On the upper ground floor of a complex in Chelsea, is a light, spacious and elegant apartment created by architect Atelier Baulier and interior designer Irenie Studio. The brief was to consolidate the existing flat and the adjacent lockdown-purchased one into a single dwelling, and refurbish to a high specification.
The initial brief was to refurbish a 2-bed apartment to accommodate a homeowner who spends a lot of the time on the move and to create more space for guests he hosts. When the first lockdown happened and plans were put on hold, the owner was presented with an opportunity to purchase the adjacent 1-bed flat and Atelier Baulier and Irenie Studio set about revising the initial scheme to seamlessly blend the two apartments into one whilst honouring elements of their original design where possible.
The new brief called for a new home office space, whilst the entertainment & hospitality spaces could increase in footprint. The budget was increased accordingly to suit the new size of the project and the additional furnishing specification. Although the layout has been significantly altered, services locations were retained and consolidated to optimise the budget, which allowed to upgrade the shell for future-proofing. The remainder of the allowance was allocated to the high quality finishes and furniture throughout.
"Irenie and Aurore have a truly dynamic and vibrant partnership. My project had the complexity of amalgamating two properties and reconfiguring the entire layout for modern living. They did everything! From assessing initial project feasibility, to preliminary concepts of the layout, then detailing of plans – both architectural and design, followed by engagement with the builder, hands-on project supervision and then the proposing and sourcing of cool furnishings down to every last detail.
They have deep technical expertise but what I really valued was their special imagination and creativity. Driven by years of top-level experience in the industry. I love the way they combine architecture and design in one team. They are really great fun to work with too!
I am now enjoying the benefits of their talent every day."
Client 2023
Photo by Jim Stephenson