City Duplex | Cheshire Interior Designer Project

This city duplex apartment in Cheshire is one of our most creatively satisfying projects, a home that required genuine problem-solving as much as design vision, and where the solution transformed not just how the apartment looks, but fundamentally how it works.
The client came to us with a clear aesthetic preference, warm, calm, considered, and an equally clear practical challenge: a compact layout that was not serving her lifestyle. The brief was to create a home that felt spacious and serene despite its footprint, accommodated working from home comfortably, and reflected the quiet, natural aesthetic of Scandinavian and Japandi design.

Rethinking the Layout
The most significant decision of this project was also the boldest: a complete reimagining of how the apartment's spaces were used.
The downstairs area was opened up and transformed into a generous open-plan kitchen and dining room, bringing light, flow, and a genuine sense of space to what had previously felt like two separate, underused rooms. Within this reconfigured ground floor, a thoughtfully designed study nook was carved out, a dedicated workspace that feels integrated into the home rather than an afterthought, with considered storage, good natural light, and enough visual separation to allow genuine focus.
Upstairs, one of the bedrooms was converted into a cosy living room, a deliberate and personal choice that prioritised how the client actually wanted to spend her time at home over a more conventional layout. The result is a quiet, intimate retreat that feels entirely removed from the working and dining spaces below.

The Design Language
Throughout the apartment, the design language is consistent and calm. Natural wood finishes, pale oak, warm ash tones, bring character and warmth to every room without heaviness or visual noise. The palette is rooted in nature: cream, sand, warm white and soft taupe, with carefully chosen plants and botanical accessories adding life and texture.
Furniture was selected for its craftsmanship and its restraint. Every piece is simple in form, honest in material, and beautiful in the way that only genuinely well-made things can be. Nothing is decorative for decoration's sake, every element earns its place in the scheme.
The Japandi influence is felt most strongly in the sense of stillness the apartment carries. Despite its city location, it feels removed from the noise, a genuinely restorative place to come home to.

The Result
What this project demonstrates is that thoughtful interior design is not always about adding more, sometimes it is about fundamentally rethinking what is already there. By questioning the conventional use of each space and designing around the client's actual lifestyle rather than a standard template, we created an apartment that works harder, feels bigger, and is more deeply personal than its footprint might suggest.
A calm, beautiful home in the heart of Cheshire, exactly as the client envisioned.

Project Details
Location: Cheshire
Project Type: Full residential interior design
Scope: Open-plan kitchen and dining room, study nook, bedroom and living area and staircase
Style: Scandinavian Japandi
Designer: Gaby, Hada Interiors

If you are considering an interior design project in Cheshire — whether a compact apartment, a period home, or a new-build — we would love to discuss what is possible for your space.