Project Pearl: Belgravia interiors at their best

Wander through each room of the project with us for never-ending inspiration and a reminder of just how powerful it is to marry the past and present in interior design.

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Like most incredible buildings, the property is all about light, space and details. The grand yet muted aesthetic witnessed in the hallway is continued as you make your way through to the neutral living area, encompassing a formal lounge and dining space. And Regency period features, from intricate ceiling cornicing to elegant wall panelling, are reinstated with the help of British restoration experts at Stevenson of Norwich. “The impressive scale and potential light of the principal rooms struck me as soon as I visited the property,” explains Louise Wicksteed, Creative Director at 1508 London. “Throughout the design process we wanted to work with and enhance these elements. By re-introducing sympathetic period detailing, but keeping everything in a consistent palette of off whites and greys, it created a beautifully grand and detailed space yet one which is calm and timeless at the same time.”

It’s hard to pick a focal point in such stunning surroundings, but the living area’s headline act has to be the stately 24-arm glass, silver and crystal Marie Thérèse chandelier. The abundance of natural light in the property means that 1508 London is given free rein to concentrate on choosing more decorative rather than functional lighting, an opportunity the studio grabs with both hands. Traditional elements are unrelenting: Victorian giltwood oval mirrors make an appearance while a traditional portrait painting hangs above the hand-carved marble fireplace. To complete the space with a dose of the unexpected, an abstract artwork is suspended on the opposite wall.

In contrast, the bespoke kitchen enters a more modern territory. Sleek marble surfaces and a streamlined Silestone island channel clean, contemporary lines. And in terms of colour palette, the kitchen adheres to the serene scheme used throughout most of the house, using light marble, silver appliances, and fresh cabinetry.

Inside the master bedroom, which looks onto a landscaped garden and sits on the same floor as three en suites, a study/fourth bedroom and utility room, a bespoke bed by the 1508 team welcomes you with scale and texture. Its high headboard, set against another mirrored wall, is enveloped is neutral upholstery and complemented by a coordinating display of plump cushions, matching bedspread and bench. Symmetry is used to create a balanced, calm nighttime retreat, which paves the way to perfect surroundings for carefully selected artworks made up of gentle tones and soft shapes.

When it comes to the master ensuite there’s no anticlimax. This luxurious bathroom takes it style notes from the finest hotels and spas, showcasing super-smooth marble finishes and tailored lighting. A deep bath, frosted-glass-fronted rain shower and double sinks make washing and grooming an absolute pleasure.

The design brief for Project Pearl focused on the restoration of classical period details as well as the introduction of modern materials, a controlled colour palette and a timeless feel. 1508 London meets the brief without question, but there’s something about the instinctive way the studio listens to the soul of a property that means the task in hand isn’t simply completed. It’s executed with flair, taste and an intuition which invites you to enter an interior that really tells a story, one of Regency elegance in a 21st century setting.