Whiter than White

It's hard to imagine that this sweet little south London apartment was once the scene of a Victorian murder. All traces of a dark past have been exorcised by the current owner, Interior Designer, Amber Jeavons. Layers of white upon white have created an ethereal space. And space is a commodity this apartment does not have huge amounts of. Apart from the bathroom, everything is in the one room. Amber has cleverly organised things in such a way that it feels anything but cramped. A huge mirror along one wall effectively doubles the space, while the generous ceiling heights and the scale of the bay windows opening onto far reaching lawns, make this bijou flat feel palatial. I had had concerns that a one room interior wouldn't be enough for a Times magazine feature. I needn't have worried.

Only from the outside, does this Gothic building suggest anything of it's sinister history.

For the story as it appeared in The Times, click here. 

Up on the roof

The second shoot of my trip to St Tropez, was an apartment right in the middle of the old town. Sandwiched between the lofty citadel and the harbour packed with expensive yachts, the old town is a typically picturesque mediterranean confection in shades of ochre and terracotta. Once inside the apartment, which occupies the top two floors of an old building, the interior is reassuringly cool, with white walls and sheer white drapes enveloping the main living spaces. 

The real strength of this apartment is in its layout. On entering, the first rooms you encounter are the bedrooms, tucked away along a corridor furthest away from the inter-connecting living spaces. One space draws you on to the next, finally leading up via a curving stair to the dining room on the upper floor. This space is perfect for entertaining, and feels like a exclusive private dining room in a smart restaurant, with the added bonus of opening onto a magnificent roof terrace.

Out on the terrace, with the cool interior behind you, the ochres and terracottas of St Tropez now feel richer and more saturated than ever.