Apartment Arabescato

Fitzrovia, Central London

We were approached by a couple who wanted additional space for their growing family without sacrificing their Central London location.

As the appointed architecture and interior design practice, we proposed a radical reimagining of their penthouse apartment, joining two separate units together to create a luxury residence that flows across all three floors.

Guided by a philosophy of selective reuse and architectural longevity, considered interventions breathe new life into the apartment which had remained largely untouched since it was purchased.

Bespoke joinery is designed around the family’s needs, now and into the future.

“A new penthouse apartment in the heart of London’s Fitzrovia has created a new benchmark for aspirational living in the capital.”

Wallpaper*

A deliberately restricted material palette of arabescato marble and maple joinery is used throughout the apartment, creating a unified visual language led by material quality.

The slabs of arabescato were meticulously carved up in digital software before they reached site to maximise their use. They form the kitchen island, a bar splashback and a custom display shelf for a Jean Arp sculpture.

Warmer paint hues have been selected to soften the interiors, creating a calm and cohesive backdrop for the couple’s mid-century modern furniture and art collections to take centre stage.

A new staircase joins the two apartments together, carefully sited to eliminate the need for new structural steelwork .

The industrial-style balustrade echoes the materiality of the existing apartment.

A wall to wall joinery unit displays the family’s books and ornaments whilst cleverly concealing the television.

Each bedroom showcases a different interpretation of the apartment’s characteristic maple joinery, from a String-style metal shelving system to inbuilt shelves cleverly angled to offer uninterrupted views of the trees outside.

“grafted perfectly understood our constraints and our goals in terms of organisation of the apartment, specifications, respect of the environmental, aesthetics and budget, and accurately translated them into design and execution.

They also helped us navigate all types of challenges throughout an 18-month long process. We are now very excited and happy to move back into our beautiful family home.”

Benoit & Bruno

Rich-toned timbers give weight to the master suite and provide a contrast to the lighter maple used on the lower floors.

A bespoke, free-standing sapele desk gives purpose to the triangular space at the top of the stair, transforming the previously underutilised volume into a lofty study.