Forming the latest part of the wider regeneration plans in Stratford, our Stratford Mill community has been the talk of East London since launching earlier this year and one feature that has been attracting new house hunters to this new collection of canalside apartments is our show home with its sleek design, pops of colour and contemporary furniture.
We caught up with Rachel Cowood from Claude Hooper, the interior designer who designed the beautiful space, to see what her inspiration was and get some hints and tips for decorating your own home.
Hi Rachel, can you tell us more about your inspiration behind the interior design at Stratford Mill?
We began our design process looking at the purchaser profile of the young London city dweller, drawing on inspiration from the local area. Stratford is a diverse area and we wanted to create an interior style that would appeal to a city commuter just as much as it would to an east London creative type.
We looked at the urban regeneration of Stratford with the inclusion of the contemporary retail and leisure hub and the architecture of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there is a big emphasis on nature within the Park and we wanted to reflect that.
The local area certainly inspired the imagery for the artwork within the home. The grey and bronze furniture in the master bedroom came from an up-and-coming furniture company based in Uxbridge called Twenty10 Design.
Can you explain about the choice of colours?
We wanted the apartment to have a warm and homely feel whilst still feeling contemporary. The base colour of light grey has been teamed with the warm tones of ginger, berry, tangerine and ochre. Having multiple accent colours enables you to change to strength of colour in each room and create a different feel and look whilst maintaining a flow. Muted versions of rich colours have been popular for a while, and we do not see this changing as people continue to want to embrace natural tones and textures.
What have you enjoyed most about working on the project?
It was great to have the opportunity to design a contemporary apartment in a bustling and exciting area of London that will appeal to young city dwellers! A lot of developers request a ‘classic London look’ for their apartments which, while luxurious and sleek, has started to feel a bit sterile and samey. This project allowed us to be more eclectic and embrace the more bohemian east London vibe.
Do you have any tips on upcoming interior design trends?
Working from home looks like it's here to stay in some way or another so looking to add in a good working space into your home in any way you can is a must. A full desk with storage is great if you have space, but also a smaller console table or deep wall shelf, where space is limited, works well as a good space saving solution.
We have used the classic ‘String’ furniture system for our work-from-home area at Stratford Mill. This versatile range was designed in Sweden in 1949 and can be adapted to accommodate desking, storage, and display in any interior space. It is a fantastic way to make a functional area into a stylish statement.
Also plants, use as many plants as possible to bring the botanical feeling inside. Whether its hanging plants in the bathroom and on shelves or large potted plants in bright planters, use as many as you can!
Do you have any tips for inspiration for decorating a new home?
Always use colours and pieces you love and that make you happy, not just those that are in fashion! If you have a favourite piece such as a rug, painting, or bedspread, use it as inspiration for your colour scheme. And go easy on the grey, it has been the dominant base colour for some time now and we are due to see a move towards warmer or fresher looks.
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If you’re looking for a stylish new home in the bohemian East London neighbourhood of Stratford then get in touch to find out more about the 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes available: stratfordmill@anthology.london / 020 3936 3178