Before and After: This simple Shoreditch apartment is unrecognizable after a Brazilian-inspired project

Towering above London’s fashionable Shoreditch neighborhood is a newly renovated apartment – transformed from a bland minimalistic box into a mid-century-influenced haven. 

The 1-bedroom, 506 square foot modern home was designed in 2014, but despite its place in the beating heart of this arty district, the interiors suffered from a bland color scheme, unadventurous decor, and an uninventive ambiance that denied the space of the style it so deserved. 

However, this bland aesthetic changed when the new owners found themselves moving into the newly-built space with no architectural assets and no striking interior scheme. 

The apartment before

The owners called on the designer duo of Interior Fox, who elevated the apartment (above) from a muted space into a vibrant modernist home that celebrates the ultra-stylish shades of South America. 

Designers Jen and Mar revealed the final results exclusively with Livingetc – and we’re in awe at this escapist utopia that combines East London’s cool-aura with the rich allure of faraway shores. 

The apartment after

We begin with what is, perhaps, the most striking characteristic of the renovated apartment: the wood cladding. This soft wooden material blesses the walls surrounding the living room and half the bedroom wall and creates an architectural feature that acts as an instant focal point in two important rooms.  

Plus, Interior Fox didn’t forget about the kitchen. The duo removed the conventional factory-finished units and drenched the space with a fearless palette – that is centered around its playful orange and green terrazzo worktops. The search for the most fun-filled modern kitchen idea has come to end. 

The open-plan living and dining space was then kissed with contemporary furnishings, including unconventionally shaped seats and a statement glass coffee table that is as much a work of art as a practical piece of furniture. These furnishings continue to celebrate the subtle yet powerful wooden theme that creates a flow throughout the home. 

Equally, contemporary light fixtures crown the bedroom and main living area – and will illuminate space when the sun disappears above the capital – and the rays no longer flood through the balcony door.

Beyond the candy-colored kitchen, most of the color scheme is curated to exhibit a contrast between the white walls and wooden hues – with a key exception – its dusty blue wall. In this area, the designers have glazed the walls in an organic tone that is a further nod to its distant design roots while acting as a reminder that interiors should always showcase an unexpected element, especially when in Shoreditch.  

See: Painted wall ideas – have some fun with your walls with these creative paint ideas

After seeing this renovation, we can be sure of two things: wood never goes out of style, and we’re in desperate need of a terrazzo kitchen.