POLTRONA FRAU BRINGS ITS RESIDENTIAL DESIGN VISION TO LONDON WITH PRIVÉ RESIDENCES

Poltrona Frau has extended its residential design work into the heart of London with the completion of PRIVÉ Residences at One Nine Elms, marking the Italian design house’s first fully integrated residential interior project in the British capital.

The development comprises five exclusive apartments, each conceived through a comprehensive design approach that considers the interior as a complete environment rather than a collection of individual pieces. Furniture, materials, lighting, artwork and architectural details have been brought together under a single creative direction, with Poltrona Frau’s signature craftsmanship providing a unifying thread.

The project was officially presented on 2 July 2026, when guests gathered on the 56th floor of One Nine Elms for a preview of the residences. The evening combined private tours of the completed interiors with views across London, followed by a cocktail reception.

Situated beside the River Thames in Vauxhall, One Nine Elms forms part of a major residential development incorporating two towers. The project’s position places the residences within a rapidly evolving part of central London, while the interiors seek to establish a more intimate atmosphere within the scale and energy of the city.

For Poltrona Frau, the commission represents an important development in its approach to residential interiors. Rather than limiting its contribution to individual furnishings, the Maison has applied its expertise across multiple elements of the living environment. The resulting residences are intended to demonstrate how furniture, surfaces, lighting and decorative elements can be considered together to establish a consistent sense of place.

At the centre of that language is Pelle Frau®, the leather closely associated with Poltrona Frau. Used across selected furnishings and details within the residences, the material brings tactile variation to the interiors while connecting the contemporary London setting with the brand’s longstanding expertise in leather craftsmanship.

Poltrona Frau’s origins date to 1912, when Renzo Frau established the company in Turin, Italy. The business initially focused on upholstered furniture and developed a reputation for refined leather craftsmanship during the early decades of the twentieth century. Its connection with Italian design became particularly pronounced as the company worked with architects and designers on furniture that combined functional requirements with detailed craftsmanship.

The Maison’s history has included collaborations with figures such as Gio Ponti and Gio Ponti’s contemporaries, as well as later generations of internationally recognised designers. Its work has extended beyond domestic furniture into hospitality, aviation, automotive and other specialised interiors, giving the company experience in creating environments as well as individual objects.

This wider expertise is particularly relevant to the PRIVÉ Residences project. A residential interior requires a different kind of continuity from a standalone furniture collection. Materials have to work across rooms, furniture must relate to architectural proportions, and lighting and decorative elements need to support the atmosphere of the entire residence.

At One Nine Elms, Poltrona Frau has approached the five apartments through that broader lens. The interiors incorporate furnishings alongside carefully selected materials and lighting, with artwork contributing another layer to the overall composition. Signature Pelle Frau® details provide recognisable points of connection without relying solely on branding.

The emphasis is therefore on coherence. Each element contributes to the experience of the residence while retaining its own material character. Leather, wood, textiles and other surfaces introduce differences in texture and warmth, while the furniture establishes the practical rhythm of each living space.

The project also reflects the changing role of luxury residential design. In contemporary developments, residents increasingly expect private homes to offer a level of design consideration traditionally associated with boutique hotels, private clubs and high-end hospitality. The challenge is to retain that sense of polish without making a residence feel impersonal.

Poltrona Frau’s involvement in One Nine Elms places its own heritage within that evolving context. The Maison has spent decades developing furniture for environments in which design, comfort and craftsmanship need to coexist. Applying that experience to a small collection of private residences allows the company to explore the relationship between its furniture-making traditions and a complete architectural setting.

The London project follows a broader expansion of Poltrona Frau’s contract and interiors work. The company’s portfolio includes projects across hospitality, transportation, retail and residential environments, reflecting an understanding of design that extends beyond individual products. Its work in these sectors has also required the development of specialised materials and production techniques capable of meeting different technical and aesthetic demands.

For the PRIVÉ Residences, however, the focus is distinctly residential. The five apartments have been conceived as places for everyday life, with the design programme extending from larger living areas to the smaller details that shape the character of a home.

The choice of One Nine Elms adds another dimension. London is a city in which historic architecture and contemporary development exist in close proximity, and the new residential towers form part of the capital’s changing skyline. From the upper levels of the development, the city itself becomes an important visual element, with the residences positioned to take advantage of expansive views.

That relationship between interior and exterior was particularly apparent at the July unveiling. The event took place on the 56th floor, giving guests an opportunity to experience the residences while looking across London from a considerable height. The skyline provided a constantly changing backdrop to the restrained, tactile qualities of the interiors.

Poltrona Frau’s approach is ultimately grounded in the idea that a well-designed home should feel considered as a whole. Its contribution to One Nine Elms brings together the disciplines of furniture, material selection, lighting and decoration under one creative framework, allowing the residences to move beyond the conventional boundaries of a furnished apartment.

The project also introduces a new chapter in the Maison’s relationship with London. While Poltrona Frau has long been present internationally, completing a fully integrated residential project in the British capital places its design philosophy directly within one of the world’s most established centres of architecture, art and luxury.

PRIVÉ Residences at One Nine Elms consequently offers a meeting point between two design cultures: the Italian tradition of meticulous furniture craftsmanship and London’s distinctly cosmopolitan approach to contemporary residential life. The connection is expressed not through excess, but through the considered relationship between materials, objects and space.

As the project opens a new chapter for Poltrona Frau in London, its most interesting quality may be the way individual pieces become part of something larger. A chair, a leather surface, a light or a work of art can each make an impression on its own; brought together with architectural intent, they contribute to the quieter experience of belonging to a particular place.

At One Nine Elms, that sense of cohesion gives the five residences their defining character — contemporary homes shaped not simply by furniture, but by an understanding of how craftsmanship can influence the way a space is lived in.