A queen of country house interiors turns her hand to a smart city loft
A converted loft with an industrial aesthetic, complete with wooden girders, a steel kitchen, and lots and lots of exposed brick, seems an unlikely place to find Emma Sims-Hilditch. The designer's interiors are more often the embodiment of country house gentility, with an emphasis on soothing colours, delicate patterns, and an overall quality of tranquility. But when a longstanding client, whose Scottish hunting lodge Emma had already masterminded, asked her to make his London apartment a comfortable place to be, the team set to work to bring a little of their quiet magic to this unexpected setting.
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The building is a former piano factory, built in 1866 and recently converted into flats. A previous owner had already taken care of the major renovations, carefully restoring the interior to be in sympathy with the Victorian building, and installing striking features such as the steel kitchen and matchstick timber panelling on the walls. Nonetheless, the space felt cold and somewhat sterile, and Gemma Holsgrove, associate director at Sims Hilditch, was charged with bringing back some life and character.
There would be none of the charming chintzes, ticking stripes or ginghams that have characterised other projects by the studio, however. "The owner always wants the design to fit in with the architecture, the location, and the landscape," explains Gemma. "He wants to live as much in that particular place as he can. Since his London flat is a place for work and business, he wanted it to feel as smart and efficient as possible." Smart and efficient was one side of the brief, but it also had to feel warm, comfortable, and eclectic, and Gemma set about selecting textiles, furniture and artwork to address all of these requirements.
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As any good interior designer should be, Gemma was naturally inclined to work as much as possible with the fabric of the building, rather than against it. A bold colour palette made sense in the surroundings, and the open-plan living space is full of bright hits of colour, from the teal upholstery of the slipper chair to the cheerfully patterned kilim rugs. In the two bedrooms, the headboards and the panelling behind them were upholstered in brushed cotton, with a particularly vivid green for the owner's room. Gemma was sparing with pattern, but where it does appear it instantly draws the eye; the ottoman in the owner's room is one such example, and the rugs in the main space another.
Texture is also key for bringing a sense of warmth to the space. Gemma kept the forms of the furniture quite clean and simple, but added rich fabrics by way of contrast. There is deep, plush velvet and smart leather upholstery, shaggy Berber rugs, and a beautiful thick grey linen for the curtains. "The curtains are straight up against those brick walls with all their patina, and the simplicity of the fabric complements them perfectly."
Gemma achieved the eclectic feel that the owner wanted through a clever selection of furniture. Contemporary, mid-century and traditional shapes all mingle comfortably, their shared simplicity of line lending itself to harmony. Decorative antiques emporium Lorfords were instrumental in finding some of the more interesting pieces, such as an antique stepladder that now serves as a lamp table. "They’ll find unique things that you perhaps wouldn't notice on the website or amongst other things," explains Gemma, "but when you look at them in isolation they come to life."
If Sims-Hilditch have always felt like a go-to studio for comfortable interiors, here they have demonstrated their ability to impart homeliness and warmth to any kind of space. Efficient city living this may be, but we'd still be as happy to put our feet up and relax as we would in the most generous of country houses.
Sims Hilditch: 01249 783087; simshilditch.com
Sims Hilditch are a member of The List by House & Garden, our essential directory of design professionals. See their profile here.
Paul Massey1/14The colour of the parquet floor warms up the room against the steel kitchen and exposed brick walls. The bar stools are from Vinterior.
Paul Massey2/14Matchstick timber panelling on the walls adds a textural element. The artwork is by Daisy Sims-Hilditch.
Paul Massey3/14Gemma from Sims Hilditch's brief was to bring some character to the large spaces, something she achieved with a mix of midcentury pieces and antiques.
Paul Massey4/14Sims Hilditch and the client worked together to pair artwork with the interior. The chair is a Carl Hansen 'Colonial Chair'.
Paul Massey5/14Bold hits of colour like the vibrant red chair from Retrouvius add character, while the patterned upholstery on the bench softens the industrial side of the loft. The fabric is 'Starry Night' from Jim Thompson.
Paul Massey6/14The outdoor bench is by Lassco with a bespoke cushion. Sims Hilditch sourced the table and chairs from Lorfords.
Paul Massey7/14The loft is a striking mix of architectural details, from the columns and bricks to the new panelling and herringbone floor.
Paul Massey8/14The teal upholstery of the slipper chair adds another hit of colour. The chair is from Lorfords and Sims Hilditch reupholstered it in Romo's 'Forenza' in the 'Ivy' colourway.
Paul Massey9/14The matchstick timber panelling extends to the ceiling too, as well as internal doors.
Paul Massey10/14Simple thick grey linen curtains complement the exposed brick throughout the flat.
Paul Massey11/14The cream sofa was sourced from 1st Dibs, while the photograph on the wall is the client's own.
Paul Massey12/14The headboard is upholstered in brushed cotton in the master bedroom, with a patterned ottoman at the foot of the bed covered in 'Bukhara Oasis' fabric by Lewis and Wood.
Paul Massey13/14Texture forms a key role in the flat, with this brushed cotton used in the second bedroom providing a lot of interest.
Paul Massey14/14The bathroom plays on the industrial heritage of the building, softened by the curves of the bathtub, plants and a touch of wood.
