The OWO | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

The OWO | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

Whitehall

The world’s first Raffles-branded residences

An apartment of timeless opulence inside the Grade II* listed The OWO Residences

London’s former Old War Office – where Churchill commanded the British Armed Forces and Ian Fleming dreamt up James Bond – has been transformed into the world’s first Raffles-branded residences.

After being closed off to the public for over a century, this neo-baroque, Grade II* listed gem has opened its doors to reveal 85 unique apartments, 30,000 square feet of residents-only amenities, an opulent Five Star Raffles Hotel, and eleven bars and restaurants.

With history in the making, we knew we had to create a scheme befitting The OWO Residences’ impressive cultural pedigree and top Whitehall location. So, we set to work adorning one of its beautiful three-bedroom apartments with handcrafted Savoir Beds, hand-painted ceramic lamps, richly embroidered curtains, brushed-bronze lights, and an array of serious collector’s pieces.

Hall of fame

Winston Churchill, Lord Kitchener, and T.E. Lawrence, a.k.a. Lawrence of Arabia, are among the luminaries to have walked this corridor.

To honour its famous past, we filled the room with works of art by renowned figurative painter, Henrietta Dubrey, modernist pioneers, Sandra Blow and Terry Frost, and new wave sculptor, Julian Opie.

Further embellishments include two lavish, mid-century Murano-glass pendants, a brutalist-inspired bench with black wenge legs, and a raw-edged stone table, which nods to the Portland stone from which The OWO Residences are made.

The OWO Hallway | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Hallway | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Wall of Art | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Wall of Art | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

“This property is a collector’s piece for the seasoned traveller and cultural connoisseur, something we kept front of mind throughout each stage of the design process.”
Richard Angel Co-Founder & CEO
The OWO living room dining room | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO living room dining room | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

In good company

Handpicked elements of multiculturalism and old-school craft come together like long-distance friends and family – from the hand-knotted rug of Arabesque ornamentation to the specially commissioned oil by Columbian-born Renaissance-lover, Dairo Vargas. Even the slubbed jacquard weave on the cocktail chairs by the window echoes 17th century needlepoint embroidery, a period in which The Baroque Style flourished.

The OWO living room Vargas view | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO living room Vargas view | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

Top Table

A banquet-sized dining table honed from a single slab of rosso luana marble beckons revellers to sit and feast late into the night.

The stone’s striking swirls of rose and soft purple are mirrored in the carmine-coloured bench and blush, sand and chestnut-toned chairs.

The OWO Dining Table | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

Branded Residences | Interior Design London

The OWO Dining Table | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Dining Table | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Coffee Table | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Coffee Table | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

“Plush velvet sofas, heavy lambswool curtains, wood panelling and over fifty original pieces of art work in concert with each other to create the ultimate, sophisticated home.”

Ed O’Donnell Co-Founder & Creative Director
The OWO Side Chair | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Side Chair | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Twig Console | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Twig Console | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

Cook up a storm

The kitchen is no less enlivening than the living room. Here you’ll find a white-enamelled pendant light, a sculptural table of twisted oxidised copper, vintage chairs upholstered in a rust velvet, a fluted banquette with densely textured, multi-yarn weave cushions, and ceramic plates by Joseph Dupré.

The OWO Kitchen View | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Kitchen View | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

The OWO Study | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Study | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Kitchen Three Plates | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Kitchen Three Plates | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

Royal blue

In the study, dark blue panelling provides a dramatic backdrop for a gently curved, wire-brushed oak desk, a quartet of Eve Arnold photographs, and Chris Levine’s meditative portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Her majesty’s quiet composure adds a stately serenity to the space.

The OWO Study | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Study | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Principal Bedroom | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

Branded Residences | Interior Design London

Beauty sleep

For those who dream of a fairy tale romance, look no further than the principal bedroom. A large four-poster bed with tapering bobbin posts and a sumptuous Savoir mattress promises to lull even the most sensitive of princesses into a deep slumber.

The OWO Principal Bedroom | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Principal Bedroom | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

Comfort zone

Opposite the four-poster, plaster wall lights – shaped like magical woodland flutes – emit a warm, toasty glow at night. While wool bouclé armchairs and gorgeously draping textured-weave curtains provide cloud-like comfort.

The OWO Principal Bedroom Armchair | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Principal Bedroom Armchair | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

The OWO 2nd Bedroom Curtain Detail | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London
The OWO 2nd Bedroom | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO 2nd Bedroom | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

Welcome guests

In the other bedrooms, fluted mahogany chests, vellum drawers, handmade cushions, and iconic Savoir Beds celebrate British heritage and time-honoured craftsmanship.

The OWO 2nd Bedroom | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO 2nd Bedroom | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO 2nd Bedroom Iron Lamp | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO 2nd Bedroom Iron Lamp | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

Water colour closet

A painstaking attention to detail has been applied to every room, even the guest WC where a marbleised wallpaper popular in 17th Century Europe has been upscaled for maximum impact. Its colours, swooshes and intricate repeat pattern is a dazzling surprise feature in this grand apartment.

The OWO Water Colour Closet | Angel O'Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO Water Colour Closet | Angel O’Donnell | Interior Design London

The OWO | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

The OWO | Branded Residences | Interior Design London

Whitehall

Completion 2022
Services Interior design Project management FF&E procurement
Awards
Press
Creating drama in the home Vibrant wallpapers, painted ceilings, lavish lighting - visual drama in the home should delight, enliven and entertain.
Inside Churchill's wartime HQ Homes & Gardens steps into the past for an intimate room-by-room tour of the historic The OWO Residences.
Heritage landmark living London’s former Old War Office opens its doors to reveal the world’s first Raffles-branded residences.
Culture, comfort and famous art Angel O’Donnell wanted to create a home fit for a world-class citizen; a home rich in culture, comfort and seriously impressive art.
Copley Park | Artwork | Angel O'Donnell
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