A perfect balance of practicality and sophistication at a London flat by Hugh Leslie

‘It was dismal,’ declares the owner, ‘but Hugh has transformed it.’ He did this with a simple but game-changing solution, which was to remove the corridor wall and completely open up the space, in effect creating a hall/kitchen that flows through into the sitting room. He panelled the newly created space in warm European oak, installed a chic breakfast bar, and banished kitchen necessities to behind the panelling, as well as to a self-contained pantry. He also laid wide oak floorboards that run through the whole flat and unify the space.

The open-plan room is a space for living, where the owner can eat and relax, with separate areas connected by a rug from Sandy Jones. In one corner, there is a high-backed banquette as well as an oval walnut dining table. A new chimneypiece is framed in green onyx with a marble mosaic inset. Across the room is a capacious sofa fronted by a coffee table topped with white ebony.

The walnut table, the corner banquette and a pair of chairs based on a Scandinavian design – all custom made – create an inviting spot 
for dining.

Owen Gale

The sitting room perfectly illustrates Hugh’s talents: he thinks of his work as interior architecture rather than simply interior decoration and the term is fitting as, like so many architects of the 18th and early 19th centuries, he also designs much of the furniture. When Hugh was training as an interior designer in New Zealand in the Eighties, furniture design was part of the course and it has become a large element of his work today. ‘Every piece is made in this country by craftsmen and I use traditional materials that work with both the period of the building and the owners’ style,’ explains Hugh. ‘Obviously there is a practical reason for each piece, but I also love the fact that there’s such a wealth of materials to draw upon. You can be much more specific when you design furniture and every project is different – being able to tailor-make each piece is a delight.’

Beyond the open-plan room is the calm main bedroom. An antique Japanese paper screen hangs above the bed and, on the other side of the room, there is an inviting chaise longue in toffee-coloured corduroy, emphasising the vibrant tones of the Alan Davie painting behind it. Another Sandy Jones rug, which looks like water flowing on sand, ripples over the oak floor. The bedside tables, chest of drawers and bookcase table were all designed by Hugh specifically for the room – again balancing the practical and the sophisticated. The main bathroom is equally considered, with walls clad in a bespoke mosaic design that echoes the tribal art hung throughout the flat.

An 18th-century Japanese paper screen from Gregg Baker hangs above the bed and bedside tables, which are paired with Penny Morrison lamps. Curtains in ‘Pienza Lince’ linen in acquamarine/natural from C&C Milano pick up on the Sandy Jones rug.

Owen Gale

Hugh is also brilliant at the hidden, behind-the-scenes details: doors seem to disappear into walls; and awkward corners have been transformed into storage. This is what design is about and it is unsurprising he is so good at it as, before starting his own business in the early 2000s, he worked with three of the best designers in Britain: John Stefanidis, from whom he learned ‘to be bold and courageous’; David Mlinaric (‘who taught me to appreciate the historical sense of every project’); and Chester Jones (‘who showed me that you can never put too much effort into a project, nor is there such a thing as overthinking’). Little wonder the owner is so happy with the results: ‘Whenever I come into the flat, it puts a smile on my face,’ she says, contentedly.

hughleslie.com