Contemporary Heritage

The Mayfair neighbourhood in London has long since been associated with sophistication and exclusivity. Amidst the buildings with historical significance is Project Verde, a 1,250 sq. ft. two-bedroom apartment with its interiors designed by Katie Earl and Emma Rayner – co-founders of the No.12 design studio. Project Verde diverges from the luxurious style displayed by West London homes. Instead of white walls, here walls are painted cool grey, while listed architectural elements like 19th-century cornices, architraves and a delicate rosette crown moulding are accentuated with bright white. The grey also diffuses sunlight, creating the impression of calm in the interior. To further reinforce the peaceful atmosphere, desaturated tones are used throughout the rooms. A large piled rug covers the floor of the grand main living room area to give it a softer touch, offsetting the room’s potentially imposing size. The restrained colour hues are kept to focus on the objects placed in the room to give out interesting forms. Injected with rich colours and shades sparingly for maximum impacts, such as blue velvet sofa places in the prominent central position of the living room, or the dark grey walls in the stairwell leading to the lower ground bedrooms. In the master bedroom, once again colour brings drama to the setting, with the rouge velvet of the cushions recalling the drapes of the West End theatres. By blending modern furniture and fittings with vintage pieces, such as reupholstered marble tops, the house gains a lived-in feel, a strong character, and- in the long run- a rich story that pays tribute to its Mayfair locale.