We take a look around the newly renovated Hampstead home of Carly Madhvani, founder of interior design studio, NW3 Interiors
When Carly Madhvani and her husband heard that the flat above their Hampstead garden apartment was for sale, they jumped at the chance to expand their space.
“We’re a family of four, and my husband and I both have elderly parents who come to stay, so we really wanted to go bigger,” the design studio director says. “We’d previously tried to get planning permission to go into the garden but with no luck. When we found out the flat above us was available we thought it was the perfect opportunity to expand.”
The sale went through and the renovation works to update and connect the two period apartments began in February this year, just weeks before lockdown.
“Yes, that wasn’t ideal,” smiles Carly. “But we actually managed to carry the work on while always following government guidelines, like social distancing and keeping everything very clean. The hardest part was that the whole family was stuck at home with the noise and the dust. Getting some of the supplies was tricky too and added a bit of time and money.”
The project, which Carly oversaw herself, was completed in August, a month later than planned, but the mum-of-two says that in the current circumstances it could have taken a lot longer.
“We’re very lucky we had such fantastic builders,” she adds. “I’ve worked with them before, and they’re such hard workers, and their attention to detail is incredible.”
The new space boasts a spacious guest room with connecting bathroom, sauna and steam room, a large living and dining area with a range of Knoll furnishings (Carly has worked closely with the iconic furniture brand for a number of years) and striking Gucci heron-patterned wallpaper, a gym with retro-style wood and leather equipment and an extra kitchen if the family ever want to rent the upper flat out. A pool was also added to the garden space, as well as new outdoor furnishings and a fire pit.
Asked if she had a vision for how she wanted the rooms to look, she says, “I wanted it to feel like a beautiful hotel, so although you’re at home, you feel in a way that you’re away somewhere wonderful.”
“It also needed to be a space which I could invite clients to,” she adds. “An inspirational space that gives them an idea of the kind of work we can offer them, while also a relaxing environment to meet and talk in.”
And is she happy with the final result? “Absolutely. I love it.”
To learn more about Carly’s design services go to nw3interiorsltd.com
Suppliers
Outdoor furniture - Cocowolf, cocowolf.co.uk
Paint - Farrow & Ball, arrow-ball.com
Gym equipment - NOHRD, nohrd.com
Hallway art - Rebecca Denton, rebeccadenton.com
Heron wallpaper - Gucci, gucci.com
Flooring - One Flooring London, oneflooring.co.uk
Tiles - Parkside, parkside.co.uk
Lighting - Tom Dixon, tomdixon.net; Ochre, ochre.net, Secto Design. sectodesign.fi
Stone basin in bathroom - mandarinestone.com
Guest room bedding - Bedfolk, bedfolk.com
Dining furniture - Knoll, knoll.com
Bespoke joinery - One Off Oak, oneoffoak.co.uk
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