Soho Soul

SET IN ONE OF central London’s edgiest districts, THIS ELEGANT APARTMENT COMBINES carefully layered interiors WITH ARTFUL TOUCHES

- Robyn Alexander

Apart from being one of London’s most famous areas, Soho has also long been one of the city’s hottest spots. A real 24-hour neighbourhood, the district sports everything from fashionable art galleries and trendy clubs to quirky shops and glamorous restaurants. It also has an indefinable edge derived from its history as a red-light district where just about anything could – and often did – happen on a Saturday night.

Soho’s urban brio makes it an excellent choice for young professionals, such as the clients who own this apartment in a newly built development in the area. Says interior designer Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby, ‘They were drawn to the electric atmosphere of hustling, bustling Soho.’ In the midst of all that energy, Ashby has created a home base for her clients that provides a luxurious oasis of calm, while also peppering the interior with colourful artworks and unique furnishings – many of which are bespoke or vintage.

The apartment is enviably spacious, consisting of an open-plan living area that includes a kitchen, dining area and sitting room (and also has a wraparound balcony leading off it) as well as two bedrooms, three bathrooms and a study. The clients’ brief to Ashby was ‘to create a light, airy and elegant space with hits of strong colour,’ she says. ‘They love antiques and art, so it was important to add a good mix of contemporary paintings and photographs to complement the modern, simple apartment.’