With its laid-back vibe and luscious hues, this home is undeniably cool. Featuring a cornucopia of design ideas that are real-life practical, and a color palette — from chartreuse to raspberry red — that sings, it is, much like its inhabitants, harmonious, happy and brimming with character.
"A home is to be lived in and that’s uppermost in my mind whether I’m designing for us or for clients," says its creator Amanda Lyon, who started out as an environmental engineer before pivoting into interior design. "I think of maintenance and care first, but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style."
In this modern home, for example, this means that the sofa’s bold emerald green (inspired by Le Corbusier’s Vert 59) is an easy-clean fabric, as is the sisal-look stair carpet.
"This curved stainless steel island, encompassing a hob, ovens and prep space, was my modest take on bringing a commercial-style kitchen into our home," says Amanda. "The color of the cabinetry moves from crimson to burgundy to raspberry in the light and brings warmth."
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
This space is used a lot by the family, for playing board games, homework, reading and arts and crafts.
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
Amanda, who leads ALL Design Studio, involved her family — husband Steve and children Lily, 11, and Archie, nine — in the house’s evolution from the start. "Otherwise I’d be accused of just designing what I want," she laughs. Lily persisted in painstaking research to find the exact shade of purple-pink for her bedroom, and Archie was adamant about having bunk beds and white walls in his. "He is naturally quite minimalist and had to be slightly bribed about the beds being painted green, but he loves them now," she adds.
A small-scale checkered cushion is a great way of adding pattern in a subtle way — and this M&S one gets extra style points for its clever optical-illusion effect.
"We host a lot of gatherings and after dinner we tend to end up here with cocktails and the vinyl in action. I also relax here on rare occasions when I have the house to myself," says Amanda. "I love music from the 1960s and 1970s, so it’s great to unwind and get lost in this space."
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
"I am hugely influenced by Le Corbusier, especially his colors, and when it came to picking the sofa fabric I knew it had to be in his Vert 59 shade; it adds a sense of unexpected to the scheme. The art series is by a Dutch design duo whose work I admire," Amanda says.
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
The couple bought the house 11 years ago, but being busy with young children and Amanda’s new business, they only started work on it five years ago with the kitchen extension. "On reflection it was a blessing as it meant we got to know the house and how we wanted to live with our growing family," Amanda says.
After a more organic take on mirrored furniture? Westwing has your back with this gorgeous side table.
"This was designed for Steve but I’ve taken it over," says Amanda. "As it’s part of our new loft extension, we thought we could steer to a more mid-century vibe. The floating desk and panels bring a serene sense to the space."
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
This space includes a screen (hidden behind the pelmet) for film nights and a "gigantic" L-shaped sofa that turns into a sleepover bed.
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
The result is an easy flow, with areas that have a distinct character — the reading nook in the living room, the chartreuse den for movie nights and games at the top of the house — yet combine as if there were a blueprint from day one. "There definitely was not," says Amanda. "It was more of an evolution over time, and I used the house as a bit of a test bed for materials, color combinations, layouts — it was fun to have that freedom."
A reproduction fireplace was replaced by this sculptural piece, which references modernist sentiments to contrast with the period of the property.
This is a home where every aspect is fully utilized, which is something Amanda brings to clients who are often young families with space at a premium. The top-floor extension, housing the multipurpose den, office, and shower room, was completed a year ago, so now that the building work is done, the family can focus on enjoying their home.
This home's vintage Mies van der Rohe MR10 chair got us on the hunt for other options that combine chrome with woven textures — and now, we're in love with this set from Soho Home.
"Nostalgia was a big inspiration for this bathroom scheme. It’s a small family space, so I wanted to make a statement with color but keep a sense of order with the stacked floor-to-ceiling tile layout," Amanda says.
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
"This is in our new extension at the top of the house and it has a walk-in shower, which is super handy in the mornings," Amanda says.
Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: ALL Design Studio
December is a very special time for them. "Archie was born on Christmas Eve and Lily on the 13th, so we go big on celebrating," Amanda says. "We have a lovely gathering for friends and family on December 24th, then it’s the four of us, and of course our dog, Bo, cooking a delicious meal on Christmas Day — just perfect."
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