With a decadent lounge featuring a cocktail bar and stylish sound system, this Shoreditch warehouse apartment has a mood somewhere between a hip members’ club and speakeasy bar. The owner, an accomplished musician, brought design studio Starreveld Forbes on board to tap into just such a look – its co-founders, interior designer Zoë Starreveld and architect Alex Forbes, have been working together for 10 years, having first collaborated during their time with Soho House.
At the start of the project, this apartment was bland and neutral, lacking both warmth and authenticity, but Zoë and Alex had their client’s Pinterest board of bohemian references in mind when imagining a theatrical space for him to entertain, create and retreat into his music.
Working with the Victorian building’s striking industrial features, they restored the exposed brickwork and took the beams, columns and window frames back to a cast iron-inspired off-black. ‘We stripped back the palette of period details so they could talk to each other architecturally,’ says Alex. But rather than lean into the industrial aesthetic, the pair went the other way, creating an intriguing contrast with extravagant features and luxurious finishes.
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Some clever spatial planning meant they were able to give both of the apartment’s two bedrooms their own immersive ensuites, as well as a glamorous guest cloakroom. The rest of the apartment is one large L-shaped open-plan layout, with the kitchen at one end and the multifunctional living room at the other. With the dining area situated in the middle, it’s the ideal configuration for parties.
And to hide the harder-working elements of the kitchen, which could kill the vibe, Zoë and Alex created a pantry and laundry room, hidden behind pocket doors. ‘Our hospitality background taught us how to make social spaces run seamlessly,’ says Alex.
A music studio is zoned behind a semi-circle of floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains, with thick acoustic lining. The music theme continues with a wall of custom joinery that holds the owner’s vinyl library, featuring a high-spec sound system fitted with retro speaker fronts.
The art deco-style bar is another defining piece – shipped from Hollywood, it ramps up the decadence, as does the expansive sectional sofa upholstered in tactile vermilion velvet. The colour palette flowing through the apartment showcases vibrant terracottas and reds, grounded by calming, earthy greens and soft ecru tones.
Zoë and Alex have layered new and vintage pieces to create a mix that tells the client’s story and taps into the rich seam of brands and creatives local to Shoreditch. As Zoë explains: ‘We like the details to be considered because they always enhance everyday life.’ starreveldforbes.com
