Cate St Hill’s Serene & Bright Bloomsbury Apartment
Name: Cate and Olivier
Location: Bloomsbury —London, UK
Size: 725 square feet
Years lived in: 8 years; Owned

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Design writer Cate St Hill’s blog and Instagram feed are filled with beautiful images of effortlessly stylish, minimal-yet-cozy interiors (as well as London recommendations, travel features, and lifestyle pieces). Her London home, which she shares with her French boyfriend, Olivier, is just as you’d expect: a haven of white and palest grey filled with natural light, with a clean, streamlined look that’s softened by a mix of vintage and modern pieces, literary prints, fresh flowers and plants, and inviting stacks of magazines and books.
Cate and Olivier’s apartment is located a stone’s throw from the historic squares of literary Bloomsbury and from the busy hub of King’s Cross station. It’s the best of both worlds, being so central and yet so very tranquil, several floors above a tree-lined street.
When Cate moved in eight years ago, the space was dark, dated, and in need of a total refresh. Over the years, she’s removed the wood-chip wallpaper on the walls and ceilings, painted the walls throughout in either white or French grey, fitted new wooden floors, and replaced the dated kitchen and bathroom.
The open plan living/dining room is now the hub of the home, with a cozy reading corner by the French doors that open onto a balcony; this is Cate’s favorite spot on a sunny morning, with the light streaming in. Next door, there’s a spacious master bedroom and an office which doubles as a guest bedroom; all three rooms are south-facing, so they are filled with light throughout the day. The kitchen and bathroom face onto an internal courtyard and are smaller, with less abundant light, but Cate’s maximized the feeling of space and light with lots of white fittings and well-planned storage.
Cate, who works as an architecture and design journalist by day, in addition to writing her blog, is also now offering interior design advice.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: A light and relaxed style that’s one part Scandi and one part French, with a blend of old and new
Inspiration: Books and magazines (Elle Decoration, Kinfolk), as well as online sources such as Pinterest
Favorite Element: The corner by the French doors, with its shelving displays—it’s a beautiful place to sit on a sunny day
Biggest Challenge: Making the dark kitchen and bathroom into nice spaces. Also, removing all the wood-chip wallpaper from ceiling and walls!
What Friends Say: Can you come and do my place?
Biggest Embarrassment: There’s a bit of peeling wallpaper in the bedroom …
Proudest DIY: Painting, assembling flatpack furniture, single-handedly removing and fixing then replacing the bathroom door
Biggest Indulgence: The Eames chair (a present from Olivier)
Best Advice: In a small flat, give the illusion of a larger space with light bright walls, discreet blinds not heavy curtains, and floating shelves. Also, invest in key pieces of furniture that will last, but scrimp on artwork, posters, and postcards that can be easily swapped around and changed.
Dream Sources: Skandium, the Conran Shop, Vitra—classic, well-designed pieces that will last.
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- All walls: either Dulux Brilliant White or Little Greene French Grey
LIVING ROOM
- Stool: Alvar Aalto Stool 60 from artek
- Vintage armchair: eBay
- Linen curtains: IKEA Aina
- Light: Eileen Gray Tube Light from Aram
- Coffee table: Kilo from Habitat
- Rug: Urban Outfitters (discontinued)
- Sofa: IKEA Karlstad
- Vintage lamp: market
- Floral cushion: vintage
- Diamond cushion: Andshine
- Dark grey cushion: H&M
- Orange blanket: The French House (now closed)
- Letters: vintage
- Wire tray: vintage
- Concrete plant holder: Future and Found
- Vintage Ercol chair: market
- Cushion on chair: Donna Wilson
- Trolley: Habitat (discontinued)
- Shelf: String Pocket from Skandium
- Clamp light: Wrong For Hay Noc Light from Nest
- Poster frame: Aluminus from Habitat
- Poster: Skoob Books
KITCHEN
- Kitchen: IKEA
- Tea towel: artek
- Road sign: vintage
- Enamel pots: vintage
- Shelves: IKEA Ekby Järpen/Bjärnum
- Teapot: MENU via Amazon.com
BEDROOM
- Throw: IKEA (discontinued)
- Cushions: IKEA (discontinued)
- Vintage chair: market
- Mirror: IKEA Hovet
- Rug: vintage
- Bedside tables: IKEA Nordli
- Bedlinen: H&M
- Chest of drawers: IKEA Malm
- Mountain ABC poster: Coco Lapine
- Poster frame: Aluminus from Habitat
BATHROOM
- Blinds: John Lewis
- Tins: vintage
OFFICE
- Desk: IKEA
- Drawers: IKEA Alex
- Vintage chair: market
- Shelves: IKEA (discontinued)
- Wire trays: vintage
- Storage boxes: HAY
- Lamp: Anglepoise
- Dark grey throw: Mölle from S2 20
- Cushion on bed: Injiri – Khadi from Addition
- Bedside table: vintage
- Rug: Urban Outfitters, discontinued
- Lamp: Habitat (discontinued)
- Print in hallway: IKEA
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