A staple in the grand old houses of England, wallpaper has made a triumphant return in recent years and is now one of the most fashionable—and deliciously pretty—ways to update a property. Nowhere is the result better illustrated than in this London apartment, crafted by interior designer Nebihe Cihan. Owned by a Kuwaiti couple needing a pied-à-Terre in central London, this luxury abode is part of a protected 19th-century building, leaving beautiful bones for the designer to play with. The contemporary home has been in the client’s family for decades, but it had not been renovated since 1972.

Creating what must be one of the most striking entrances in west London, Cihan has covered the hallway in the Namban wallcovering from British wallpaper brand De Gournay, which is textured and designed to entice visitors indoors.

Although the client has homes all over the globe, she retains a real affinity for Paris. In the sitting room, she wanted a reminder of the city—a desire realised through the use of French doors, wrought-iron balconies, and the view of the leafy streets.

Italian influences also permeate the London apartment. The majority of the furniture was purchased from Italian brands Minotti and Baxter, and the woodwork and marble flooring were crafted in a factory in Bergamo, Italy. In terms of the colour palette, Cihan wanted to bring warmth into the living room to counteract the ubiquitous grey skies of London—hence the use of gold on the walls and a green velvet sofa.

The art collection in this home design also adds depth; it was selected by London-based curator Lawrence Van Hagen of LVH Art. The dining room is incorporated into the living space, with the table designed by Cihan’s studio and chairs from Minotti.

This London apartment is being used by the family as a holiday home in England, so Cihan didn’t want to personalise the bedrooms too much, although she still needed to make them pretty. That was achieved with the De Gournay wallpaper in the wisteria print in the master bedroom. The colour is gently picked up by a Murano glass table lamp from Via Antica.

“We wanted to adopt a more muted colour scheme in the bedrooms,” says Cihan. “Grey and taupe dominate with a touch of colour in the form of the cheerful wallpaper, as well as the purple vintage table lamps I collected from a vintage store in Brussels.”

The clients final reaction can’t be described by words, mostly because there were none! She stayed silent for a few moments, speechlessly taking in this painted jewel of an apartment, the very same home that had been in her family for years.