It took multiple layers of specialist Japanese lacquer, painstakingly applied to the walls and ceiling in this spectacular dining room, to achieve such a high-gloss finish; a bold move by interior designer Peter Mikic, but one that unquestionably paid off.
‘I’ve always enjoyed the idea of reflection. It really excites me, and this was the perfect opportunity to explore that,’ he muses. ‘It was quite a dark space and now it’s bright, it’s luxurious and it feels fantastic being in there. At night, when the light is on, the room glows. It’s really quite magical.’
The same can be said for the rest of the property, a five-storey, seven-bedroom former artist’s studio in London, where yet more magical touches include a brand-new, ribbon-like staircase hewn from Verde Giada marble, which winds its way down from the ground floor to the wine cellar and the colour-blocked, silk-lined cinema room.
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A bespoke magenta-and-gold fireguard was inspired by a mosaic floor in the 15th-century Casa degli Atellani in Milan. ‘It was where Leonardo da Vinci stayed when he was painting The Last Supper,’ explains Peter. ‘I loved the shooting stars, so I took pictures and had this made by a brilliant artisan in Norfolk.’
Similarly decorative pieces feature throughout the house, including the client’s own Murano-glass chandeliers and an impressive collection of artworks, a fine selection of which are displayed to full effect in the family sitting room. ‘Here, it was about keeping things as light as possible,’ says Peter.
‘We wanted to maintain the essence of the artist’s studio, hence the walls are white. There’s a lot of excellent pieces, so it was about curating the paintings, sculptures and books alongside characterful furniture, such as the Pierre Jeanneret chairs and the velvet sofas. There’s a real easiness to this room, and it has a marvellously eclectic feel.’
Elsewhere in the scheme, opulent stone is used in the eight bathrooms and ensuites, as well as the sunshine-yellow kitchen, where a custom La Cornue range is paired with reeded-glass, oak cabinets and Bianco Fantastico marble splashbacks. ‘It’s so uplifting,’ says Peter of the space, which is adjacent to the dining room.
‘It stimulates your senses and is a beautiful, sunny place to start the day. The clients really love that Italian look, so we also used a variety of stones to clad the bathrooms entirely, as it felt stronger than diluting them with other materials.’
The most challenging aspect, says Peter, was to reconfigure the layout and create flow while maintaining the historic building’s essence. ‘It took a long time to decide on the final plan, but the owners are long-standing clients, so in terms of interior design, it was a pretty uncomplicated process. What we wanted to do is create a home for entertaining, for being with friends, and I think that’s what we’ve achieved. It’s about enjoyment and it’s about laughter – all those wonderful things.’ petermikic.com
