OWO Residences
London’s landmark destination, The Old War Office (OWO), unveils four of its newest branded residences within its collection of 85 luxury private homes in Whitehall.
World-leading interior designers – Angel O’Donnell, HBA Residential, Accouter and RJP Design – were commissioned to design the interiors of at least one new residence each, showcasing these unique homes within the iconic Grade II* Listed building.
The OWO opened in September 2023 following a monumental eight-year renovation, undertaken as a joint venture between the Hinduja Group and Onex Holding.
It is now home to the capital’s first Raffles hotel with 120-rooms and suites, nine restaurants, three bars and a destination spa led by Guerlain and Pillar Wellbeing.
The 85 OWO Residences by Raffles, which are situated to the rear and sides of the property, are the first Raffles-serviced residences in the UK and Europe, ensuring the service hallmarks of the prestigious Raffles brand.
Image above: Spies Entrance, The OWO
Images below: Private Dining Room, Club Lounge & Residents Lounge designed by 1508 London
OWO residents have access to over 30,000sq ft of amenities, designed by award-winning interior architects 1508 London, including a landscaped courtyard garden, private dining room, residents’ lounges, gym, wellness suite, picture room and games room.
For the common areas, designed exclusively for residents’ use, 1508 were given the challenge of creating the striking and elegant interior designs.
This included the amenity spaces and the hard finishes (kitchens and bathrooms) of the private homes.
Understated luxury and timelessness played a huge part in the design language for the project.
1508’s brief was to preserve this chapter of history for future generations through authentic design; to create a home for the world’s most discerning residents and celebrate the building’s unmatched quality, in terms of history, character and architecture.
Avoiding a pastiche approach 1508 London have reinstated the original features where they were found, then create additional parts to the building to echo the principles and proportions of the original building in a manner that didn’t simply copy the features.
There’s a balanced blend between old and new, past and present.
On some floors the original three-metre-wide corridors have been showcased as a central feature at the heart of the private homes, and the grand entrance hallways bring back a sense of ceremony to modern living, a feature unique to The OWO Residences.
The intricate 1906 William Young architecture ensures no two residences are the same, each with unique proportions and floorplans.
Stand out features: Dining Room, including the de Gournay hand-painted wall covering and excellent design of each Apartment kitchen.
The four Show Apartments
These range in value from a just under £9million to over £20million and, whilst the furnishings, lighting and artwork is, as one would expect, of the highest specification, the interiors are created for illustrative purposes, to show potential buyers how beautifully homely these spaces can be.
Over half of the residences had already been sold prior to the unveiling of the show apartments.
Here the designers provide a brief description of their interiors and tell us what inspired the design.
Apartment 2.01 by designers Angel O’Donnell
This sumptuous three bedroom show apartment (shown above) measures 2935sq ft with ten foot high ceilings.
According to the design studio’s co-founder Richard Angel a major challenge was to ‘connect’ the design to the floor, bringing a sense of intimacy and homeliness to the cavernous space.
Restrained refinement is the guiding principle throughout – blending warm neutrals with soft textures, sculptural forms with simple silhouettes, large, expressive paintings with small, hand-thrown ceramics, and an abundance of bespoke furniture, designed by Angel O’Donnell and handcrafted by local artisans.
It’s a design that whispers luxury through impeccable craftsmanship, creativity and comfort; a feel-good home that compels you to inspect artwork, nestle into armchairs, luxuriate on sofas and even jump on beds.
Stand out features: Three life-like tall potted trees bring nature into the space and charming wall plates by Alice Corbett Ceramics in master bedroom.
Apartment 3.11 by HBA Residential
Apartment 3.11 is the largest of the four apartments at 3329sq ft.
This four bed apartment (shown as three bedroom plus study) has a design based upon the travels and collections of a fictional explorer, and so it is filled with antiquities and art pieces, old and new, from around the world.
Special features include a spacious gallery once traversed by bicycle messengers, now embellished with sumptuous tapestries, three bespoke crystal chandeliers and an exquisite bar.
Throughout the residence, a carefully curated collection of emerging artists’ works, including pieces by Ewelina Wagner and Anastasia Kovaleva, adorn the walls, hinting at the promise of future brilliance.
Each element in this space is meticulously chosen to create a sanctuary of refined, timeless beauty.
This marks HBA Residential’s third design project at this historic building, showcasing their commitment to preserving its legacy and capability to blend modern luxury with historic architecture.
Stand out features: Ralph Lauren leather strap light fixture in master bedroom and wonderful selection of art by lesser-known, yet very talented, artists.
Apartment 4.04 by RJP Design
Of the four apartments on display, 4.04 (above) is the most relatable as a family home and as such is a personal favourite.
The two level, three bedroom apartment benefits from a private secret garden terrace and 2,490sq ft of internal space.
RJP Design have focused on creating a cosy, inviting and harmonious space using warm tones and textures.
According to Rickesh Patel, founder of RJP Design “Meticulously selecting warm tones and textures, we curated an atmosphere exuding comfort and harmony, incorporating green elements, such as olive tones, to add a touch of natural beauty and symbolising the unity of family.”
Stand out features: Fabulous Holly Hunt ‘pulley light’ in kitchen/bar area and of course the beautiful terrace garden.
Apartment 5.10 by Accouter Group
images courtesy of Taran Wilkhu
The design of this 1,435sq ft two bedroom apartment, honours the heritage of the building, a historical monument of the past, whilst celebrating its future role as a prestigious residence in the heart of London.
Adorned with original antiques that tell their own stories, the design is inspired by the statues of ‘Truth’ and ‘Justice’ that crown the building.
In the words of The OWO’s most famous resident, Winston Churchill, “Truth is incontrovertible.”
Accouter’s design pays homage to the building’s storied past.
The studio celebrates British culture through meticulously curated heirloom pieces and artworks by British artisans, creating a narrative of authenticity and integrity.
Stand out features: Faint and delicate Baobab scents throughout and focus on British-made furniture.
About the Designers
1508 is an international interior design and architecture firm, renowned for creating exceptional spaces worldwide with studios in London, Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Sao Paulo, Miami and Los Angeles.
Founded in 2010, the design firm has over a decade’s worth of experience in creating luxury interiors, becoming a definition for the world’s most innovative and exquisite living spaces, providing furnishings for stately homes, hotels, luxury developments and superyachts.
The brand has gained itself a distinguished international reputation for delivering exceptional, bespoke interiors for clients across the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the USA.
Angel O’Donnell numbers among Andrew Martin’s Top 100 Designers 2023.
On top of their critical success – which includes the coveted Overall Winner trophy at the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) – they’ve earned a reputation for thoughtful discretion, friendly collaboration and pin-sharp detailing, qualities their clients prize dearly.
Over the past decade, HBA Residential has cultivated a distinguished reputation as a boutique studio dedicated to crafting timeless and powerful spaces.
As the highly specialised arm of hospitality giant Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), they serve a discerning clientele seeking the utmost in design excellence.
HBA Residential’s journey as a brand has been defined by a commitment to creating exquisite architecture and interiors that reflect the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.
RJP Design is an interior and architectural design studio based in London that follows a holistic approach to design.
The studio values the combination of creative flair and technical understanding to create enriching designs.
Trust and integrity are fundamental aspects of their process, aiming to provide a highly personalized service for private residences or prestigious developments.
RJP Design prides itself on producing unique and luxurious interiors that elevate everyday living experiences.
With over 20 years of experience in interiors and architecture, their multidisciplinary team can offer comprehensive turnkey solutions.
Since 2012, Accouter has provided ultra-luxury interior design and project management to high profile clients on over £1bn worth of real estate in some of the world’s finest locations.
From the first sketch to the final touch, Accouter’s designers collaborate with clients to transform flashes of inspiration into unique environments, drawing on the expertise of artisans, designers and storytellers to turn ideas into reality.
It starts by reimagining the interior architecture of a space and ends when the quest for the perfect piece of art is complete.
Accouter travels the globe to find one-of-a-kind items that tell the narrative of a space, seeking out individual pieces, with stories as unique as the lives of their clients.
Their curators uncover furniture, art and accessories that reflect the highest standards of design and craftsmanship, perfectly blending form and function to create practical and aesthetically beautiful residences.