When Italian Craft Meets London Edge: Inside Artemest’s Penthouse by Róisín Lafferty
people • DESIGNERS
When Róisín Lafferty designed the new Artemest London penthouse, she didn’t just create an interior; she composed a dialogue between two design cultures. Italian craftsmanship and London modernism meet in balance, each informing the other through material, colour and emotion. From terracotta to travertine, brass to blush pink, every surface reflects her instinct for contrast and harmony.
The result is a space that feels alive: a home that celebrates the human hand, the rhythm of daily life, and the quiet confidence of contemporary Irish design. For Artemest, it stands as a living showcase of Italian artistry. For Lafferty, it’s an exploration of what happens when design transcends geography and becomes a shared language of feeling.
In this Designeers feature, Róisín Lafferty reflects on her collaboration with Artemest, the architecture of emotion, and how storytelling through colour continues to define her work, from Dublin to London and beyond.
Words: designeers
NOVEMBER 2025
WEBSITE: roisinlafferty.com
INSTAGRAM: @roisinlafferty
Inside the new Artemest London penthouse, designed by Róisín Lafferty, where Italian craftsmanship meets modern British design.
From its high perch in Embassy Gardens overlooking the Thames, the new Artemest London Penthouse, designed by Róisín Lafferty, feels like a conversation between Italian artistry and British restraint. “The minute I walked in, I knew I wanted to frame the view, to draw the eye beyond the building itself,” says Lafferty, who brought her signature warmth and balance to the duplex home.
Colour became the starting point: rich, grounded tones of terracotta, walnut, and blush pink that shift with the changing light. “Colour, to me, is emotional currency,” she says. “It has the power to transform how we feel in a space.” The palette, earthy and tactile, reflects both the changing London sky and the expressive hues of Italian craft.
The Living Flow
In the open-plan lounge, Lafferty introduced a central timber shelving display to bring intimacy to the large space, creating two distinct seating zones with different views of the city. “The proportions needed to feel balanced and considered,” she explains. “The room should breathe but still hold you.”
Anchored in terracotta and walnut, softened by brass and layered upholstery, the space feels enveloping and calm. The design gently guides movement, allowing guests to experience the apartment’s flow without ever feeling its scale. It is a home designed for real life, sophisticated yet deeply human.
The Social Heart
Upstairs, the duplex opens into what Lafferty calls “the social heart” of the home: a softly lit bar framed by built-in banquette seating that leads onto a rooftop terrace. Designed for easy hosting, it reflects the shift towards homes that are personal, expressive, and adaptive.
“The clients love entertaining,” she says. “We wanted a space that could move from an intimate dinner to a lively evening effortlessly.” Here, warm tones continue through the upper level, grounding the double-height volume with tactility and atmosphere. The bar glows like a jewel box at dusk, an invitation to linger.
“Colour, to me, is emotional currency. It has the power to transform how we feel in a space.”
Roisin Lafferty
Craft as Language
For Artemest, the Milan-based platform renowned for its network of Italian artisans, this London penthouse marks a milestone, a living showcase where design is experienced rather than displayed. Every detail carries the maker’s hand: a carved coffee table, a travertine dining surface, a lacquered bench illuminated by a Poliedri Murano chandelier.
“Working with Artemest was like stepping into a world where beauty is a language,” says Lafferty. “You see the human in every curve and imperfection.” The collaboration celebrates craftsmanship as culture, not nostalgic, but alive and evolving.
Design that Feels
Lafferty’s gift lies in her ability to create spaces that feel both grounded and elevated. She layers contrast, heavy travertine against soft boucle, deep green lacquer beside russet linen, to make beauty feel tactile and emotional. “You need contrast,” she says. “Otherwise, the space becomes too polite.”
The primary suite continues the dialogue in deeper, richer tones, cocooning the senses while maintaining a quiet connection to the wider space. Like the rest of the space, it feels composed yet instinctive, luxurious but not ostentatious.
A Modern Conversation
Already celebrated by House & Garden for its “earthy and elegant” palette, the Artemest London penthouse stands as more than a showroom. It is a statement on the future of interiors, reminding us that design today is not just about form but feeling, about spaces that invite connection and slow us down.
For Designeers, it represents a shared philosophy: that great design is timeless when rooted in craft, collaboration, and the human experience. Because in the end, beauty does not shout. It simply listens.
Photography credits
Ben Anders
Portrait Image: Barbara Corsica
