Step inside The OWO Residences' branded homes

(Image credit: Courtesy of Angel O'Donnell)

published 28 May 2024

The OWO Residences by Raffles has revealed its first-ever interior showcase – the creative imagining of four of its signature homes, designed by leading studios Angel O’Donnell, HBA, Accouter and RJP Design. The landmark Grade II*-listed building –which used to be the government's Old War Office (OWO) and is now home to the new Raffles London hotel, a Guerlain and Pillar Wellbeing spa, a selection of restaurants and bars (including a striking courtyard pavilion and Kioku), and the residences – opened in September 2023 following a meticulous, eight-year renovation and brand strategy rework by creative agency Greenspace. Yet the residential element had not yet been seen – till now.

Step inside The OWO Residences’ apartment by Angel O’Donnell

The apartments revealed this month (May 2024) span a smart, art-led four-bedroom home by HBA; a layered, calming two-bedroom by Accouter Group; a warm and gently colourful three-bedroom duplex with a terrace by RJP Design; and this three-bedroom, strikingly high-ceilinged space by Angel O’Donnell, complete with large trees and tall windows.

Angel O'Donnell – the team behind works such as interiors at One Crown Place in the City of London – is led by practice founders Richard Angel and Ed O’Donnell. The designers used ‘restrained refinement’ as their guiding principle, mixing opulent details with practical touches, such as tall bookshelving, curated, strategic art that works with its context, bespoke products and fittings by British artisans, and a sense of playfulness.

The generous living, dining and kitchen space feels luxurious with its large entrance hall and unusually tall ceilings. There is a more and a less formal section, both adorned with low-slung seating, warm wools, soft velvets, and cool stones and metals. A handmade glass chandelier and a hand-tufted Tibetan wool rug are highlights.

The principal bedroom suite comes in an unusually curved configuration, which allowed the designers to be creative and fun – hiding the walk-in wardrobe area behind a bespoke partition that separates it from the bed area, ensuring functionality does not come second to style. The decor here includes a bespoke burlwood, bean-shaped dressing table with fluted cylindrical legs, ceramic plates by Alicia Corbett, and lithographs by the late Expressionist Scottish painter Alan Davie.

The remaining two bedrooms follow a similar approach in different scales, mixing contemporary custom pieces with classics, such as the 1970s Mario Bellini ‘Cab’ chair.

'It was pure joy designing a second show residence inside this remarkable building. We created lots of bespoke, handcrafted pieces; used marble, bronze, burlwood, oak, wool, and leather; curated an exciting mix of art; then tied it all together with a warm, neutral palette for a cosy, pared-back and discerningly stylish look,' says O’Donnell.

All homes at the OWO Residences have access to communal spaces and a range of amenities – including various lounges for residents, a spa, gym and wellness space awash with natural light, and entertainment facilities – designed by 1508 London.

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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).