A REAL GEM

This compact apartment in the heart of a famous jewellery district shines bright thanks to clever design solutions from interior designer Omar Bhatti

- EMMA J PAGE

HOME TRUTHS

THE PROPERTY A one-bedroom apartment

LOCATION Central London

ROOMS Sitting room/ dining area, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom

PURCHASED 2016

PREVIOUS PROPERTY The owners have another house in Nottingham,' says interior designer Omar (pictured).

SITTING ROOM

Omar designed a fluted oak media unit to add texture and storage. A carefully curated display of art on the wall behind stands out against the pale backdrop.

Bespoke media unit, Omar Bhatti at Space Shack. Iggy corner sofa, £3,560, Sofa.com. Low lounge chair in brown and rattan, £199, H&M Home. Pot Pie footstool, £645, Loaf. Floating Disks side table, £189, West Elm

When Chris Marks and James Brennan first viewed the apartment that's now their home, one of the main attractions was its location. Tucked away in the heart of Hatton Garden, famed as the haunt of diamond dealers, the London property was the former home of a precious gem specialist. The interior, however, left much to be desired, so the couple enlisted the help of designer Omar Bhatti, renowned for his highly individual brand of cosmopolitan cool. 'The flat had no distinctive decorative features, varnished pine floors, a dated kitchen, and an awkward layout that couldn't be radically reconfigured) says Omar. Yet he was undeterred. 'The aim of the remodel was to create a home that struck the right balance between being a dynamic space and a rejuvenating bolthole,' he says.