Belsize Park Interior Design & Period-Home Upgrade
See how AKIVA re-imagined a period house in Belsize Park, NW3—relocating the kitchen, adding bespoke joinery and saving the owner £1.9 k through trade-discount procurement
The Details
Who: A dynamic young professional, embarking on their first homeownership journey, seeking a space that truly mirrors their personality and style.
What: A characterful two-bedroom house spread across three levels, complete with a generous garden space.
Where: The picturesque and vibrant neighbourhood of Belsize Park, London.
The Design Brief
The client approached us with a beautifully furnished home, yet felt that something was missing. While the major pieces were in place, the space lacked the cohesion, warmth, and unique touches that would make it a true reflection of their personal style. Our task was to transform this house into a home that exudes character, ensuring every corner feels intentional and lived in.
During our consultancy, the client made a bold decision to relocate the kitchen from its central position to a location adjacent to the garden. This shift was not only about enhancing the functionality of the space but also about fostering a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living. The original kitchen, tucked between the Living and Dining rooms, felt disconnected and lacked the vibrancy that the client desired. By moving it closer to the garden, we created a harmonious flow that invites the outdoors in, making the kitchen a lively hub for both cooking and entertaining.
Our Interior Design Approach
Our interior designer, Betina, began by delving deep into the client’s tastes, exploring their love for different colours, textures, and styles. With the existing furniture as a foundation, we identified key areas for enhancement that would bring the client’s vision to life.
Living and Dining Room
With its high ceilings and elegant bay windows, this space was ripe for transformation. Betina introduced a bold pop of colour through accent pieces and incorporated a mix of textures and materials to create a layered, sophisticated look. The room now serves as a striking focal point of the home, balancing comfort with style.
Staircase
To add depth and character without overwhelming the space, we painted the balustrade in a deep navy shade. This subtle change created a dramatic contrast, enhancing the area while maintaining the flow of natural light.
Kitchen and Office Relocation
This aspect of the project posed unique challenges. The original kitchen—now a compact yet highly functional office—features a narrow layout with a slanted ceiling. Conversely, the new kitchen, previously the office space, was narrower and had an angled wall that required creative planning. Despite these constraints, we achieved a cohesive and visually appealing design that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the home.
Bathroom
What began as a builder-beige, bath-over-shower room is now a boutique-hotel sanctuary. Using our premium makeover, we recommended the removal of the tub to create a step-free, glazed walk-in shower clad in handcrafted olive-green zellige tiles. Honed Carrara marble wraps the remaining walls and floor, while a fluted walnut floating vanity adds warmth and generous hidden storage beneath a sculpted marble basin. Brushed-brass taps, flush plate and shower frame provide jewellery-like highlights, and halo-lit mirrors plus recessed LED niches flood the room with soft, ambient light. Under-floor heating and demisting pads complete the spa-level comfort. The result is a calm yet characterful retreat that elevates everyday routines and ties effortlessly into the home’s refined palette.
Interior Design Journey
The engagement opened with a 10-hour consultancy block aimed at extracting maximum impact from the rooms that were already in place. We fine-tuned layouts, tweaked colour accents and supplied a click-through shopping list, so the owners could upgrade furnishings and accessories with confidence and minimal disruption.
Buoyed by those early wins, the client upgraded to two Premium Makeover packages—one each for the relocated kitchen and the new office—complete with a site-measure visit, precision floor plans and annotated 2-D elevations that laid out every finish and fitting in advance. At the same time, they commissioned a full bathroom overhaul, the builder-grade tub-and-tile setup was stripped back to studwork and rebuilt as a marble-clad, walk-in shower room, specified through the same Premium Makeover framework to keep design language and documentation perfectly consistent across all three spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions – A Belsize Park Home Project
How did AKIVA manage procurement for this project?
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AKIVA handled the sourcing and procurement process for a wide range of furniture, lighting and finishes throughout the home. Through our Procurement & Sourcing Service, we coordinated suppliers, placed orders, arranged deliveries and ensured that each item matched the approved design specification.
Our long-standing relationships with furniture retailers and manufacturers also allow us to access trade pricing and designer discounts, helping clients secure high-quality products while maintaining control of the overall project budget.
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Where were the living and dining room furnishings sourced from?
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Why does AKIVA recommend specific suppliers for projects?
For the living and dining areas, we selected a combination of contemporary furniture and decorative accents from trusted design suppliers. The burnt orange stool and ottoman bench were sourced from Swoon, while accessories such as the geometric cushion and abstract ceramic pot were selected from Oka to add texture and character to the space.
Additional styling pieces included a gold bowl coffee table accent and a large pedestal planter from West Elm, alongside the ceiling and wall lighting also supplied by West Elm, helping to create a cohesive and layered lighting scheme across the room.
Which suppliers were used in the kitchen?
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The kitchen combines bespoke detailing with reliable cabinetry components to achieve both durability and design flexibility. The cabinet doors were supplied by Naked Kitchens, paired with carcasses from Howdens to provide a practical and cost-effective structure.
Hardware details were selected carefully, with handles and knobs from Heritage Brass in an antique brass finish. Seating around the island includes bar stools from John Lewis, while a Smart Leather Tan ottoman bench from Swoon adds additional seating and warmth to the space.
What materials and suppliers were used in the bathroom?
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The bathroom design focuses on timeless materials and high-quality fittings. Both the marble tiles and green tiles were sourced from Mandarin Stone, creating a layered and sophisticated finish.
The basin was also supplied by Mandarin Stone, paired with a mirror from CP Hart and brushed brass fittings from Drench. The vanity unit was sourced directly through a specialist supplier, allowing the design to meet the specific spatial and aesthetic requirements of the room.
AKIVA works with a wide network of trusted furniture, lighting and materials suppliers across the UK and Europe. This allows us to curate products that match the design concept while also ensuring reliability in quality, delivery and aftercare.
By combining carefully selected suppliers with trade pricing access, we help clients achieve a refined interior design outcome while simplifying the purchasing and logistics process