London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 26, 2026

Before & After: a retro apartment is unrecognisable after a chic, modern makeover

Before & After: a retro apartment is unrecognisable after a chic, modern makeover

All that remains of the old apartment is the floor-to-ceiling views over Boston's skyline...

A tired and dated penthouse apartment has received a complete transformation and is now almost unrecognisable – all that remains is the floor-to-ceiling views over Boston's skyline.

The owners brought on designer Sashya Thind, founder of Ideate Design Studio (@id8designstudio), to help create a more open-plan layout, and a warmer interior scheme.

Ideate Design Studio gutted the property and reconfigured the layout, then gave it a more modern interior design with a warm colour palette.

Inspired by Scandinavian and Japanese interiors, the designers chose a warm white and oak wood palette, with touches of limestone and marble, to create a timeless, minimalism and airy feel throughout.

KITCHEN - BEFORE


Before, a dated, L-shaped kitchen was separate from the dining space beyond.

                

                

KITCHEN - AFTER


Now, a larger kitchen takes its place and carries right through to the end wall, thus making the most of the skyline views.

                

The new, open-plan kitchen incorporates a dining table that can seat six, while mirrored kitchen cabinet doors help to bounce light around, and break up the wood kitchen theme.

                

The kitchen now offers open plan living, more storage and tremendous, unobstructed 180-degree views over the Massachusetts State house, the Charles river and the Boston Common – the ultimate eat-in dining experience.

The kitchen island also incorporates plenty of kitchen storage.

                

DINING AREA - BEFORE


Before, a dated, metallic wallpaper created a cold, harsh and unwelcoming environment.

                

DINING AREA - AFTER


Now, warm woods make this light and bright space feel warmer and more welcoming.

A long, bespoke bench along the window's edge offers the residents and their guests uninterrupted views.

                

Design highlights include custom cabinetry, Bellini dining chairs, Ethnicraft dining table, Juniper and Secto lighting.

                

HOME OFFICE - BEFORE


The home office already featured a stunning parquet floor, but cried out for a fresh new look.

                

HOME OFFICE - AFTER


Now the home office features a more rustic scheme of woods and leather, to match the scheme in the dining area. The wood desk sits directly in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, offering stunning views.

                

BEDROOM - BEFORE


The bedroom featured an old, plush carpet, and vintage decor.

                

BEDROOM - AFTER


It now incorporates more storage, and lots of natural materials.

                

BATHROOM - BEFORE


The old, tired bathroom scheme featured a light brown colour palette and dated fittings.

                

BATHROOM - AFTER


A lighter palette has given the bathroom a more spacious feel. Marble chevron tiles in the shower room complement the marble bathroom flooring, while his n hers sinks offer ample space for getting ready.

                

Built-in bathroom storage behind the door makes the most of unused space.

                

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Prosecutors Seek More Than 10 Years in Prison for Former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson
UK Provided £66 Million in Emergency Security Funding for Mosques After Southport Disorder
Manston Inquiry Examines Role of Government Decisions in 2022 Overcrowding Crisis
Justice System Capacity Pressures Raise Concerns Over Release of Sex Offenders
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Widens to Record £21.1 Billion
UK Releases Climate Security Findings Previously Withheld Under Starmer
TalkTalk Races to Sell Consumer and Broadband Businesses as Administration Threat Looms
NHS Bodies Impose Minimum Two-Year Waits for ADHD and Autism Assessments
Andy Burnham Pledges £210 Million to Revive Boarded-Up High Streets
UK Borrowing Reaches £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of Autumn Budget
Vistry Cuts Profit Outlook as Losses Deepen and Private Home Sales Weaken
Reported Assaults on Great Britain’s Railways Rise Sharply
Far-Right Activist Daniel Thomas Arrested After Channel Dinghy Slashing
Ukrainians in Britain Face Greater Homelessness Risk as Host Payments Are Cut
Scottish Drug Deaths Rise as Synthetic Opioids Spread
UK Diesel Prices Approach Record High as Energy Costs Intensify
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Widens to Record £21 Billion
Britain’s Largest Planned AI Supercomputer Delayed by Power Grid Constraints
NHS Boards Impose Minimum Waits of Up to Two Years for ADHD and Autism Assessments
Police Arrest Far-Right Activist After Migrant Dinghy Slashed in English Channel
Synthetic Opioids Drive Renewed Rise in Scotland’s Drug Deaths
Reported Assaults on Britain’s Railways Rise 20% in a Year
Vistry Cuts Profit Forecast as Losses Weigh on UK Housebuilder
TikTok Drops Appeal and Accepts £12.7 Million UK Data Protection Fine
Russell Group Urges UK Government to Drop Proposed International Student Levy
Legal & General Plans to Cut 1,000 Jobs by Mid-2027
UK Health Bill Would Remove Independent Governors From NHS Foundation Trusts
BMA Raises Patient Safety Concerns Over Advanced Practitioners Filling Doctor Rotas
UK’s Largest AI Supercomputer Delayed by Power Supply Constraints
NHS Orders Security Cameras in Neonatal Units Following Thirlwall Inquiry
Post-Brexit Trade Barriers Cost UK Economy Up to £6.5 Billion a Year, Analysis Says
UK Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Bank of England Monetary Policy Independence
Global Bond Selloff and Higher Oil Prices Narrow UK Budget Options
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Addresses UN and Holds First Meeting With Donald Trump
Royal Navy Commandos Complete Maritime Operations Training With US Navy SEALs
Vistry Profit Warning Adds to Concerns Over UK Housebuilding Conditions
UK Commits £343 Million to Major Expansion of Community Mental Health Services
Five Eyes Partners Back UK-Led Campaign Against Global Fraud Networks
UK Businesses Gain Full Access to £13 Trillion CPTPP Trading Bloc
UK Allocates Nearly £10 Billion for Council, Social and Affordable Housing
Chancellor John Healey Unveils Deregulation Drive to Accelerate UK Investment and Growth
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Post-Brexit Foreign Policy Vision at United Nations
UK Reassesses Chagos Arrangements as Burnham Seeks New Path on Diego Garcia
Key Trends to Watch
Government’s “Buy British” Procurement Push Targets More Domestic Jobs and Industrial Capacity
Scotland Launches Four-Year Flood Resilience Programme With New Community Funding
Low-Income Renters Face Record Gap Between Housing Support and Private Rents
UK and US Test Torpedo Launch From British Undersea Drone in Defence Technology Milestone
Britain Pushes Artificial Intelligence Security Onto United Nations Security Council Agenda
Treasury Committee Defends Office for Budget Responsibility Independence Amid Fiscal Pressure
×