Forward Thinking

For some people, buying a new home means moving in then taking time to live and breathe their new surroundings before making any major renovation decisions. Not Grace Beverley (@gracebeverley) and her husband Amar Daved, who took just 12 weeks to completely transform their newly-purchased London property before moving in whilst Grace was in her third trimester of pregnancy.

As a hugely successful entrepreneur, influencer, podcaster and founder of activewear label TALA and fitness brand Shreddy, Grace is used to taking action and making swift decisions so it’s no surprise that she wasted no time in getting her new home ready for her family.

The house was already well laid out, with light-filled living spaces, a practical open-plan kitchen-living area and distinct zones throughout, but the existing style was far too modern for Grace and Amar’s taste. Their focus for renovating the interior was to introduce character and charm to every room with a mix of timeless pieces, vintage styles and plenty of rustic and reclaimed products. They found the perfect interior designers for the task with Studio Braw, a husband and wife team who worked with Grace and Amar to create the considered home of their dreams.

With a brief to design a home filled with character and enduring beauty, Grace has successfully created rooms that tell a story, adding depth and substance through a combination of natural materials including marble and limestone, silk wall treatments, statement shades for walls, architectural mouldings and personal touches and memories throughout.

At the heart of the home, the open-plan kitchen-living-dining space is designed for entertaining and includes a pre-loved glazed Georgian cabinet full of Grace’s favourite glassware, luxurious quartzite worksurfaces atop dark wooden cabinetry and a generously sized island, a large reclaimed wooden dining table with upholstered bench seating and a television discreetly installed behind a wall tapestry.

Grace’s home office is similarly textural with its hand painted wallpaper, which creates different effects as natural light moves around the room.

In the master bedroom, layers of bedlinen and soft furnishings bring texture and tactility to the space, which feels calm and tranquil and is the perfect setting for a good night’s sleep. A dark wood dressing room leads through to the couple’s ensuite, which is equally dark and inviting with rich red walls, walnut vanity unit, a walk-in shower tiled in our stick-like Bamboo Porcelain Mosaic Caramel and a chequerboard floor laid with our Versailles Marble Marron and Ecru. The marble flooring has a timeless elegance that looks like it’s always been there and Grace has used the marron marble on walls too, enhancing the luxurious look.

The family bathroom is designed in a contrasting palette to uplift and invigorate with butter yellow walls, a large freestanding bath, our Ottoman Marble Honed flooring and a curved archway leading to the walk-in shower, which is tiled in our Maroc Ceramic Beige and Bianco for a chequerboard effect. Inspired by Moroccan Zellige style, these ceramic tiles blend artisanal charm with a modern approach. Designed with the whole family in mind, this space is the perfect balance of calming and playful for baby bath times and winding down after a long day.

Heading back downstairs, fully glazed doors from the kitchen lead directly on to the outdoor kitchen. As Grace and Amar love to host family and friends, this area is a perfect example of how indoor-outdoor living can benefit the home all year round.

The patio is laid with our Kimmeridge Limestone Paving in an etched finish; a refined stone that manages to be both contemporary and classic at the same time. Its clean and uniform finish complements the natural beauty of the family’s garden and is the ideal setting for the wooden outdoor kitchen cabinetry, large barbecue range, outdoor fridge and large dining table.

Adding colour contrast, our Petite Porcelain Gloss Green tiles are used behind the kitchen area to serve as a practical splashback as well as adding depth and character to this outdoor space. Now their home is complete, Grace has the perfect base in which to relax, work, socialise and bring up her family. And all achieved in just 12 weeks!