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Home tour | A beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh

January 20, 2020

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

It’s time for my first home tour of 2020 and today’s is particularly special, as it features a property that I was lucky enough to visit and photograph in person. Located in a traditional tenement building in the Morningside area of Edinburgh, this two-bedroom apartment belongs to interior designer Salsabil El-Awaisi, who I’ve been following on Instagram for a while now. She was kind enough to invite me round during my recent trip to the Scottish capital, and I was blown away by the beautiful decor. It was also great to meet an online friend in real life, and we spent hours chatting away over tea and coffee!

Salsabil lives in the apartment with her husband and four-year-old son Adam. They rent the property but were given free rein to redecorate, and the result is an elegant yet relaxed family home that’s brimming with personality. I love the contrast between the clean-lined, contemporary furniture and the ornate period features, and the way Salsabil has incorporated soft colours such as blush pink, inky blue and ochre alongside crisp white walls and grey textiles. There’s also lots of lovely texture in the form of velvet cushions, snuggly woollen blankets and leafy plants, and the whole place is bathed in natural light thanks to tall sash windows.

Over to Salsabil herself for more on the apartment, the story behind it and her approach to design…

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Hi Salsabil! Please could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and what you do?

“This could take a while, but I’ll try to keep it short! Originally from Palestine, I grew up between Dunblane and Dundee in Scotland and now live in Edinburgh. I graduated from university eight years ago with a degree in interior design and have been working in the industry ever since. Four years ago I had my son Adam, who is my ray of sunshine. After maternity leave, I just couldn’t come to terms with leaving him in any kind of childcare, so I decided to leave my job as an interior-design consultant and launch my own business.”

How did you get started in interior design?

“Growing up I changed my mind about what I wanted to be so many times, but one thing I used to do was rearrange my room constantly. I drove my mum and sisters crazy, but they eventually learnt to live with it! So naturally, when it came to university, interior design seemed like the right option. As a little girl I always knew I wanted to run my own business, which helped when I made the decision to start my own company after maternity leave.”

Where’s home, and how long have you lived there?

“I’ve been based in Edinburgh for the past five years and I can’t imagine leaving any time soon. It’s one of the most beautiful cities I’ve lived in! We’ve been in this particular apartment for almost two years now.”

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Contemporary pieces contrast beautifully with the apartment’s period features, including ornate cornicing and recessed shelving. Throughout, carefully chosen accessories, textiles and gallery walls add warmth and character. 

You’ve totally transformed your home since moving in. What changes did you make, and did you encounter any challenges along the way?

“From the very first viewing of this flat I knew I would be making many changes – it was a real eyesore, with old-fashioned red carpet and wallpaper. The biggest challenge was trying to balance redoing things with our limited time and budget, so in the end we decided to do it slowly, room by room, until we finished designing the whole flat last summer. We started with a clean slate as it was unfurnished.”

How would you describe your interiors style?

“Modern and clean, with soft colours.”

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Salsabil’s living room showcases her talent for combining soft colours. The huge wall hanging behind the sofa creates a stunning focal point and brings together the various shades used around the space. 

Where do you find inspiration for your home?

“I find inspiration in anything around me. Nature, movies, magazines… and of course Instagram!”

What’s your favourite part of the apartment and why?

“I love my bedroom. It’s the most recent room we finished, and I just love how it feels. The colours are really soft and relaxing, and I find myself spending lots of time in there.”

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

The master bedroom is painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Sulking Room Pink’. Salsabil added the panelling herself, and also made the wall hanging above the bed from an Anthropologie bathmat!

And your favourite piece of furniture?

“I love my bookshelf and my open pantry. I really enjoy rearranging them and trying out new ways to style pieces there.”

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Salsabil likes using the shelves in the living room and kitchen to style favourite items and new finds. 

Where do you like to source pieces for your home – any favourite brands or shops?

“As an interior designer I’m always online or in shops looking for new products, which means I get to check out so many different stores. Some of my personal favourites are Anthropologie, West Elm and Cox & Cox, but I love browsing local independent shops too.”

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Home tour - a beautiful period apartment in Edinburgh | These Four Walls blog

Adam’s bedroom is decorated in white, blue and grey, and incorporates fun touches such as a canopy and a clothes rail suspended from the ceiling. Open shelves mean he can display his favourite books, pictures and toys, and he’s inherited a penchant for rearranging things from his mum! 

Finally, what’s your top interior-design tip?

“Don’t be scared of experimenting and trying new designs. It’s the best way to find your own unique style.”

Thanks Salsabil!

See more of Salsabil’s work, together with information about her design services, at Salsabilelawaisi.com. You’ll also find her on Instagram and You Tube, where she shares lots of design inspiration and DIY ideas.

All photography by Abi Dare

Related

2 Comments · Interiors

Comments

  1. Fiona Mostyn says

    January 21, 2020 at 9:15 am

    A really lovely apartment. I love the soft colours and the natural wood. It all works together so beautifully

    Reply
    • Abi says

      January 21, 2020 at 1:17 pm

      It’s gorgeous isn’t it? And I like the fact it wasn’t done with a huge budget, or loads of structural changes – there are some really lovely, accessible and do-able ideas

      Reply

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HELLO

Abi Dare | These Four Walls blog

I’m Abi Dare – a stylist, photographer and writer based in Bristol (UK). I set up this blog to share interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration for simple, relaxed living at home and beyond. You’ll find home tours, advice and tips, interviews, reviews, postcards from places I love and more – always with a focus on soft minimalism, muted colours and timeless, considered design.

‘Top 10 UK interior design blogs’ 2025, 2024, 2023 & 2022, Vuelio

‘Best Interior Design Blog’, uFurnish Home Awards 2024

Winner of the ‘Blogger’ category in the Sweetpea & Willow Home Influencer Awards 2023

‘Best Design & Architecture Blog’, UK Blog Awards 2019

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