Find anything you save across the site in your account
Find anything you save across the site in your account paneling bedroom
All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Designers are frequently asked to brighten up dingy homes, so the opportunity to create a dark, moody vibe tends to be rare. That’s why Antonio Montilla jumped at the chance to renovate a small east London apartment for his best friend, who favors the warmth and drama of deep, rich colors. “He really loves spaces that are very intimate, very cozy, and very dark,” Antonio says. “Compared to your normal client, who would like everything airy and light, he’s completely the opposite.”
Antonio poses in his friend’s green apartment.
The 720-square-foot abode overlooks Regent’s Canal, so Antonio mimicked the water’s earthy green hue on the walls with Bancha by Farrow & Ball to forge a connection with the iconic locale. “You see the canal from absolutely every single part of the flat, so [the paint color] was almost like this perfect bonding between the exterior and the indoor space,” he explains.
Antonio then used glossy black Marazzi tiles to build out the interior architecture. Two rows of the glazed rectangles, laid vertically, line the perimeter of the apartment for a striking baseboard feature. In certain spots, the tiles, laid horizontally, rise further up the wall to delineate distinct areas, like in the office and bathroom, or extend three-dimensionally to add function, like in the kitchen island and with the dining bench. “I really like to be able to fulfill the needs of my clients through the architectural shell,” he shares.
“The table is a bespoke timber piece, which is very beautiful,” shares Antonio. “We did it with a British company called Cosywood. I like it a lot because everything in the flat is very linear and square, but then suddenly the table is very irregular.”
The combination of the deep olive paint and shiny black tiles, along with the white oak millwork that’s used on the kitchen cabinets and headboard, gives the home a boutique hotel feel. Antonio wanted to bring this sense of hospitality to the project as a nod to his full-time job designing luxury restaurants, hotels, and retail spaces at IDL Group. Smaller-scale residential work, such as this, is his creative outlet.
The black-tile bench is outfitted with cabinets to maximize storage, while rattan doors add Mediterranean flair.
Red powder-coated steel and white oak come together in the custom bookshelf Antonio designed for the space.
As such, Antonio made sure to incorporate his signature “Mediterranean with a twist” style into the decor. He commissioned a handwoven dining bench from an Etsy artisan, installed rattan doors on the built-in storage unit, and hung burnt orange velvet curtains made by a seamstress in his native Andalucía, Spain. He also collaborated with his family’s metal company in the region to custom craft a red powder-coated steel and white oak bookshelf.
Antonio purchased the linear hallway sconce five years ago, knowing he would use it one day. This contemporary home was the perfect fit.
Since the homeowner also hails from Andalucía, he loved all the Mediterranean touches Antonio suggested, but the two men disagreed about what material to use on the floors. “I really wanted him to have timber floors, but the client is obsessed with not having timber floors, so it’s actually a ceramic tile imitating timber,” explains Antonio. “We got a very high-quality one where you can even feel the texture. For him, it was so important because he was very obsessed with the longevity of absolutely everything.”
Everything is built in, from the headboard to the desk.
Canal views inspired the moody color palette.
When it came to lighting, Antonio put his foot down. He insisted on a mix of wall-mounted statement fixtures and solid brass recessed lights in the floor and tile benches—and no ceiling cans whatsoever. “I am obsessive compulsive with the lighting,” he admits. “For me, the lighting is so important, I cannot have lighting in the ceiling. Everything needs to come from the floor, except a couple of fittings in key areas. I wanted to create a very ambient atmosphere.” And he did just that.
“We really wanted it to look very luxury and for it to have quite a lot of reflection,” Antonio says of the bathroom. “We brought in a very large mirror that’s hidden behind the tile to give it an infinity feel because the space actually is tiny.”
Inside a Portland Bungalow Where Summer Never Ends
The Very Best Sectional Sofas, Tested and Reviewed by Our Editors
In Coastal Maine, a Writer-Carpenter’s Restored Home Is a Vision in Yellow
Why “Bookshelf Wealth” Is 2024’s First Major Design Trend
22 Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors Options
Korean Minimalism Is Inspiring a New Generation of Creatives
Color Drenching: Everything You Need to Know About This Monochromatic Trend
Browse the AD PRO Directory to find an AD-approved design expert for your next project.
Not a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now.
tile shops © 2024 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Architectural Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices