photographer lofts, and it really works.
What piece of storage felt like a real game-changer?
The client works from home sometimes but didn’t want an open office. So we created this custom desk area with doors that pull back to reveal the computer monitor. The petite work table is on wheels, so it can be rotated to switch-up the background for video calls, and there’s a very discreet drawer to store the laptop. It’s cute and sneaky!