Furnishing History: LOFT®'s Journey to The Super Prime Market in London and Beyond

The Old War Office transcends conventional luxury development categorisation. This is where Churchill orchestrated Britain's war effort. Where strategic intelligence decisions that shaped geopolitical history were executed. Where the architectural fabric itself resonates with profound national significance.

When Hinduja Group Limited acquired this Grade II* listed edifice in 2014, the vision extended far beyond conventional adaptive reuse – they identified an opportunity to transform one of Britain's most iconic institutional buildings into 85 exceptional private residences, complemented by the first UK Raffles Hotels & Resorts hotel Raffles London at The OWO.

LOFT.uk's trajectory into ultra-prime residential didn't commence in Whitehall. It originated at The Broadway in Westminster.

Our introduction to Simon Edwardson occurred during his tenure as Head of Sales at Northacre, where he was stewarding The Broadway – an architecturally distinguished collection of six residential towers positioned moments from St James's Park, Buckingham Palace, and the Palace of Westminster. Simon sought an interior design and FF&E procurement partner capable of delivering at institutional scale whilst maintaining the exacting specifications that prime central London real estate commands.

He appointed LOFT.

We delivered over £2.5 million in FF&E across multiple apartments at The Broadway– a commission that fundamentally re-calibrated our market trajectory. The project validated our operational capability within prime central London. It demonstrated our capacity to execute complex, high-specification residential schemes within one of the world's most demanding property markets. Most critically, it established a strategic partnership with Simon that would subsequently unlock opportunities previously beyond our addressable market.

These Westminster projects positioned LOFT credibly within a market segment where provenance and demonstrable track record carry substantial weight. The relationship forged was predicated on mutual professional respect, aligned quality standards, and genuine understanding of respective competencies.

When Simon subsequently founded Wind Leaf – specialising in new development consultancy for London's prime and international super-prime residential sectors – our partnership evolved into a more sophisticated strategic alliance. His granular understanding of developer, family office, and UHNW client expectations regarding interior design and FF&E provision at the ultra-premium tier has been instrumental in repositioning LOFT for projects we'd previously regarded as aspirational rather than accessible.

Wind Leaf's value proposition extends beyond project introduction – they provide strategic market positioning. Simon comprehends LOFT's operational capabilities, our People First Design philosophy, and how to translate two decades of residential sector experience into propositions that resonate with luxury developers operating at the highest specification levels. His consultancy has enabled us to navigate the nuanced procurement protocols, specification hierarchies, and delivery expectations inherent in markets where performance margins are non-negotiable.

The OWO commission exemplifies this partnership's efficacy. Simon's strategic guidance ensured our approach encompassed appropriate credentials, team configuration, and professional calibre that a development of such national significance demands. From The Broadway through The OWO and into international markets – it's a progression we've executed collaboratively, with momentum continuing to accelerate.

This partnership represents one of LOFT's most significant growth verticals. London prime and super-prime property – where design excellence, heritage sensitivity, and exceptional craftsmanship converge as baseline expectations – constitutes a market segment we're deliberately expanding throughout 2026 and beyond. With Simon and the Wind Leaf team providing strategic consultancy, we're not tentatively exploring this space; we're systematically establishing credentials at the apex of residential property development.

The challenge transcended premium product sourcing. Success required understanding each building's historical narrative. Respecting Grade-listed architectural integrity whilst creating interiors that embody contemporary luxury living standards. Delivering comprehensive interior design services that complement diverse client portfolios – not competing with 1508 London's distinguished base building design, but enhancing it through considered FF&E curation.

Every apartment required an identity as a unique residence, not a replicated specification template. Every furniture piece needed to honour the architectural gravitas whilst delivering the ergonomic functionality and aesthetic refinement that modern luxury residential markets demand.

These commissions extended our capabilities in ways we hadn't fully anticipated – and therein resided their strategic value.

Heritage requires humility. You don't impose contemporary design language upon buildings of this significance. You engage in architectural dialogue, respecting historical context, and identifying furnishing solutions that feel intrinsically appropriate to place.

Luxury resides in granular detail. At this specification tier, every finish junction matters. Every material transition. Every joinery detail. There's no operational latitude to rely on volume or scale – work quality exists under continuous scrutiny.

Collaboration defines success. Working alongside internationally recognised architects, designers, and development consultants reinforced that premium-tier projects succeed through professional partnership, not organisational ego. Having Simon Edwardson and the Wind Leaf team providing strategic guidance through London prime residential development complexities proved invaluable to project outcomes.

Our team demonstrated capability elevation. Observing our personnel deliver to these standards – meeting expectations for some of London's most significant residential developments – proved profoundly validating of our organisational evolution.

These projects constituted comprehensive proof of concept.

For two decades, LOFT has operated predominantly within the Living Sector because we maintained conviction about creating quality residential environments universally – not exclusively for privileged demographics. That mission remains unchanged. What has evolved is our understanding of organisational capability when appropriately challenged.

Throughout 2026, LOFT is executing strategic evolution. We're deliberately pursuing premium and super-prime residential commissions where our comprehensive interior design capabilities, product expertise, and service excellence can be deployed on projects demanding the highest specification standards.

This doesn't signify BTR or PBSA sector abandonment – these remain core to our operational identity. However, it does indicate we're no longer self-limiting to singular market segments. We've validated competitive capability at the luxury tier. And we're committed to expanding that presence.