An LA couple turned this art-deco London bolthole into an oasis of quiet luxury

Sydney Morning Herald

2 days ago

This story is part of the August 17 edition of Sunday Life. See all 13 stories.
The vibrant London neighbourhood of Marylebone features many fine homes from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras, as well as art deco-style properties from the 1920s. In one such building, a spacious flat serves as a European pied-à-terre for a Los Angeles-based couple and their two daughters. It has been skilfully transformed by Maddux Creative, an interior design firm founded by Jo leGleud and Scott Maddux with offices in London and New York.
'The Marylebone apartment allowed us to honour historical elements while injecting the space with contemporary design,' says Maddux. 'The challenge was to respect its art deco origins while introducing modern touches that made the space feel current and lived-in.'
To that end, the firm remodelled the two-bedroom apartment by merging British classicism and Parisian charm with modernity. Original features such as mouldings, parquetry flooring and coffered ceilings were retained and restored while functionality was updated. This provided the home with European sophistication akin to that found in Parisian Haussmann or Berliner Altbau apartments.
However, the designers were careful to quietly weave contemporary accents into the home's heritage bones. 'We felt it was important to blur the line between being able to tell if something was original or new,' Maddux says. 'This allowed us to push boundaries and flex our artistic ideas, an approach that was crucial in overcoming the biggest challenge: creating a space that felt both luxurious and liveable without resembling a gallery.'
Throughout the apartment, tactile materials and styled vignettes dot the interior spaces, offering visual interest and referencing the dynamic and fashionable character of Marylebone. Elsewhere, pastel hues and refined wall treatments create a canvas for the owners' contemporary art collection.
'Our goal was to establish a home that exuded relaxation and freshness, avoiding extremes of overpowering elements or blandness,' says leGleud. 'My training in embroidery honed my eye for a balanced integration of textures and colours, a theme reflected throughout the entire apartment.'
With these design principles in mind, the Maddux Creative team employed a soft, muted palette of pale aqua and chalky off-white with accents of red and gold. 'This was inspired by a desire to create a calming yet sophisticated atmosphere that complemented the owners' art collection,' says leGleud.
The apartment features two bedrooms with ensuites, a powder room, a spacious entrance hallway, a kitchen and a living room with a dining area that opens to a library.
The compact burnished brass-clad kitchen makes an exceptionally strong statement. 'We opted for a galley-style kitchen, small but perfectly formed,' says Maddux. 'We chose slabs of Calacatta Verde marble for countertops and an injection of subtle colour, and painted the room in the delightfully edible hue of 'Sesame' from Paint Library London. This creates a lovely vignette visible through the open door.'
The largest room, containing both the sitting and dining areas, showcases a gradual transition of colour through layered shapes and shades over existing wall panelling. Experimentation continues in the adjoining library, where three different shades of green highlight the mouldings. 'The original elements provide a historical context, and are complemented by the contemporary, such as the colour-block paint effect and modern furnishings,' leGleud explains.
Decor for the residence is a mix of custom, contemporary and vintage. The designers commissioned pieces for the apartment, notably the serpentine sofa in the living room, based on an antique design. Stand-out designer pieces are the Lampert + Harper daybed upholstered in red leather and the mirrored artwork by Sabine Marcelis and Brit van Nerven that hangs above the fireplace. Other designer furniture includes a vintage Eero Saarinen sofa, a contemporary Christophe Delcourt sofa, a mid-century Paolo Buffa armchair and a sleek Villiers cocktail table.
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Turkish rugs, French antique furniture, Danish dining chairs, global textiles and international art reflect the homeowners' love of travel and culture. 'Luxurious materials and sumptuous fabrics in the living and bedroom areas, such as patterned cushions and textured curtains, provide a cohesive, elegant sensibility to the entire apartment,' says leGleud. 'For example, dark-blue textured wallpaper in the primary bedroom provides a soulful backdrop, allowing for a layering of textures in bed linens and furniture.'
The soft-pink guest bedroom features a magical artwork by Lorna Simpson above the bed. The subtle pink theme carries into the ensuite, balanced with buttery-green accents.
The ensuite bathrooms are unified by intricate Jean Cocteau-inspired mosaic floors and polished plaster walls. The recurring curved arches evoke a feeling of 1920s glamour, intrinsic to the fabric of the building. 'The bespoke metal shower screen we designed completes this stunning vignette and provides elegant function,' says leGleud. 'We also commissioned Isabella Day to paint a playful mural inspired by French artist Christian Bérard for the powder room.'
Set against a backdrop that fuses old and new, the smooth flow of muted shades punctuated by accents of red and gold creates a glamorous and relaxing atmosphere. 'Every detail, from the carefully selected colour palette to the bespoke furniture, was aimed at creating an elegant and personal sanctuary for our clients,' says Maddux.