The sweeping, art deco-inspired Mayfair development 60 Curzon is a spectacular addition to the London streetscape. In expertly crafted Portland stone, its confident detailing – handsome bronze balconies and bespoke, patinated bronze doors – opens into an extraordinarily arresting interior.

The late Thierry Despont was the interior architect: he died unexpectedly in 2023, making 60 Curzon the only residential building in Europe with his stamp on it. His lobby features rich, lacquered mahogany panelling and a grand tiled fireplace, while in the corridors, the chevron parquet floors and dark, beautifully lacquered doors and mouldings give the impression of a 1930s gentleman’s club – you half-expect to bump into Bertie Wooster at any moment.

She continues: “People always love the sense of looking through to something beyond. We used mirrors – mostly antiques – to amplify the light. Where we couldn’t do that, we used a landscape print or painting framed with glass to refract the light. The natural reference creates a sense of movement. You are never met by a dead wall.”

Sá aimed for a sense of depth, imparting a feeling that this very new apartment had changed subtly through time, showing a patina of use. Cheeky vintage details from the 1950s, including a brass Sputnik chandelier and antelope-style chairs offset more obviously deco-inspired elements such as the custom-built red lacquer bookshelves. Here and there are quirky touches like a flamestitch-upholstered stool with fabric from Watts 1874, complementing a similar pattern (from Zimmer + Rohde) used for the dining chairs.

The bespoke kitchen has a quiet modernity, but still a delicate nod to history in details like the joinery, painted in a duck-egg blue. Again, this has a history: it’s reminiscent of Wedgwood’s 1770s Jasperware, a colour that came back into fashion in the 1930s. The effect is homelike, striking, but not overwhelming in opulence.

In the primary living space, a grasscloth wallpaper (Phillip Jeffries’ ‘Manila Hemp’) has been combined with oak beading to lend a luxurious but relaxed tone. It gives a warm backdrop for some accents of strong colour, ranging from rich reds and dusty pink to cerulean and blue.

“Thierry gave us very dark floors, doors and architraves,” says Sá. “Just painting it white would have been too stark. What we’ve done is warm it up, but lean into the dark tones, making it more forgiving.”

Lovers of marble might pick up on the coffee table in opulent Arabescato Orobico Grigio; walnut armchairs and conker-coloured velvet stools complete the look. Rugs subtly zone separate living areas. Silk and linen fabrics and wallcoverings sourced from the Design Centre’s showrooms lend a sense of grace and calm, like the silk ‘Aretha’ wallcovering by Weitzner (from Altfield) in the home office. Deep and luxurious sofas, some custom-designed by De Rosee Sa, add to that sense of comfort and ease, with sumptuous fabrics from Zimmer + Rohde and Marvic Textiles.

“I was excited to hear that a potential buyer had come in and said: ‘I could just sit down and live here, straight away,’” says Sá. “That’s what we were after.”

If you want to see more of De Rosee Sa’s work – in real life – head to WOW!house 2026 (2 June – 2 July) at the Design Centre. The practice is collaborating with Ca’ Pietra on a bathroom for the showhouse. Find out more and buy tickets here.

Images: Kensington Laverne