WAREHOUSE PARTY

The goal for this London pad's makeover was a sophisticated NYC club look - with plenty of places for lounging and a home bar, the job is done

- Kate Jacobs

If your first impression of this apartment is of sleek, sophisticated New York club vibes, then interior designer Pandora Taylor has done her job. With a kitchen that doubles as a bar and an open-plan layout that sees guests move seamlessly from drinks, to dining, to lounging, this space has been designed with entertaining in mind. ‘Jillian wanted the kitchen to have wow factor and to feel like a bar at night,’ says Pandora.

Pandora’s client, Jillian Gerngross, is an American music executive who was excited to buy her first home in the UK, falling for the riverside location of Bermondsey, known for its Victorian warehouses. ‘Jillian always says she didn’t buy an apartment, she bought the windows,’ says Pandora, gesturing to the two metal-framed arches that run almost the length of the space.

The apartment had been converted in the 1990s and felt tired, with much space wasted in a large hall. And because the warehouse was built at an odd angle, none of the rooms were right-angled. To turn this mediocre space into something premium, Jillian brought in Pandora.

To maximise the sense of flow, Pandora opened the entrance hall onto the main space, ‘So you have the immediate impact of the architecture as soon as you walk in,’ she says. Likewise, the tiny kitchen was replaced with an island and bank of cabinets.