29th August 2018 | IN PROJECT OF THE WEEK | BY SBID Share Tweet Pinterest LinkedIn This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a luxurious, 1920’s style apartment in South Kensington. Creating a sophisticated interior for a young family within their historical Grade II listed, six bedroom home, Hill House Interiors lovingly restored key period features including classical cornicing, panelling and moulding, working on both the interior design and architecture to create the art deco inspired scheme. Located just a stone’s throw from the Royal Albert Hall, the palatial home enters onto an extensive hallway, with custom polished stone flooring inlayed with nero marquina black marble and bronze metal, above which sits a made to measure 2.7 metre bronze china leaf chandelier, suspended via a mirrored ceiling plate. With a focus on entertaining, a bespoke bar with detailed inlays creates a show stopping backdrop to the formal dining room, showcasing the grand proportions of the home. Company: Hill House Interiors Project: Albert Court Apartment Project Location: London, UK What was the client’s brief? Within a historical Grade II listed building, the large duplex apartment is located just moments away from the Royal Albert Hall. Albert Court is a beautiful red brick, portered mansion block, well positioned for Hyde Park and the amenities in South Kensington, Knightsbridge and Kensington. The extensive 5000 sq ft project was commissioned by a young couple with two children, who had been living in the home for a few years previously, and who were looking to carefully restore yet update their six bedroom home. Brought on to complete both the interior architecture and design, Hill House Interiors were briefed to ensure a strong emphasis was placed on entertaining, creating a suitable space for both the couple and their children, with the drawing and dining rooms a key focus within the home. What inspired the design of the project? Unhappy with the former layout of the apartment, the clients worked closely with Hill House Interiors’ highly skilled and creative architects to create a more harmonious flow, completely redesigning the internal layout by moving the staircase to the upper floor. The design scheme was based on the key period features of the historical Grade II listed building. What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project? Retaining key features within the home was a challenge the Hill House designers and architects rose to, sympathetically restoring the classical cornicing, panelling and mouldings and intricate details throughout, to the strict guidelines associated with its listed status. To restore the original panelling and ceiling detail of the home, many layers of paint had to be delicately removed. The beauty of the detailing was all but lost beneath the many redecorations of the historical home, and the Hill House design team worked meticulously to ensure no damage to the original fittings occurred. What was your team’s highlight of the project? Working within such a historical building, Hill House Interiors effectively chose to go down a complimentary design route, focusing on a classic and elegant art deco inspired scheme. The attention to detail is consistent, from the custom polished stone flooring inlayed with nero marquina black marble, to the bespoke 2.7 metre almond gold bone china dancing leaf chandelier, and perfectly reflects both the home’s history and the family currently residing within. Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards? Highly respected within the interior design industry, the Awards are continually growing in popularity. It’s inspiring to see such a wide variety of skills and styles represented, showing the diversity within the interior design industry. The projects and companies awarded the prestigious accolades are truly the best in the business, and Hill House Interiors continue to be delighted to take part in these Awards. Questions answered by Helen Bygraves, Co-Founder of Hill House. If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring the transformation of Grade II listed property into a contemporary Bachelor Pad, click here to see more. We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire Hill House Interiors | SBID International Design Awards 2018