The great indoors with Pierre Brahm

interview by Judith Wilson

Above: Pierre Brahm

Many Londoners, not to mention long-term visitors to the capital, will have had a brush with the rental market. And most will also know that, in general, the properties available to rent are rarely beautifully decorated. The location may be perfect, with proximity to transport, theatres, and shops, but at best the style is neutral and bland. Yet five years ago a brand new company called Brahm arrived on the scene and completely transformed the high-end rental market. Pierre Brahm, its managing director, explains his light-bulb moment. ‘Companies like Candy and Candy were busy transforming the sales market with beautifully finished properties to buy, but the rental market was still very boring,’ he says. ‘I realised there was a gap in the market for boutique rental flats.’

Pierre quickly realised that stylishly done rental apartments – offering luxury with a capital L – could achieve up to an 80 per cent increase in rentals. In five short years, the company has gone from strength to strength and has now given the designer treatment to more than 20 properties. Right from the start, Brahm cleverly brought in key designers, who were already successful in their field, to try their hand at designing a rental flat. In the early days, the likes of Neisha and Charlotte Crosland, Allegra Hicks and Tara Bernerd created a variety of looks, from colourful opulence to rock’n’roll.

It wasn’t long before the accolades rolled in: Brahm won Design and Decoration award for Best Show Home, and was short-listed for the British Interior Design Award. These days, as the company continues to expand, Brahm has an in-house team of three designers, yet is still committed to one-off designs by individual names. There are new projects in the pipeline, but Brahm is giving nothing away – yet.

One of the most recent projects, an apartment in Cadogan Square, is in collaboration with the fashion house Pringle of Scotland. The Brahm in-house designer has interpreted Pringle’s autumn/winter 07 catwalk looks into a sophisticated apartment, refined in mood and decked out in soft, subtle colours. In the dining room, there is a reverse chevron walnut floor and horn chandelier, while there are grey silk walls in the master bedroom and a bed piled high with cashmere throws and cushions. ‘What makes these rental properties different is that quality is paramount, running in tandem with great design,’ says Pierre. ‘When people are paying rents of £4,000 per week, they want the best, and something fantastic to show off to their friends.’ These days, that means immaculate lighting, state-of-the-art bathrooms and kitchens and 21st-century technology.

Brahm has spent all his working life immersed in the high-end property and rental markets. Back in the 1950s, his father started Henry & James, the Belgravia specialist sales and letting agents and when he died in 1980, a youthful Pierre chose to take over the family firm. These days, he wears several hats, including CEO at Henry & James and MD at Brahm. But this of course means he can offer a broad service for clients, as Brahm’s quality rental apartments are only half the story. Through Henry & James, Brahm can offer

a house-finding service, as well as interior design tailored to a client’s needs, and even a lifestyle management service. ‘Successful people are also busy people,’ he says. ‘If someone wants us to find them a house, then design it with the look of one of our flats, we can do that for them.’ And it they want their new home furnished, right down to every hand towel and teaspoon, Brahm can do that, too.

Although Brahm is now considering branching out overseas, at the moment, the design projects are firmly centred in London, with properties in Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington and Notting Hill. ‘In recent years, London has blossomed – people realise that it is the place to be,’ says Brahm. His client base has changed since he has begun the boutique rental business. Originally, he catered almost exclusively for the city trade, whereas now high-profile clients from many disciplines are clamouring over the beautifully finished apartments. And has the design brief changed over the last five years? He pauses. ‘Oh yes,’ he says. ‘It used to be firmly minimalist. Now people want something a little more voluptuous – especially with the new Eastern European market. We’re seeing a preference for gold rather than silver, with tactile surfaces.’ And while the looks range from discreet glamour to bright colours, what is his personal vision of perfection? ‘I like the Ralph Lauren, modern American look.’ As for whether the trend for boutique rental flats is set to continue, Brahm offers the last word. ‘Usually in the rental market, people move on after a year,’ he says. ‘But with these flats, once someone moves in, that’s it. I can’t get them out!’

1 Motcomb Street, SW1X, 020 7235 3333 www.brahmproperty.com