WHEN Edith Ettedgui and her husband, Franklin, wanted to buy an apartment in which to live while their Belgravia home was being gutted, they were not interested in dealing with more builders. Which is why they chose a split-level flat in west London that had just been renovated to the highest standard. “It was perfect, exactly what we wanted,” explains Ettedgui, who comes from Tours.

And then a strange thing happened … the couple fell in love with the property and decided to live there permanently.

The Ettedguis bought the 3,230sq ft apartment two years ago and moved in two weeks after the purchase – having bought the furniture for it within that time.

“My husband went shopping with his brother, Joseph [the clothes designer],” explains Ettedgui. “They certainly knew what they liked.”

They even purchased pieces that were in the show flat, brought in by interior designer Concetto Marletta of Centimetro Interiors. “I loved his choice of B&B sofa,” laughs Ettedgui. “So we bought it.”

The ground- and lower-ground-floor flat is in a grand 1850s building, which was converted into flats in the 1930s. It has high ceilings, huge rooms and many original features – from cornices to “characterful” Thirties brass-andiron banisters.

The flat had been transformed by Marletta and the developers from a fivebedroom flat, which had not been touched since the Sixties and had had a grotty plunge pool and dark rooms featuring clashing flowery wallpapers, into a luxurious three-bedroom apartment with lots of Zen-like space. “It has amazing fivemetre-high ceilings with space and light,” says Ettedgui, in her French accent.

The developers and Marletta had not skimped: they had incorporated one “very functional” stainless-steel Arclinea kitchen with Sub Zero fridge freezer and wine cellar – “a real luxury; you can control the temperatures of the different areas” – and Miele appliances; another kitchen (“for entertaining”) with white Carrara marble surfaces; B&B Italia wenge bedroom wardrobes; and a snazzy Lutron Homeworks system controlling everything from lighting to televisions, security and Bose sound system that serves every room.

“Look at this,” beckons Ettedgui, bending inside a cupboard with a pilots’ cockpit of electrical switches.

The lighting – from recessed floor-level ones to Thirties-style wall lights, chandeliers and twinkling “stars” embedded in a wall – is clever. “I adore this chandelier,” she reveals, standing beside a Tom Kirk hall-light fitting, which required five men to hang it and is made from test tubes and bronze. “We wanted something modern that still keeps the flat’s Thirties feel,” says Marletta. (The Ettedguis liked his work so much they retained him to add the final touches to the flat after they moved in.) The look is luxurious minimalist with a classic twist. Where once there was a swimming pool, for instance, there is now a television room with Le Corbusier armchairs and chrome angle-poise lamps.

There are acres of neutral colours (shaded white walls, fawn carpets, walnut f loorboards, Fox Linton taupe linen curtains plus wenge, ebony and Chinese black lacquer throughout); furniture in le style Frank, inspired by French 1930s decorator genius Jean-Michel Frank; and an exotic blend of ancient Asian and Western contemporary art. “The colours are in the art,” explains Ettedgui.

The drawing room displays Thirties chairs, black-leather Ciancimino console tables and a beautiful contemporary mushroom silk-velvet sofa by Grillo Demo for David Gill. “It takes six people comfortably,” laughs Ettedgui. “Joseph gave it to us. He gets all his furniture from David Gill.” She uses the room for pre-dinner drinks and Sunday afternoon tea “with my friends, two grownup daughters and a nine-month-old granddaughter”, explains Ettedgui, who also has two dogs.

The master bedroom (“like an apartment within an apartment”) is on the same floor.

A dressing room is hidden behind a sliding glass door. “Sorry, it’s very messy,” says Ettedgui. The bathroom is behind another door. It has limestone and walnut fittings and a television set into the wall. “I watch TV in the bath. It’s fantastic.”

The bedroom has an oriental-style wooden bedhead and a satin upholstered sofa (designed by India Mahdavi, former assistant to Christian Liagre), and there are unusual lamps (including a budding flower one designed by Ayala Serfaty and made of plastified fabric), sharks’ skin console tables, Picasso drawings and a dressing area behind a stud wall, which divides the room and also contains a recessed television. “It’s the only bedroom I’ve ever enjoyed when I’ve been unwell and had to stay in bed,” Ettedgui smiles.

Upstairs is a capacious hallway with vanilla satin Art Deco chairs, Chinese Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) pottery figures and a fireplace with limestone surround designed by Marletta. “It’s when I saw this,” Ettedgui motions with her hand, “that I knew I had to have the flat.” It’s easy to see why.

Picture captions Liner style: Thirties attention to detail is important in halls as well as rooms, and in the bedroom beyond, oriental touches add a flavour of worldly elegance. In the hall, uplighters and neat Roman blinds work well

Touch of luxury: the main kitchen, used for entertaining, includes white Carrara marble surfaces

Chic: French-born Edith Ettedgui has plenty of space in her drawing room for friends, family and her dogs

Simple and functional: an Arclinea kitchen with Miele appliances is for everyday use

Comfortable: a mushroom silk-velvet sofa by Grillo Demo for David Gill in the drawing room

Warm look: Edith Ettedgui fell in love with the limestone surround fireplace that was designed by Concetto Marletta

Red letter: signature notes of colour are used carefully to accent the whole room. Flowers were supplied by Carter Cherrill Master Florist (020 7225 3725; www.cartercherrill.co.uk)

Switched on: many lamps in the house are designed by Ayala Serfaty and Tom Kirk

HOW TO GET THE LOOK
Interior design CentiMetro Interiors: 9 The Enclave, 2 Dallington Street, EC1 (020 7251 2010).
Furniture David Gill Gallery: 60 Fulham Road, SW3 (020 7589 5946) and by appointment at 3 Loughborough Street, SE11 (020 7793 1100).
Ciancimino: 99 Pimlico Road, SW1 (020 7730 9950).
India Mahdavi: 3 rue Las Cases, 75007 Paris (00 33 1 45 55 67 67).
Lighting Ayala Serfaty: Budding Flower lamp in the bedroom is designed by Ayala Serfaty from David Gill Gallery (as before).
Tom Kirk: lighting designer. Call 020 8766 6715.
Antiques Guinevere: 574-580 King’s Road, SW6 (020 7736 2917; www.guinevere.co.uk).
Kitchen units B&B Italia: 250 Brompton Road, SW3 (020 591 8111; www.bebitalia.it).
Kitchen appliances Sub Zero: Call 020 8418 3800, or visit www.subzero.eu.com.
Miele: Call 01235 554455, or visit www.miele.co.uk.
Marble and stone Stone Age: Unit 3, Parsons Green Depot, Parsons Green Lane, SW6 (020 7384 9090; www.estone.co.uk).
Hi-fi Bose: Call 0800 107 4999, or visit www.bose.co.uk.
Electrical and security controls Lutron Homeworks: Call 020 7702 0657, or visit www.lutron.com.