Houzz Tour: Scandinavian Style in a Central London Flat

Cate St. Hill had already updated her two-bedroom flat in central London six years ago when she shared the space with some school friends. But when her friends moved out and her boyfriend moved in last summer, it was time for a new update to transform the home from student digs to cool couple’s hangout.

To do this she replastered the living room walls, laid carpet in the bedrooms, then redecorated with an all-white color scheme that lets her colorful furniture, blankets, pillows and artwork stand out.

Houzz at a Glance
Location: Central London
Who lives here: Cate St. Hill and her boyfriend
Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

When the flat was used as shared student accommodations, this living room was a bedroom. Now it’s St. Hill’s favorite spot in the house. “I have somewhere to relax and entertain now,” says St. Hill, seen above. “It has doors onto a little balcony. I love to open them on a sunny day and sit with a good coffee and breakfast from a nearby French patisserie, reading the newspaper.”

Scandinavian design greatly influences St. Hill’s aesthetic. She gravitated to the style after spending a month traveling the region a couple of years ago. “I was really inspired by Alvar Aalto’s design studio and stores such as Marimekko,” she says. Ikea pieces play heavily in the mix too, like this Karlstad sofa, which she dressed with patterned cushions from Andshine and dark linen ones from H&M Home.


The white walls create a clean backdrop for St. Hill’s favorite pieces, like this Eames dowel-leg armchair that her boyfriend gave her for her birthday.

She works for a magazine, and she and her boyfriend are both “obsessed” with the print format, she says, so they neatly stack issues on the floor. “We have lots,” she says.


This shelving unit is one of St. Hill’s favorite pieces. It holds many of the couple’s treasured pieces. “All our postcards, magazines and vintage knickknacks make our home feel personal,” she says.

Shelf: Skandium


This lovely 1960s Scandart chair with dark gray upholstery and a teak frame has the clean lines St. Hill was looking for to fill her space. She found the piece on eBay.


In fact, since St. Hill was on a tight budget, she sourced many of her furnishings on eBay, including this Saarinen-style dining table. The Ercol dining chair was another good bargain buy, found at a local antiques fair for about $25. The Kate Moss photo by Mario Testino adds a bright splash of color to the pale scheme.


The kitchen, at the rear of the flat, was something of a design challenge. “It’s much smaller and darker than the living room and bedrooms on the other side,” she says. White Ikea units fitted on two walls keep the space streamlined and functional, while the stainless steel worktop forms a breakfast bar.


Open Ikea shelves help keep space visually open in the galley kitchen. They display St. Hill’s favorite pieces of china, which introduce soft pastel shades into the white scheme.


A simple white pin board in the kitchen is home to photos and postcards.


South-facing windows wash St. Hill’s bedroom in ample light throughout the day. The white-on-white scheme helps amplify sunshine even during the abundant overcast days.

A wall hanging from India adds just a bit of contrast to the pared-back Ikea bed, table and linens.


A full-length Ikea mirror also helps increase the light level. St. Hill found the vintage chair at a local antiques fair.


Color-coordinated books add a bit of visual interest.

Dresser: Ikea; storage box: Muji


Soft coffee tones warm up the bathroom, while plenty of reflective chrome keep it from feeling too dark.


A planter of thriving lavender sits on a small, sunny balcony just off the living room.

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