Clever apartment interior designs for all

Creating the perfect apartment interior design is a unique task. Fitting contemporary designs within the existing bones of historical buildings, or transforming a blank canvas into a dream home takes precision, flexibility and flair. Architects around the globe are taking a turn at composing the perfect interior with striking results. Here we explore some powerful examples, travelling from Los Angeles to London, Paris, Taipei, Athens, Sao Paulo, Tel Aviv and beyond. 

THE FINEST APARTMENT INTERIOR DESIGNS

Rue d’Hauteville by Laune Architecture

This 100 sq m apartment in Rue d’Hauteville in Paris was designed by emerging architecture studio Laune, headed by Laure Grabulos and Pauline Marcyniuk. The designers opened up the interior and bathed it in light, using light tones and a natural, neutral colour and material palette. This minimalist architecture background is peppered with accents such as a mural on the main circulation space, carefully selected artwork, and a bespoke kitchen elevated through the use of white marble. Meanwhile, timber flooring anchors the whole to the ground, providing a soft, organic backdrop for daily life. 

Apartment Oostduinkerke by TJIP

This compact weekend residence offers minimalist interiors with long, sea views, set on the 16th floor of an apartment building in Belgium’s Oostduinkerke. The parquet floor was chosen to continue visually the tones of the sandy beach beyond, while the walls’ clouded greige hue is a nod to the sea’s colours through the day. Soft textiles, neutral colours and large openings that direct the gaze towards the calming waters, make this small (at 40sq m) but perfectly formed, one bedroom apartment the perfect getaway. The project was the work of interior architecture studio TJIP, led by founders Jakob Vyncke and Thomas Meesschaert. 

Focus Hangzhou by Cheng Chung Design

Focus Hangzhou was designed around its incredible views of the Chinese city’s urbanscape and the river beyond. ‘Urban landmarks are not so much about a name, but more about a pattern, a kind of power and grandeur, and a poetic lifestyle that integrates Eastern artistic conception with Western form,’ said its creator, architect Joe Cheng of Hong Kong based Cheng Chung Design. Here, luxury meets contemporary design, but always with a sense of grandeur that was conceived to match the property’s unparalleled 270-degree river vistas. 

Palace Gate by Tala Fustok

Conceived as an urban sanctuary by designer Tala Fustok, this apartment in London’s Palace Gate sits comfortably on the fourth floor of the Victorian mansion block. The design team matched important structural work with wrapping the interior in warm, neutral tones and the client’s art collection for a balance of a sense of character and serenity. Themes span understated luxury and timeless elegance, achieved through natural materials and a restrained colour palette. Vintage finds and contemporary pieces mix, along with clever bespoke elements throughout, such as the bespoke 1960s-inspired bed, which takes centre stage within the master bedroom. 

Istanbul apartment by OZA

London based architecture studio OZA, co-founded by Özge Öztürk and Alexandre Simeray, is behind this new apartment in Istanbul’s Galata neighbourhood. The project East and West references as well as panoramic views of the city and water in a composition that feels light, contemporary and open. ‘From the interior layout design to the material selection, we got inspired by the location of the project, the great history of Istanbul and especially by the soul of the city and lifestyle of its people,’ say Öztürk and Simeray. ‘Every element of the project has been thought to sublimate this ‘living artwork’, which becomes even more poetical when the monuments are theatrically enlightened and the boats pass by the Bosphorus at night. This is the most dramatic scene this home offers.’

Versailles apartment by Saba Ghorbanalinejad

Located in the heart of historic city of Versailles in France, this ground floor apartment in a historical building measures some 90 sq m, with a garden that is more than double its size. When architect Saba Ghorbanalinejad was called upon to work on a restoration and reimagining of the space, she crafted a meticulously detailed, minimalist intervention that turns the gaze towards the property’s rare green expanses. Opening up rooms and establishing a contemporary flow and connection were key to the redesign, as the architect improved vistas and links between interior and exterior. Meanwhile, bespoke touches such as using fragments of Murano glasses, collected by the client’s family, in the in-situ concrete kitchen worktop, add personality and colour. 

DB apartment by Hallett Ike

A double extension and refurbishment of a ground floor apartment interior in London’s De Beauvoir Town, this project by local architects Hallett Ike occupies a historical Georgian townhouse. The team worked with tight parameters to create a space that feels flowing, open and calm for the owners’ daily life. A key move was opening up the kitchen and dining areas towards the living space and the garden beyond, adding internal vistas and a sense of generosity. At the same time, the space has been reimagined using Hallett Ike’s signature pared down, Scandi-inspired minimalism throughout.

Duplex apartment in Prague by MeaCasa

Czech architect Jarmila Kopečná, head of studio MeaCasa, has created an apartment interior design for a duplex space in Prague’s Holešovice district. The architect worked with light and colour to open up the space and create a serene, welcoming interior that draws on earthy elements, such as the sun, moon and soil.  Natural materials, such as stone, wood, and textiles (particularly linen and leather), have been used throughout, to compose a soft, organic feel.  

Malabar Hill apartment by Rajiv Saini

This Mumbai apartment on Altamount Road, Malabar Hill, mixes fun with urban retreat in one of India’s swankiest addresses. Crafted by Rajiv Saini, the project, a terrace apartment interior design that blends indoors and outdoors with contemporary elegance, is a bespoke residential jewel for a private owner – one of the designer’s long term friends and clients. Saini worked on the same client’s primary residence, another Mumbai apartment on the same building, some 15 years ago. The designer recalls: ‘Over the years we’ve often spoken of doing another project together, a holiday home for weekends, but somehow that never materialised… So, when the terrace apartment came up for sale, [the clients] grabbed it, with the intention of using it as their entertaining pad, and for use over weekends.’

Chelsea apartment by Deca Architecture

A wide timber slide with a built in staircase connects the floors of this unconventional, two-bedroom apartment in London designed by Greek practice Deca Architecture. Designed for a long-time client and friend of the practice, the 140 sq m home is spread across the first and second floors of an Edwardian London terrace house in Chelsea. Formerly two separate flats, the new larger apartment is an imaginative amalgamation of the two, executed in a tactile material palette of aged oak, metal and marbles. Most notably, Deca decided to buck the tradition of placing social spaces on the lower floor and private spaces on the upper. Instead the studio created a layout that blends the two across both floors. ‘A lot of London conversions are very formulaic, so we asked ourselves: how do we break this paradigm while creating something totally unique for our client?’ explains Carlos Loperena, who founded DECA alongside Alexandros Vaitsos.

Wonder House by Xigo Studio

This reimagined interior in Beijing, by Xigo Studio, was created with children in mind. ‘Once Picasso said he wanted to “paint like a child”, and the “face figure” has long been used repeatedly as the object of painting by modern masters, and it is also represented in contemporary entertainment by familiar archetypes such as robots, Pac-Man, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The symbolic nature of the face gives people a more childlike, joyful and friendly feeling,’ the architects write. A playful, minimalist and strongly graphic quality defines the resulting two-bedroom interior. 

Ferguson by Arrant Land

Arrant Land worked with architect Lee Ivett and artist and maker Simon Harlow on this boutique apartment redesign in Glasgow. The project, created by and for the company’s founder Duncan Blackmore, is situated on the ground floor of a Victorian tenement building, as a base for when the owner is into town for work. It’s a compact space elevated by extreme attention to detail, and a touch of playfulness. Its owner says: ‘The design evolved from an understanding of how much structure we could remove relatively economically. There are three further stories of flats above so internal walls, all of which are ’supporting’ to a degree, can’t just be taken out. Instead we raised existing openings to ceiling height (3.4m) and replanned the space so that a journey could be taken ‘around’ the flat. I’m very drawn to the idea of being able to ‘do a lap’ or ‘go for walk’ even in such a tiny space, rather than going into a ‘dead end’ space and reversing out again. We also wanted to preserve the views that removing the structure opened up, so you can see the windows as soon as you enter the flat for example. The result is a space of surprising scale and with only one door (on the bathroom). The main move in section was to put the sleeping area above the bathroom and to install the stair up to that. This makes full use of the section and ceiling height and allows for further views around and over the space.’

Avenue Montaigne by After Bach

This Paris apartment is the first residential project by the emerging design studio After Bach. Set up by Jessica Berguig, owner of the JAG gallery, and Francesco Balzano, designer of high-quality, limited-edition objects and furniture, the young practice focuses on bespoke, boutique creations that make a mark through their elegance and contemporary feel. The interior at Avenue Montaigne represents this well. Clad in warm materials and neutral colours, the space is inviting – but full of character. ‘[We] drew inspiration from David Lynch’s film Mulholland Drive. The space has been designed like a 1950s American house, with walls panelled in French oak and natural plant fibre textiles,’ the designers explain. 

WKA Penthouse by Bruno Spaas

Belgian architect Bruno Spaas is behind this sculptural apartment interior design in one of Antwerp’s newly built high rise residential developments. The unit belongs to the dynamic architect, who founded his emerging studio in Antwerp in 2018. Crafted with a tactile quality and using chunks of local light brown stone for cladding and texture, the penthouse was bought by the architect as a blank canvas (it is situated in a new scheme in the city’s northern harbour, designed by Swiss architects Diener & Diener). It is now full of personality and 21st century appeal. Opening up the interiors to create flowing spaces, while adding mirrored elements, and a minimalist architecture throughout, perfect for framing the long penthouse views, Spaas conceived a space that is appropriate for everyday use, while offering spatial richness and drama at the same time. 

Maher Gray by Tang Kawasaki

Architecture studio Tang Kawasaki was commissioned to modernise this Tribeca loft, belonging to an Australian-American couple. The design solution? The team recommended that the owners dig back into the past, and strip away the series of existing DIY installations by artists and artisans, created there over the past forty-odd years. This way, they would reveal and celebrate the bones of the 1882 prewar building, reframing it for the 21st century. ‘We were most interested in echoing this thread between ornamental and primitive architectural languages within the loft and focused our initial agenda around deeper investigations of the materiality of the building’s structural systems. After uncovering the heavy timber superstructure which had been concealed since the 1980’s, layers of plaster, burlap cloth, and creosote which had impregnated the wood joists, girders and columns, were carefully removed to expose the soft heart pine. Restoration of the natural wood finishes were then completed with plant-based hardwax-oils,’ say the architects. 

Mexico City apartment by Archetonic Architects

This spectacular Mexico City apartment is a true transformable space, a complex assemblage of sliding walls, moving partitions, and blinds. Archetonic Architects, founded by Jacobo Micha Mizrahi in 1991, and including Alan Micha Balas and Jaime Micha Balas, set out to turn this generous double-height apartment into a place of endless opportunities. ‘We sought to take advantage of the double-height space, insert maximum natural light and permeate the interior with the exterior environment through large windows,’ the architects explain. 

The home of Liraz Charhi and Tom Avni by Dari Shechter 

This entirely custom made interior was created by designer Dari Shechter for husband-and-wife team Liraz Charhi and Tom Avni using Persian influences – a nod to Gharhi’s roots. Famed musician Charhi worked with Shechter to compose an interior brimming with personality, including works by local artisans, such as custom produced tableware, pottery, pots and vases. Mud plaster offers a warm, tactile feel to the walls, while a mint green pastel coloured kitchen creates a colour accent in the living space. 

MC Residence by DeDraft Architects

This penthouse apartment interior design is a masterful renovation and repurposing of the top floor of the ‘Old German Hospital’ in London Fields, Hackney in London. The architecture studio, DeDraft, worked with the modernist bones of the original building, created in the 1930s by Burnet, Tait & Lornein, which is currently Grade II listed. The interiors work with tactile materials, light and shadows, to compose a space that feels modern, but also warm and domestic. Crittall windows and exposed concrete meet fumed oak floors and the owners’ rich collection of art and design. 

Philbeach Gardens by Roz Barr Architects

An existing apartment within a 1882 red-brick Domestic Revival style mansion in West London, Philbeach Gardens, has been completely transformed into a haven of minimalist calm by Roz Barr Architects. The space, belonging to a family of three, was conceived to maintain the overall identity of the original piano nobile apartment interior design while introducing further natural light, flexibility and interconnectedness that is needed for a functional, modern home. ‘Our approach was to develop a series of elements that responded to the domesticity of day-to-day life,’ the architecture team explained. ‘The rituals of everyday life, such as cooking, eating, resting, sleeping and bathing were internally reconfigured. Using natural materials, we configured a series of furniture that became a family of elements within the space.’

RA apartment by Maya Sheinberger 

Tel Aviv interior designer Maya Sheinberger revamped an apartment in her home town’s city centre for a couple and their two young children. Working with the apartment interior’s existing layout, Sheinberger divided the space in two areas: the east wing, containing a large and spacious space with a living room, kitchen, and dining area facing a large terrace; and the west wing, where the main bedroom, two children’s rooms, and a bathroom that overlooks a second terrace are located. Wood, iron and stone make up for a minimalist interior with a natural feel, while a monochromatic colour palette keeps things neat and simple. The cityscape experienced through the large openings becomes a central focal point for the design. 

The Aerie by OPA

Architects Luke Ogrydziak and Zoë Prillinger of studio OPA were asked to return to a residential project they designed in 2005 – T House – for the addition of a San Francisco home office atop the existing structure. Nicknamed The Aerie, the new design not only crowns a relatively clean and sober building with a somewhat flamboyant extension, but also offers a next-generation home office for its owners, a couple with three children. While the project’s impressive, angular forms might be the first thing to catch the eye, it was the shaping of the internal lighting conditions that led much of the design development. OPA worked with parametric systems and consultants Loisos & Ubbelohde in order to perfect every little detail and corner, inside and out. ‘We wanted to create the effect of “floating” above the home and downtown San Francisco. To achieve this, we decided to make the walls and ceiling disappear,’ Ogrydziak says. ‘Wrap-around glass provides a panoramic view of the city and Marin [County] beyond. Above, the roof consists entirely of skylights sitting above a multi-layer system of diffusers, which reduce glare and react to different lighting conditions. The result is an unusually soft, even light which varies with atmospheric conditions and makes the room feel like being outside, while still maintaining visual comfort.’ 

Kichi Skyline Apartment by Simone de Gale with Arshak Architects 

London architect Simone de Gale with Kerala’s Arshak Architects in this apartment interior design in southern India’s city of Kochi. The 3500 sq ft luxury space is a combination of Indian and international design influences, set on the 17th floor of the recently completed Legend Sky Mansions, an eco-conscious high end tower by developers Skyline. A generous, open plan living space brings together minimalist furniture with a handful of more ornate, crafted pieces for a glossy touch. The space includes four bedrooms, and outdoors areas in the shape of a near-wraparound balcony that offers 270 degree views. ‘This modern apartment home reflects its natural environment, extends into its natural environment while incorporating all the touches of modern luxury into an elegant sanctuary within Kochi,’ the architecture team says.

A Collector’s apartment by Campbell Cadey 

Set in Ruskin Park House, a striking set of modernist apartment buildings by Watkins Gray Architects from the 1930s, this apartment is the work of London studio Campel Cadey, founded by Ruth Campbell and Andrew Cadey. The client’s top floor appartment features long lines, bow windows and large metal windows, which the team was called upon to refresh for a costume designer and art collector. ‘Our aspiration was to remodel and update the layout to make the most of the abundance of natural daylight, clean air and views, whilst complimenting the existing 1930s architectural character to create a peaceful and calm setting within.  A more open and free-flowing arrangement was introduced that included hidden storage spaces and a strategy for the curated display of the client’s varied collection of artefacts and artworks,’ the architects say. 

Origin Realm by XIGO Studio 

This apartment in Beijing, designed by XIGO Studio for a family of three, is conceived around the clients’ needs for a clean, minimalist space. The architects prioritised hidden storage, crisp surfaces and a pared down approach. This doesn’t mean the space is without its drama. A curved partition in the living room, visible as soon as a guest would enter the apartment, provides visual interest, helps with light reflection and distribution, as well as offers privacy to the spaces behind – the home’s three bedrooms. A muted colour palette throughout makes for a calm and restful interior, while the flowing, open place main living spaces open up to a terrace looking out to city views. 

Lancer Square by 1508

Lancer Square is the newest kid on the block in the Royal borough of Kensington & Chelsea, just moments from Kensington Palace Gardens. This apartment is part of the elegant 36 residence property, all set within three distinct buildings ranging from six to seven storeys. Architecture practice Squire & Partners is behind the complex’s building design, but interiors are the work of international studio 1508, who took its cues from the area’s historical, regal and horticultural past, as well as the nearby Kensington Barracks. As a result, spaces feel refined and contemporary, yet featuring touches of heritage and glamour throughout. 

Sequoia penthouse by Gantous Arquitectos

This expansive, two-storey penthouse in Mexico City was created by Gantous Arquitectos for a family of five – a couple with adult children. As a result, ‘the program focused on creating extensive indoor and outdoor social areas, as well as cozy spaces for relaxation, work or study,’ explain the architects. A dramatic entry, generous and directing the eye to long city views, is clad in earthy tones of travertine marble on floor and walls. Luxurious dark oak floors and bronze details define the spaces further in, leading to a staircase that guides visitors upstairs to the more private areas in the home. An art piece by Polish artist Xawery Wolski sits in a prominent position in the stairwell, exemplifying how art, architecture and natural materials come together in this Mexican urban retreat. 

Elevate by Studio IAAD

Part of a housing project marking the collaboration of Indian developers Hines and Conscient, Elevate combines biophillic design with modern comforts and a cosmpolitan attitude. The home, located in India’s Gurugram, is a showcase of life in the property. Acting as a glass box at places, it contains planting and green views for the residents. At the same time, elsewhere, the apartment becomes more opaque, promoting calm and privacy. The interior in this three bedroom unit is made up of neutral tones and contemporary furniture, matching the architecture’s modern aspect and ambition. ‘Envisioned as a boutique hotel, the building is averse to the prevailing treatment of experience centres as an afterthought to housing developments. The ethereal slow-burn experience compels the visitor to sit and ponder, escaping in the forest’s therapeutic solitude, away from the outer world, becoming a placid haven that people want to connect to, engage with and inhabit,’ the designers explain. 

Acropolis 13 by Natalia Bazaiou

Athens based architect Natalia Bazaiou employs honest materiality and clean geometris to reimagine an interior in the city’s historical neighbourhood around the Acropolis. Built in furniture is treated like sculputral objects to add plasticity and flair to the otherawise conventionally laid out space. A distinctive, bespoke bookcase helps define the living space and the home office within it. The palette includes thin metal sheet, pleated and perforated surfaces, and wooden elements, set within light and natural colours that help maintain a sense of calm within this highly articulated domestic space. 

Penthouse in Chaozhou by AD ARCHITECTURE 

Clean, ‘rational’ aesthetics and the teachings of Bauhaus inspired the interior of this penthouse apartment in China’s southern city of Chaozhou. The space, also drawing on principles of 20th century minimalism, offers a 270-degree view of natural landscapes in Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang. To help direct the focus on this rich, surrounding environment, the architects at AD ARCHITECTURE, opted for a pared down interior, balancing simplicity, reflections and an almost ethereal atmosphere. The open plan arrangement alludes to a generosity of space, while a monochromatic colour palette allows for strategically placed moments of colour to shine.

Soho Loft by Ghislaine Viñas and Alexander Butler Architects

Working with a 2000 sq ft space full of handsome architectural features, such as high ceilings, large windows, beams, this New York artist’s loft was thoroughly revamped by Ghislaine Viñas and Alexander Butler Architects for a local family. Mixing a meticulous restoration of existing elements with a carefully planned colour and material plan, the team drew on the clients’ needs and passions, such as their fascination with Lewis Carroll’s book Alice in Wonderland to populate the interior with contemporary furniture and art. Open spaces meet fun details in a home that feels at once warm and modern.

Psyche by One Space Design

This generous Chengdu apartment is designed by local Chinese architecture practice One Design Studio. The architects worked with the structure’s tall ceilings to emphasise the sense of space throughout by keeping the decor minimalist, bar some strategically selected pieces of contemporary and midcentury inspired furniture. The architecture team says: ‘The clean and bright living room is matched with simple and advanced soft furnishings, use the bookshelf as a partition to divide the living room and the game room, breaking the conventional space division method, making the space more transparent and bright.’

101 on Cleveland penthouse by Bergman & Mar

London interior outfit Bergman & Mar masterminded this new collection of penthouses in the UK capital’s Fitzrovia district. The scheme, a high end residential development by Art-Invest Real Estate, ECE and Dukelease Properties, mixes historical design with contemporary bespoke pieces in a look the designers describe as ‘modern bohemia.’ Petra Arko, creative director and founder of Bergman & Mar says: ‘The location of Fitzrovia played an important role in our design for the penthouse at 101 on Cleveland. Informed by the district’s rich history as the home of craftmanship and bohemia, we wanted to create a subtle modern continuation of Chippendale’s appreciation of art and eclecticism by carefully selecting over 40 different furniture designers, artisans and artists to create an inimitable space with a lasting impact.’

SoMa Loft by Malcolm Davis Architecture (MDa)

San Francisco based architect Malcolm Davis and his team were approached by a young couple who were looking to update their loft space in an industrial building, now used as live-work units. A distinctive, tall vaulted concrete ceiling with fluted concrete columns led the design towards a pared down, utilitarian interior language. The overall design feels bold and clean, ensuring a calming but strong environment. The mezzanine was extended to its maximum potential, creating space for an additional bathroom upstairs in the primary lofted bedroom area. The space below the extended mezzanine became a home office. Custom steel and fluted glass barn doors provide privacy where needed, in this otherwise flowing, open plan domestic space – an apartment interior design that is balanced to cater to both work and play, contemporary sensibility and serene retreat.

Tribeca loft by Andrea Leung

When called upon to renovate a 1600 sq ft historic apartment in New York’s Tribeca, architect Andrea Leung drew on the hidden spaces of her grandmother’s apartment in Vancouver. As a result, she approached the design as a type of cabinet of architectural curiosities, playing with surprises and reflections. ‘As an architect, I thrive on the satisfaction that comes from arriving at elegantly simple design solutions,’ says Leung. ‘But more importantly, it’s the promise of emotions created by beautiful spaces that drives my architecture. I am always interested in how ostensibly static configurations of materials can evoke poetic tensions that speak to our thoughts and memories, that touch upon aspects of our subconscious and prompt reactions we may not necessarily be able to fully articulate.’

Sursock 14ème by Karim Nader Studio

Lebanese architect Karim Nader has recently worked on the careful restoration of this apartment in Beirut, following the devastating explotion there in 2020. Situated within one of the city’s modernist residential landmarks, near the port area, Sursock 14ème is a project that celebrates the building’s original architecture, the region’s sun and the sense of openness it offers. It is also unmistakably contemporrary. ‘I refuse to be labeled as an architect of the generation of war. I do not find interest in architecture as a war machine, nor in the war-torn building aesthetic. Beirut should be architecturally represented as always alive, forward looking, because forward is the way of life,’ Nader has said.

Tableau penthouse by KSR Architects & Interior Designers 

This elegant apartment interior design was composed by London based KSR Architects & Interior Designers. Originally the show home in a development of 23 units, now the space belongs to a private owner, who worked with the design team to create a  a luxurious yet comfortable interior that blends old and new. The property is located in Marylebone, Central London. Inside, bespoke joinery mixes with statement furniture in an atmosphere that is nothing like the typical ‘blanc canvas’ show home. Instead, dark woods, craft based details, and bags of personality offer a characterful interior for the resident’s life and extensive art collection – which is proudly showcased in the apartment. 

Ourânia by Studio MK27

This boutique apartment building in São Paulo, placed on the edge of the bohemian neighbourhood of Vila Madalena, is the latest urban housing scheme by Idea!Zarvos – the Brazilian developer known for a design-savvy, architecturally led approach. Ourânia, containing just eight apartments within a relatively compact, nine-storey building, is the brainchild of Marcio Kogan and his colleagues at Studio MK27 for this client, and offers contemporary living wrapped in warm, textured minimalist architecture.  A combination of quality materials, well-proportioned volumes, and flexibility were key in delivering the Ourânia living experience, a domestic space befitting the 21st century. The architects explain: ‘Its modular structure, an orthogonal grid of concrete pillars and beams, results in completely flexible plans, where each apartment owner could define its layout. The 20 columns are rhythmically positioned in the perimeter of the 48 x 11m plan and, together with a central core that shelters stairs and elevators, structures the building – leaving generous spans to be arranged as desired.’

9 Millbank Heritage Collection by Goddard Littlefair

Central London, steeped in history and glamour, is no stranger to grand period architecture and chic lifestyle offerings. 9 Millbank is one of the newest kids on this block, but lacks nothing compared to its predecessors. The development is currently under construction, with its final touches set to be added so that it can open its doors to residents fully completed in 2023. St Edward, the developer behind 9 Millbank, has now revealed the project’s latest interiors offering for its top-of-the-range Heritage Collection, a series of five apartments right at the top of the scheme. The development sits within the impressive former headquarters of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), a Grade II-listed, majestic structure facing a green park and the river Thames beyond. Long vistas of the London skyline (including glimpses of iconic sights such as the House of Parliament and Big Ben) match the building’s original features and decor, most of which have been lovingly preserved and restored to their former glory. In areas where the original building fabric was too damaged, the architects worked with conservation specialists to create new elements that faithfully maintain the identity of the old. 

The Cortland by Robert AM Stern Architects and Olson Kundig

Designed by Olson Kundig, The Cortland interiors have been revealed for the first time through a series of photographs that gives a hint of what living inside this finely tuned New York luxury residential development would be like. Crafted inside a building created by Robert AM Stern Architects, this is Seattle-based Olson Kundig’s first multi-family project in the Big Apple – and the practice has employed all its flair, sophistication and well-balanced, rich aesthetic, while drawing on the context and the wider area’s industrial heritage. ‘Because of the materials Robert AM Stern Architects used for the exterior and the way the building is assembled, The Cortland has an almost handmade quality. An urban tower can feel scaleless and oversized, but this is a very human-scaled building, honouring the traditions of New York City and the craft of construction,’ says Tom Kundig, owner and principal of Olson Kundig. The studio is known for an approach that is rooted in craft, tactile materials and function.

Apartment Arluzia by MATÚ Arquitetura

This apartment interior design, in western Sao Paulo, has been designed to serve the needs of a couple and their three cats and two dogs, one of them being visually impaired. The architecture studio behind it, MATÚ Arquitetura, headed by architects Fernanda Lins, Gabrieli Azevedo, Ana Pernambuco and Bruna Marchiori, responded to their clients’ request to create a space where all inhabitants – both human and animals – can feel comfortable. ‘A social area was created with the purpose of meeting the demands of each one: a shelf-playground for the cats, a low and modular sofa to help with the accessibility of the dogs, an office for the resident to work and play guitar, and a large bench, under the window for the resident to have her moments of reading, contemplation and exhibition of some works of art, of affective value,’ they explain. Fun patterns and colours and natural materials make for a warm, playful yet functional home. 

 Apartment XVIII by Studio Razavi Architecture

This Parisian apartment is set on a prominent spot, overlooking the Luxemburg gardens and located in a XVIIIth century mansion. Past owners, lives and extensive remodels over the years left little of the grand home’s original design, so when Studio Razavi was invited to take on the unit’s transformation, the team decided to gut out the apartment completely and start from scratch. ‘This being one of the oldest areas of Paris (the street was recorded as a Roman road) and surrounded by a unique landscape of private buildings, churches, convents, squares, our inspiration drove us to envision a monastic space. Natural light was our material of choice (it comes in from three different directions) and the quality of the building could be expressed inside by generously celebrating the load bearing walls and columns, highlighting their materiality furthermore by applying a plaster stucco against which the light would bounce,’ they explain. A restrained material palette adds to that effect and helps compose a space full of sophistication and subtle drama, furnished with a mix of modern and vintage pieces. 

Celerina penthouse by NENMAR

Bespoke joinery, a blend of old and new, and a touch of Brazilian modernism help make the most of this penthouse apartment interior which has just been renovated to a design by NENMAR. The project, set in Engadine, in the Swiss Alps, was transformed by the multi-disciplinary practice, which was formed through the union of GN Architecture and Maresca Interiors. The design team approached the space in the same way they would boat design – making sure every corner adds something special to the interior, everything is functional and custom made cabinetry and hidden storage ensure the penthouse kicks well above its weight, in spatial terms. As a result, fixed furniture and soft furnishings are made to measure everywhere. At the same time, natural materials, such as knotless natural oak in water-based finish, Matraia stone and limestone render, create a warm, earthy feel for this domestic, mountain cocoon. 

The Great Unit apartment by K.O.T. Architects

Functionality and a contemporary take led the redesign of this apartment interior on the outskirts of the Florentin neighborhood in Southern Tel Aviv. Set in a 1938 building that forms part of the city’s well documented legacy of modernist architecture, the space was addressed as a ‘living machine,’ say the architects. ‘I appreciate comfort. In general, I believe in clear statements: clear and defined spaces in context, without whimsical and presumptuous elements that do not serve the client’s interest,’ explains architect Kfir Galatia-Azulay of K.O.T. Architects, who led the project. By removing internal walls and partitions and opening up the space, the refreshed home is now improved through the abundance of natural light and a series of bespoke elements, such as a new, tailor made kitchen. A minimalist apporach to colour – using mostly white, off-white and black veneer details – underlines an overall feeling of calm. 

Campo Grande Apartment by FCstudio

Set in Brazil’s city of Campo Grande, this modern apartment interior design is the result of a commission to transform an existing unit’s living areas into a generous, flowing space full of spatial luxury and craft infused detail. FCstudio, the Sao Paulo based practice of Flavio Castro, worked on cleverly uniting parts of the house and partially repurposing its terrace in order to create the sense of a much larger living and dining room. Furniture was selected by Castro’s team too, while many of the fittings and some of the lose pieces too were bespoke creations by the studio. ‘In this project, we translated the client’s passion for design into architecture, without forgetting functionality and the charming view of the city park in front of the apartment,’ say the architects.

Moscow apartment by Nido Interiors

This brand new apartment interior by Moscow based firm Nido offers a 21st century renovation that updates an existing unit in the Russian capital. Using clean shapes, neutral colours and quality materials the interiors team worked with textures and architectural shapes to dramatic effect – that is at the same time subtle and soiphisticated. ‘A large monolithic travertine stone sink element extends through the wall near the terrace entrance while the corner opposite to the kitchen island is decorated with Mutina blocks designed by Patricia Urquiola. The furniture textures are smooth, soft and natural with warm color palette – terracotta and sandy shades are a constant reminder of traveling to distant places and endless beaches,’ the team says. 

Los Angeles penthouse by Dan Brunn 

This minimalist apartment interior design in Los Angeles is the brainchild of local architect Dan Brunn. The generous, some 5000 sq ft space is the result of uniting two adjacent unit into one, streamlined, flowing home. The client, a property developer and yoga enthusiast, asked for an atmosphere that is calming and functional. Brunn, a deft hand in minimalist architecture of the greatest attention to detail, obliged and crafted an uncluttered interior guided by light and volume. Decor and material choices were also critical to the overall approach, as were details such as the smooth white cabinetry of the Boffi kitchen and the DePadova furniture selections. ‘The use of a clean and light palette of materials such as: white terrazzo, white cabinetry, and white wood are ultimately what sets the simplistic and modern style for the entire unit,’ the architecture team explains.

Bleecker Street by Tala Fustok Studio and Crina Architecture

‘What makes this apartment so striking is the blend of artistic influences and natural materials that create layers of intrigue and beauty, designed to engage the senses,’ says designer Tala Fustok. The project is a Manhattan apartment in the West Village, which has been artfully redesigned in a loft-style, drawing on the residential building’s industrial heritage. Pops of colour, different textures and a mix of old and new (such as the reclaimed walnut flooring) make for a dynamiic, yet warm and homely composition. Fustok collaborated on the design with Crina Architecture. ‘[We wanted] engage the imagination against a beautifully layered architectural backdrop, and encourage thoughts of restfulness and calm,’ says Crina Arghirescu Rogard. Natural light and bespoke touches contribute to the overall atmosphere.

Neuilly Project by Sandra Benhamou

This Parisian home is an apartment interior design for a couple of art and design collectors. The 120 sqm apartment, which is set within a 1970s building opposite the green area of Bois de Boulogne in western Paris, has been reimagined as a flowing, open space – almost like a single room. This is divided into volumes defined by usage and decorative composition. ‘A kitchen opens into a living room on one side; and [there are] two rooms with their own bathroom on the other side,’ the design team explains. ‘The bookshelves, kitchen and wardrobes are all made bespoke in natural wood and give a graphic style through their lines.’ Warm colours and textured materials, such as wood and leather, work towards a rich interior, featuring pieces by Living Divani, Gianfranco Frattini, Knoll and Benhamou herself – among others.

The Penthouse of the OPUS ONE by T.K. CHU Design 

This striking penthouse sits on the 34th floor of OPUS ONE, a mixed use complex in China’s Hangzhou, which was spearheaded by two local developers, Excellence Group and Greentown China. The eye catching design, which mixes luxurious materials, calming neutral tones and intense colour pops, was composed by T. K. Chu Design, the Shanghai based firm led by interior designer T. K. Chu. The white-dominated interiors were conceived as a nod to the clouds, a feature frquently spotted from the large, floor-to-ceiling openings at this home, along with the apartment’s panoramic views of the Qiantang River and the West Lake. Back in the penthouse, playful furniture from designers such as Alessandro Mendini and Jaime Hayon, mixes with contemporart art pieces, incuding a sculpture by Tengfei Yang by the window. 

The Opus Arisugawa by OEO

This contemporary apartment interior is the brainchild of Danish design studio OEO and sits within an upscale housing complex for developers ReBITA and NTT Urban Development Corporation in Tokyo. The scheme, set in a central, relatively low-rise luxury residential area, rich with greenery, contains several apartments. Each of them has been designed by a different creative studio. OEO was responsible for apartment number 302, which they composed merging modern Danish style with Japanese influences, full of natural materials and bespoke joinery. 

Palm Penthouse by Kart Group

The client asked for ‘a cosmopolitan multi-functional sophisticated living space that embraces family living and serves as an exquisite space for various social functions,’ explains the Dubai based team at Kart Group, the designers behind this minimalist interior design in a petnhouse in The Palm Jumeirah development. Playing with the regions light, the client’s requirement for a modern, confident space fit for entertaining, and a colourway that draws inspiration from the Arabian Gulf’s sea views beyond, the design team personalised this 462 sq m home to perfection. ‘The colours artistically reflect the Palm’s influence and bring the splendour of the outside in. The main design feature is the full height marble walls with two brass ornaments vertically recessed with a hidden light that naturally creates an inspiring piece of art. A three-dimensional mandala in a white textured finish adds a sense of drama and intrigue to the sitting room,’ the design team explains.