The 3,500-square-foot unit began as one long, open expanse encompassing the kitchen, dining, family room, and living space. We divided the area into distinct rooms, adding a millwork partition that doubles as storage and gives the plan an anchor. It feels larger than it really is, with a sequence of considered rooms rather than one oversized one, each with its own scale and purpose, yet still open enough for the owners to see the television from the kitchen. Black lacquer doors throughout give each room a sense of arrival, and high-polish waxed floors echo finishes more common in a Belgravia townhouse.

Our firm designed a custom black lacquer console for the entry with oversized brass hardware to set off its dark surface. We added millwork paneling, hanging art intentionally across the panels rather than within them, so the pieces read as part of the architecture. The client's art consultant helped us choose works that complemented the existing antiques as well as the new furnishings we brought in for the move. A well-loved antique buffet, carried over from the client's previous home, gives the entry a history the architecture alone couldn't provide.

Silk grasscloth in a gender-neutral warm gray wraps the walls of the primary suite, which opens onto a private terrace. A darker, moodier version of the same wallcovering makes an 11-foot home office feel considerably larger than it is. The dressing room, a small, irregularly shaped space, was resolved with mirrored closet doors and a blue lacquer finish that turned a real spatial challenge into a defining feature of the apartment.