The Genius 'Almond'-Shaped Kitchen Island of This London Residence Captures the Essence of a Home Built Around Togetherness — And the Boldness of West African Art
Inspired by the owners' roots and emotional ties, French duo Uncanny Studio turned a Regent's Park apartment into a canvas for heritage, togetherness, and downtime
The bespoke joinery in this north London home has been meticulously planned to elevate the original 1930s architecture, and sculptural African artworks, like the metal ballerina that sits in its bright living area, have found an accord with the interior stylings of French duo Uncanny Studio's Églantine Sicat and Pauline Dellemotte.
"Our work is emotional; we really like to create meaningful homes that tell the story of the people who live there," explains Sicat.
In the entryway of the pied-à-terre, a structural column has been wrapped in stained oak and two sets of rings. "When we met the clients, what struck us most was how deeply connected they are. We wanted to create a totemic sculpture with the wood rings symbolizing their union," Dellemotte adds.
A bespoke stained oak column, wrapped in rings, transforms a structural necessity into something meaningful. "We wanted to make a symbol of this family — what really struck us when we met them is how united they are. The rings of wood symbolize their union," says Sicat.
The clients are a retired couple in their 70s with three adult children who live in different countries around the world.
"They wanted a place that connected them to their African culture and would offer room for when the children came to visit," Dellemotte explains.
Aside from the metal dancer in the living area, there's a wooden totem in the hallway entrance made of masked-like faces stacked on top of one another in the form of a cylindrical column.
A curved Dooq sofa and bold édition 1.6.9 rug define this living area designed for relaxing while watching TV.
Image credit: Kensington Leverne. Design: Uncanny Studio
Above the banquette seating area, a painting by French artist Marie Matheron adds more color and warmth.
Image credit: Kensington Leverne. Design: Uncanny Studio
"Their artworks are powerful pieces that initially looked intimidating as they're quite large," recalls Sicat. "They said, 'this is what we have: make it work.'" And that's exactly what Uncanny Studio did, transforming the interiors into the canvas against which their collection stands out.
"We are not experts on African art, and initially, finding a way to work with it was challenging," Sicat says.
Still, "the owners and their daughter, who managed the project, are very knowledgeable about the local creative scene in the rising cultural capital of Lagos, Nigeria, and taught us a lot about it."
A front living and rear living space room designed for receiving guests, open toward views of Regent's Park. Walnut joinery, a Paloma armchair by Collector Group, and an édition 1.6.9 rug bring warmth to the space.
Once the artwork found its place, Uncanny Studio went to work on configuring multifunctional living spaces that could be connected and fully open when required, but still able to be closed off if one person was entertaining and the other relaxing in front of the bespoke mirror TV.
"The clients cook and host often, and hold wine tasting sessions, so flexibility was key," Dellemotte says.
The designers have established areas that are easy to navigate, framing and separating environments with existing thresholds and smart shelving. The bespoke joinery here, for example, has transformed the living areas, adding warmth with walnut timber.
"The shape of the apartment is very geometrical with sharp angles," Sicat explains. "We wanted to bring some curves."
The oval island was a deliberate departure from convention. "We wanted to bring in curves and softness," says Sicat. Clad in brass-effect paper metal Oberflex to keep it feeling light, the bespoke quartzite piece provides storage within its organic form.
Varnished walnut, clear and frosted glass-framed doors delineate the living areas, heightening their sense of lightness.
The neutral hues of the Paloma armchair by Collector Group, featuring soft, round edges and solid walnut legs, the édition 1.6.9 oversized rug, and the Heaps & Woods side table and Hamilton Conte stool all add interest through a delicate kaleidoscope of shapes and patterns.
In the kitchen, an oval-shaped island contributes to the integration of curves: the slimline central piece, made from a quartzite top and an Oberflex paper metal body, features storage, too, and establishes a gathering point for people.
"The clients wanted a space where the family could get together and enjoy the views. If someone is cooking, you can keep them company while having a glass of wine on the island," Dellemotte says. Built especially for the modest-sized kitchen, the island maximizes space without taking up excess room.
Hamilton Conte chairs and an Apparatus Synapse pendant anchor the dining room, a space built for the wine tastings and gatherings the owners love. A bespoke wine cellar, finished with Bisson Bruneel glazing fusing glass and gold screen fabric, lines one wall.
On the floor, Uncanny Studio injected further texture and color, something the owners were not originally keen on.
"They said, 'we don't like color, we like beige and wood, we want something really simple — like white tiles in the kitchen," Sicat recalls. The couple felt that these neutral shades and materials would make everything easier to maintain.
It was mere chance, then, that when the designers presented them with an innovative flooring option made from a mix of threaded fibers, the owners said yes.
"It's a very durable material we often use because it comes in numerous patterns and colors," the duo explains. "We chose this one as it is shiny, with a copper tinge, and while it is plain, it still brings a lot of brightness to the space."
Further pleasant surprises arose as the interior scheme began to take shape at the rear of the property.
"The mother was like: I really want references to our African heritage, but I want it to be contemporary," recalls Sicat. A bold Pierre Frey Tigris Tomette headboard and silk wall panels answer that brief.
The designers soon realized that the real challenge on this project wasn't the clients' initial restrictions, but making the long corridors and small bathrooms feel less cramped: the layout was perfect for the sales market — three bedrooms and three bathrooms — but it didn't meet the needs of a 70-year-old couple.
"The owners wanted to create two separate bedrooms that were connected by a shared bathroom," Dellemotte explains. The latter, with its bespoke marble bath and Aged stone, Rosa Perlino and Rosa Asiago floor tiles, which recall the laterite soil of West Africa, would be an important meeting point for the clients.
As the two bedrooms are on opposite sides of the apartment, Uncanny Studio used joinery to cloak the long corridor and create something functional — to enter the bathroom, you now have to step inside a passage that feels like a walk-in closet.
"When the wife mentioned wanting to incorporate their African heritage in a contemporary way, we decided to bring in textures and patterns," the designers explain.
The den doubles as a secondary office and occasional guest room, with an Expormim sofa and raw stainless steel shelving lending it a more contemporary edge than the rest of the apartment.
Image credit: Kensington Leverne. Design: Uncanny Studio
The shared bathroom became a deliberate meeting point for the couple. Rosa Perlino and Rosa Asiago floor tiles, chosen to echo the laterite soils of West Africa, ground a room fitted with a bespoke marble bathtub and Gessi fixtures.
Image credit: Kensington Leverne. Design: Uncanny Studio
They started with the bedroom headboards, in the wife's room, also known as the "Red Room," where they used silk paneling with a bold motif. "We sent three options across, and when they chose the most vibrant design, we knew there was room to push further," Sicat says.
To complete the bedroom, they then picked an irreverent, textural rug from édition 1.6.9, "the same brand that helped us cover the living room's floor," the duo adds.
The pied-à-terre now features two main bedrooms, a den that doubles up as a guest bedroom, two bathrooms, and a WC. The living areas with a dining space are light and filled with views of Regent's Park.
When Uncanny Studio delivered the project after 18 months, their anxiety was palpable. "Most of our dealings had been with the couple's daughter, and we'd only met them twice; even our contractor was nervous," Dellemotte confesses.
Thankfully, when the owners walked through the door for the first time, the relief was mutual. Uncanny Studio had produced exactly what the brief had asked for — a home that told their story. A place where the whole family can gather.
After more interior design inspiration? See how Hauvette & Madani revived a 1930s Paris apartment while preserving its 'cadenced' architectural scheme, or subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter for weekly style pills delivered straight to your inbox, hassle-free.
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