A Collector's Apartment in West London
Set within a historic 1910 building in West London, this 3,111 sq ft apartment was conceived as a comfortable London home for a private collector and his family.
Working closely with the client, Rose sought to reconsider the existing apartment conversion while respecting the character of the original architecture. The project encompasses bespoke joinery, lighting design and a carefully assembled collection of furniture, artworks and objects.
Although contemporary in its detailing, the interior retains a strong connection to the building's history, particularly through its distinctive arched windows and expansive views.
The approach was guided by a desire to create a home that felt considered and layered, rather than a gallery for the client's collection. Comfort, light and a sense of ease were central to the design, with each room conceived as a whole before considering the individual pieces within it.
The client's existing artworks informed the colour and atmosphere of the rooms. Early conversations led Rose towards collectible twentieth-century French furniture, contemporary Japanese pieces, antiquities and designs from her own Rose Uniacke Editions collection.
Works by Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand and Jean Dunand sit alongside objects from entirely different periods and cultures, creating a dialogue between the historic and contemporary.
The materials and palette were developed in response to the architecture, natural light and individual pieces. Colours move from white and pale blue-green to soft pink and deep red, while fabric-covered bedroom walls introduce warmth and softness.
In the principal sitting room, a unique Jean Prouvé bookcase, commissioned in 1930 and retaining its original paint, became an important starting point. Its scale, colour and open construction complemented the proportions of the room and the large windows, informing the arrangement of the surrounding furniture.
Elsewhere, an Egyptian carved tablet dating from 332–30 BC, depicting Ptolemy III, sits within the collection alongside a 1980 ceramic Pyramide by Jacques and Dani Ruelland and a 1950 Jean Prouvé wall light.
These relationships between objects, often crossing centuries and cultures, are an important part of the character of the apartment.
Despite the significance of the collection, the intention was always to create a welcoming family home, with an atmosphere of elegant informality rather than preciousness.
As a collector's home, the apartment will continue to change. New acquisitions will arrive, existing pieces will move, and the rooms will evolve with the people who inhabit them. The design establishes a balance that allows this evolution to take place naturally.
