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Houzz Tour: Natural Textures and Earthy Hues Make a New Flat Cosy
Layering soft green, mushroom and plaster pink with tactile natural materials has turned a white box into a restful home
“It was good quality, but a typical cookie-cutter, new-build property and I wanted to make it my own,” designer Omar Bhatti of Space Shack says of his first floor, two-bed apartment.
Having transformed countless properties for clients, this was a chance for him to think about how he wanted to live. “As you can imagine, as an interior designer, when I finally got my first place, I wanted to put my own mark on it,” he says.
His brief to himself? A place that was a calm retreat where he could disconnect and relax. Take a look at the before and after images to see the total transformation.
Having transformed countless properties for clients, this was a chance for him to think about how he wanted to live. “As you can imagine, as an interior designer, when I finally got my first place, I wanted to put my own mark on it,” he says.
His brief to himself? A place that was a calm retreat where he could disconnect and relax. Take a look at the before and after images to see the total transformation.
The original space was fairly stark, with simple floorboards and white walls.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
Omar’s choice of colours and materials has warmed the room beyond recognition. “I loved the bones of the property, but I didn’t want the plain white walls,” he says. “I wanted it all to be calm, especially as I work from home sometimes.”
The walls and woodwork are painted in a pale mushroom colour, which works nicely with the oak flooring.
The walls and woodwork are painted in a pale mushroom colour, which works nicely with the oak flooring.
The TV wall, however, is pale pink. In the absence of any features in the room, Omar had an arch built to create a focal point. “Originally, it was meant to be painted in a khaki green limewash,” he says, “but [the team] had plastered the wall and when it dried, I was really loving it. Everyone on site was saying, you can’t leave it like this, it’s just builder’s plaster, but I wanted it. Luckily, the plasterer said we could use a sealant.”
Omar chose a Samsung Frame TV, which looks like a picture when it’s turned off, and designed a media cabinet, made by his carpenter, and also painted this in mushroom. “The pink really works with the mushroom – it’s almost as if they’re the same tone,” he says. “So I decided to paint the woodwork the same shade, so it all blends in. There aren’t that many colours [in the room], so it’s very calm.”
Omar chose a Samsung Frame TV, which looks like a picture when it’s turned off, and designed a media cabinet, made by his carpenter, and also painted this in mushroom. “The pink really works with the mushroom – it’s almost as if they’re the same tone,” he says. “So I decided to paint the woodwork the same shade, so it all blends in. There aren’t that many colours [in the room], so it’s very calm.”
To further soften the space, Omar brought in light-diffusing voiles. “You can see the O2 from the balcony [behind the sofa], but generally, there’s not much of a view,” he says. He swapped the original radiator, which was under the left-hand window, for a slim vertical one, so the curtains could be floor-to-ceiling.
He’s also brought in soft curves through the furniture. “The sofa was something I liked because of the cloud look – you just want to jump on it,” he says.
Walls painted in Mushroom, Little Greene. Armchair, West Elm. Engineered oak flooring, Ted Todd. Marenco sofa, Arflex. Soda side table in Amber; Soda side table in Petrol Green, Miniforms. Brass lamp, Cult Furniture.
He’s also brought in soft curves through the furniture. “The sofa was something I liked because of the cloud look – you just want to jump on it,” he says.
Walls painted in Mushroom, Little Greene. Armchair, West Elm. Engineered oak flooring, Ted Todd. Marenco sofa, Arflex. Soda side table in Amber; Soda side table in Petrol Green, Miniforms. Brass lamp, Cult Furniture.
The blue kitchen was already in place and Omar decided to keep it. “It’s a very nice deep blue. I wondered whether to get it sprayed or not, but it just worked,” he says.
The mirror echoes the arch in the living area. “I originally bought it for the bedroom, but when it was delivered, it was propped up there, and I decided I really liked it there – it just seems to fit in the space,” he says. “I was toying with the idea of having shelving there, but then thought, I don’t actually need it – it’s just extra clutter.”
The mirror echoes the arch in the living area. “I originally bought it for the bedroom, but when it was delivered, it was propped up there, and I decided I really liked it there – it just seems to fit in the space,” he says. “I was toying with the idea of having shelving there, but then thought, I don’t actually need it – it’s just extra clutter.”
Despite Omar liking the original kitchen, he did change some things to make it feel a little more elegant and high-end, fitting reeded glass in the cupboard doors and adding a brass tap and handles.
The engineered stone island was already there, but it originally had a built-in timber dining table, so Omar changed it to Arabescato marble.
The flooring was standard straight planks, so he went for light washed rustic oak parquet in a chevron pattern.
Afteroom dining chairs, Menu. Vuelta pendant light, Ferm Living.
The flooring was standard straight planks, so he went for light washed rustic oak parquet in a chevron pattern.
Afteroom dining chairs, Menu. Vuelta pendant light, Ferm Living.
As with the living room, the bedroom was a blank canvas. Omar managed to steal a little extra space for the room by removing some large built-in cupboards in the adjoining bathroom.
Again, Omar softened the stark space using colour and textiles. The walls are a restful pale greeny-beige, while a thick khaki throw adds to the cosy feel.
A padded headboard runs the length of the room behind the king-size bed. “The black trimming just gave it a nice urban look,” Omar says.
A padded headboard runs the length of the room behind the king-size bed. “The black trimming just gave it a nice urban look,” Omar says.
Simple bedside tables keep the look light and don’t block the view of the headboard too much. The bed base contains roomy drawers and there’s an open unit at the foot, which, along with fitted wardrobes, offer plenty of storage.
Walls in Greige 01, Lick. Bedside tables, West Elm. Art, Lana Matsuyama. Bouclé throw in Khaki, Tom Dixon.
Walls in Greige 01, Lick. Bedside tables, West Elm. Art, Lana Matsuyama. Bouclé throw in Khaki, Tom Dixon.
Originally, there was no door between the bedroom and en suite bathroom, which felt a bit open.
Omar fitted an elegant glazed pocket door.
Omar gave the en suite a more luxurious feel with dark green marble-look porcelain tiles, a marble basin and a walnut vanity unit.
And the icing on the cake? A wall cabinet dedicated to his favourite fragrances.
Marble-look tiles in Alpine Green, Kayastone. Sasso Volakas marble countertop basin, Lusso Stone. Tap, Crosswater. Walnut vanity unit, Drench. Mirror, Mirror For You. Wall cabinet, Ferm Living.
Tell us…
What do you think of the way Omar has warmed up this once-plain flat? Let us know in the Comments.
And the icing on the cake? A wall cabinet dedicated to his favourite fragrances.
Marble-look tiles in Alpine Green, Kayastone. Sasso Volakas marble countertop basin, Lusso Stone. Tap, Crosswater. Walnut vanity unit, Drench. Mirror, Mirror For You. Wall cabinet, Ferm Living.
Tell us…
What do you think of the way Omar has warmed up this once-plain flat? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? Designer Omar Bhatti
Location Near Docklands, east London
Property A first floor apartment in a new-build development
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Project year 2021
Designer Omar Bhatti of Space Shack
Photos by Chris Snook