Can a family live happily in a home that’s almost an art gallery too? If you weave in plenty of colour, warmth and inspiring ideas, why not?
Get the look: The sofa, rug and cushions are by Designers Guild. The Donna Wilson pouffe is from SCP. Similar art can be found at london.secret.rca.ac.uk, where you can browse the postcards and register as a secret buyer.
THE PROPERTY
A Thirties house in southwest London, around 2,500 sq ft, arranged over three floors. On the ground floor is a living room, kitchen-diner, garden room, TV room and office. Upstairs on the first floor is the master bedroom suite, including a walk-in wardrobe, plus two bedrooms and a shower room. On the top floor are two further bedrooms and a bathroom.
GARDEN ROOM
The interiors take their cue from the aesthetics of contemporary Australian minimalism and their trademark inside-out feel.
Thanks to underfloor heating and thermal glass, this modern garden room is toasty even in the middle of winter.
Get the look: The sofa, rug and cushions are by Designers Guild. The Donna Wilson pouffe is from SCP. Similar art can be found at london.secret.rca.ac.uk, where you can browse the postcards and register as a secret buyer.
What makes this house so special is its carefree love for colour. Like the seamless way the interiors are used as a backdrop for an overflowing art collection.
Above the sofa is an eclectic group of pictures, including postcards by artists such as Billy Childish, from the Royal College of Art’s Secret sale. The pouffe and sofa work brilliantly together, but that’s luck as they were bought four or five years apart.
Get the look: This is the Network bookcase by Casamania.
The copper box was a sterilising box for dental tools found in an antiques shop on the Isle of Wight. It was a lucky find and it fitted on that bookshelf perfectly.
SITTING ROOM
The sitting room is restful and relaxing, with a log burner and paired-back, Scandi feel.
Get the look: This is an SCP sofa. The rug is from Designers Guild. These are Serve tables by Hay. The copper tray was found during a trip to Buenos Aires. Hanging above the wood burner is a painting by Australian artist Ian Grant.
KITCHEN
Some works of art were pivotal as starting points for the décor. The blue-green ceramics in the kitchen are by potter Derek Wilson and were given to the architect of this property, so that the Corian work surface could be colour-matched.
Get the look: The cabinetry is by Interior Elegance London. The light-wood floor is from The Natural Wood Floor Company. The stools are from Ikea. The ceramics above the stove are by Derek Wilson; and most of those on the open shelving are by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion.
More hand-thrown pots were commissioned for a display in the kitchen.
Get the look: The cabinetry is by Interior Elegance London. The light-wood floor is from The Natural Wood Floor Company. The stools are from Ikea. The ceramics above the stove are by Derek Wilson; and most of those on the open shelving are by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion.
Hanging plants against the wall add to the relaxed, neutral scheme.
Get the look: The plant pots are from botanyshop.co.uk. The basket is by Ikea.
DINING AREA
There are quirky touches everywhere, like the roll of paper with a ‘quote of the week’ for children to mull over – like quotes from the Dalai Lama or Muhammad Ali. Handy for subliminally teaching kids about values.
Get the look: Capture inspiration on a brown paper roll from New Zealand brand George & Willy. This is a Loop Stand table by Hay. The white House chairs are from John Lewis. These are the Piña chair by Jaime Hayón for Magis at Aram Store, left, and the Carbon chair by Bertjan Pot and Marcel Wanders for Moooi, right.
The paintings created using Post-it notes are by Katie Lips.
BOYS BEDROOM
The roller blinds in the boy’s room (one an Aussie flag and the other a British one) express his dual nationality.
Get the look: The Warwick high sleeper with day bed is from Aspace. The bespoke blinds were designed and made by Lisa Gomer. The cushion and globe are from Ikea.
MASTER BEDROOM
The bedroom scheme was designed around a photograph that could only fit in one place in the house, which was above the bed.
The floral blinds might have felt a bit granny-ish, a bit insipid at first, if it wasn’t for the cushions – which are the same fabric but in a different colourway – giving them more punch.
Get the look: Doc Ross’s photography can be found at gallery464.co.nz. The headboard of the Hästens bed has been re-covered in a Designers Guild fabric. The lamp is from Lightyears. Resprayed and with glass tops made to match the bathroom, the bedside tables are from Ikea. The rug and cushions are from Designers Guild.
BATHROOM
Suspended just behind the bath is a verre églomisé (or gilded glass) mirror; attached on the other side is a functional mirror over a basin unit and a cupboard for all your gubbins.
Get the look The roll-top bath is from The Water Monopoly and the mirror is by Ochre. These are Minoli floor tiles. The glass panel is by Dominic Schuster. The shower screen and fittings are from West One Bathrooms.
Learn more about the owner’s art consultancy business at louisawarfieldart.com, or visit louisawarfield_artconsultancy on Instagram
Photography ⁄ Paul Massey
