CANNING TOWN
Its bones may be industrial but this urban loft-style home has an unexpected air of elegance and glamour.
Image: Space Shack
THE PROPERTY
A loft-style new-build apartment on an island near Docklands, east London. There is an open-plan kitchen/living area, a main bedroom with an en suite, plus a guest bedroom and bathroom.
“This is the first home I have owned and I wanted it to be a true reflection of my personality and style”
Image: Space Shack
KITCHEN
‘I inherited the bright blue kitchen and I’m thinking of changing it to matt black to better go with the rest of the scheme,’ says owner Omar. ‘I also removed the island’s wooden table and created a version in marble,’ he adds.
Image: Space Shack
LIVING AREA
The rug echoes the geometric design of the ceiling. Curved pieces, including a new arch on one wall, and swishy curtains soften and glamorise the look.
Image: Space Shack
MAIN BEDROOM
‘I wake up and go to sleep feeling zen, and the colour palette and choice of materials has allowed this to happen,’ says Omar. The padded wall, which acts as a headboard, is completely luxe.
Image: Space Shack
EN SUITE
The mixing of the marble- look tiles and the warm wood of the vanity softens the concrete shell. ‘Anyone who knows me well gets that I’m obsessed with fragrances,’ says Omar. ‘I had to have a dedicated cabinet!’
Image: Space Shack
GUEST BEDROOM
‘I chose simplicity and clean lines so this space would appeal to all of my guests,’ says Omar.
Livingetc
Did I push myself out of my comfort zone?’ Interior designer Omar Bhatti considers this question about the revamp of his own industrial-meets-chic home and replies: ‘It’s difficult to say, as this is what I do for a living and I’m always looking to push boundaries. But it was actually more challenging making decisions for myself, so I guess the answer is yes!’ He gave himself extra pressure, he says, to make bold decisions to bring it out of the ordinary. Like creating a focal-point curved feature wall in the living room and flipping the shower room to make a larger main bedroom.
Omar, who runs Space Shack, bought his apartment on an island near Docklands, east London, in March 2021. He knew from the outset that he wanted to better the bones of the space with quality oak flooring and a new colour palette in muted shades of pale pink, mushroom and green. ‘The basics were all planned out and ready to go the day I completed on the flat,’ he says, which meant the hard work was done before he moved in two months later. However, he says: ‘You still have to leave room for your initial ideas to evolve, as inevitably your requirements change and develop as you progress in the design process.’ A case in point is the fabulous feature wall in the living room. ‘I had planned to paint it in a khaki green limewashed paint but the raw plaster looked so beautiful I simply sealed it and left it as it was,’ he says.
Although a new build, the apartment – with its lofty vibe with tall ceilings and metal windows – was ripe for a newer, more welcoming personality. Rather than emphasising the industrial elements, Omar chose to give the space a less obvious twist by decorating its shell with swishy curtains, sumptuous textiles, tactile surfaces and dashes of glamour. His bedroom, with a padded headboard that stretches the width of the room, brings luxe hotel vibes into the fold. ‘It was important that this space provides a sense of calm, making it easy to relax and unwind after a busy day,’ he says.
The initial inspiration for the living room was a large graphic rug in black and cream. ‘I fell in love with it and designed the furniture around it,’ he says. ‘But it was out of stock so I substituted with a muted pale version, which I grew to live with, then actually thought I preferred.’ Then when the original rug came back in stock he tried it out and his initial instincts were confirmed. ‘It makes a statement and lifts the space out of the ordinary, tying everything together and adding gravitas,’ he says. Proof that initial instincts are often right.
The apartment was at the top end of developer homes and came with a well-designed kitchen complete with concrete finishes and a wooden table built into the countertop. It was good, but Omar lifted it to another level, swapping plain glass for ribbed in the cabinets and replacing the table with statement marble. It’s these comparatively small adjustments that make the home sing, rather than simply speak.
Any tips Omar can share from his experience? ‘It’s what I say to clients: don’t try to do everything at once; get the messy building works done and take your time with furnishings as when you live in a home, that’s when you really get to know it.’
Image: Livingetc Magazine
Love Omar x
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