Tour a Graphically Daring London Pied-à-Terre That’s Resplendent With Historic Particulars

There are some cities that warrant as much say in a residence’s interior design as the homeowners themselves. Take London, a scenic tale of architectural contrasts. Contemporary skyscrapers ascend not far from the historic Tower of London, while the English Baroque St. Paul’s Cathedral peers across the River Thames at the Tate Modern, thanks in part to the Millennium Bridge. “It’s one of the only cities where the mix of old and new is so visible, so extreme, and so brave,” says Dubai–based architect and interior designer Viktor Udzenija, who recently expanded his firm with an outpost in Prague. Much like London, Udzenija’s own trajectory has been a melting pot of various cultures and influences. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, and raised in Prague, he spent his college years in Munich. Udzenija then began his career at Foster + Partners in London, ultimately moving to Dubai in order to project manage the Index Tower, then the firm’s tallest design.

A “pushing of boundaries,” as the designer describes it, became the modus operandi for his namesake firm’s latest project—a 3,000-square-foot pied-à-terre overlooking West London’s eminent Cadogan Square for a businessman (also Dubai–based) and his young family. Serving as a weekend home for the client, who’s also an avid art collector, the abode offered ample room for audacious choices. “[The owner] loves to entertain, so we had a bit more freedom with the interiors and could be more bold and brave than a space where you have your daily life,” Udzenija adds.

The original floor plan was somewhat typical for a historic property: Small, closed off rooms were separated by single wood doors. What is more, aside from a pair of courtyard-facing windows in the living room, all of the apartment’s natural light sources faced the building’s inner light well, which was an unfortunate view teeming with industrial pipes. Obstacles aside, the unit had character riches that even a modernist as clear-cut as Udzenija could appreciate: “This is the first project I’ve worked on with wall moldings,” he admits. “I wanted to keep at least some of that historical relationship—it is London and an old structure, after all.”

Revising the original floor plan, Udzenija widened the doorways and framed the new entrances with Arabescato marble. Opening the space allowed natural light to travel throughout, but concealing the limited views would require a special commission. Udzenija approached contemporary design collective Studio Job, which had conjured its modern take on stained glass windows for two Michelin–star restaurant The Jane Antwerp a few years prior. With a client brief in hand, the studio crafted laser-cut shutters and stained-glass panels featuring abstractly biographical graphics for the home’s dining room and lounge, respectively.

In the end, although widened and marble-clad walkways created a more contemporary navigational flow, color proved to be the true guiding force throughout the home. Monochrome interiors recede into rich, sultry spaces—a stunning evolution thanks, in part, to French trompe l’oeil artist Florence Girette, whom Udzenija tapped to bring depth and texture to the walls. “You enter spaces that are richer and richer, darker and darker, until you reach the bedroom, which we envisioned as being this dark chocolate liquid storm full of rich brown and black tones,” Udzenija says.

Much like London, the pied-à-terre has no shortage to explore. Contemporary works by Misha Kahn, Peter Lane, Wendell Castle, George Condo, and Glenn Ligon—among others—are featured throughout, often framed by Udzenija’s foray into molding—an exemplary exercise in mixing classical and contemporary. As Udzenija concludes, “It felt like the location asked for this as much as the client did.”