Sara Leonor designs a refined, light-filled retreat in the heart of London

In the vibrant financial core of London, this penthouse has been transformed into a sophisticated oasis through the intervention of Sara Leonor. The project stemmed from a clear premise: to create an open, contemporary, and functional space, with black and dark-toned materials taking center stage. “The couple, who reside in Australia, spend several weeks a year in London for work, staying in this apartment. The rest of the year, they rent it out. The original layout wasn’t functional and didn’t meet their needs — they also required closed storage areas to keep their personal belongings during their absence,” explains Sara Leonor.

The renovation reconfigures the 68 square meters of the apartment by eliminating barriers: the walls enclosing the kitchen and a storage area were removed, resulting in a large, unified space that brings together the living room, dining area, and a newly designed kitchen featuring an island that expands both usage and conviviality options. Sliding doors were installed between the living room and the bathroom to encourage a more fluid communication between spaces.

The dark-toned mural in the main bedroom, preserved from the original décor, inspired the color palette that now defines the entire interior. Black surfaces — on floors, walls, and furniture — are lightened through subtle accents of copper, strategically placed mirrors, and abundant natural light, which floods the apartment thanks to its direct connection to a generous 34-square-meter green terrace wrapping the residence in an L-shape. This contrast between the moody, enveloping interior and the lush, vibrant exterior creates a unique sense of urban retreat.

A completely redesigned bathroom

One of the highlights of the intervention is the bathroom, entirely reimagined as an open, elegant space with a walk-in shower, a two-meter-long vanity unit with hidden storage, and a bespoke backlit mirror as its sculptural centerpiece.

Maximizing storage — within the kitchen island, entry furniture, bedroom, and living room — was one of the major challenges, solved with impeccable precision.

Sara Leonor succeeds in combining practicality, sophistication, and personality into a singular balance. “The main challenge was to maximize every last square meter of space and storage capacity,” the designer emphasizes.

Project: City of London Penthouse.
Interior Design: Sara Leonor.
Surface Area: 68 m² en el interior y 34 m² de terraza.
Location: City de Londres.
Photography: Anna Batchelor. @anbatch
Completion: 2024.

Sara Leonor, the empress of color

Sara Leonor’s journey is profoundly linked to craftsmanship and manual work. From a young age, surrounded by the family workshop where pieces were crafted from steel, acrylic, and glass, she learned to see design not only as an idea but as an act of tangible creation.

Trained in Interior Design at IADE — graduating at the top of her class — and later completing a Master’s in Design, Sara began her career designing restaurants and hotels in Spain, combining conceptual development with on-site execution. In 2005, she moved to London, joining B3 Designers, where for over a decade she contributed to more than 150 commercial projects, honing a collaborative and open design approach.

In 2018, she founded her own studio, combining bespoke residential projects with the design and production of her own furniture pieces — especially chairs, one of her great passions. In 2020, she moved her studio to the heart of London’s Upper Street.

One of the defining features of her work is the thoughtful and unmistakable use of color, which lends her projects a distinctive and vibrant identity.

Today, Sara Leonor works hand-in-hand with a wide array of creative clients — dancers, writers, artists, architects — weaving a network of trust and collaboration where each project becomes a unique, deeply human, and artisanal creation.

Source: Sara Leonor y Lelien.

Project by Sara Leonor