Behind a Classic Victorian Facade Lies a Bold, Color-Drenched London Home Where Earth Tones and Danish Design Create Something Truly Unique
Coaxing this Victorian property into the 21st century, Tom Morris of Morrisstudio has crafted contemporary schemes where rich colors play a starring role
Behind the facade of this classic three-story Victorian property in London lies a completely unexpected interior. Alluring use of color, rich woods, crafted furniture, and beguiling fabrics inject a certain joie de vivre that ensures the interior sings.
It’s a quintessential design by Tom Morris of Morrisstudio, who describes his signature style as ‘steering towards earthy or warmer tones, a touch more on the masculine side but never too overdesigned or stylized, with a diverse mix of things’.
The brief from the client, who had lived in the house for some time, was to make the interior more cohesive and improve storage. Tom’s solution involved devising a color scheme that brought everything together, utilizing the space with custom joinery and elevating the interior with bespoke pieces and Danish furniture.
Living Room: A green sofa injects energy. Tom added navy blue piping that links to the Japanese boro cloth artwork and cushions. Bespoke sofa in Old Flax in Catalpa Green by Soane Britain, with trim by Houlès. Pendant, vintage. Rug, Jaipur Rugs. Cushions, Lola & Mawu. Japanese boro cloth artwork, Sauce
Color was woven through the house design in a way that infuses a sense of modernity. In the punchy living room, for instance, the palette was inspired by the work of artist Frank Auerbach, resulting in an ode to color.
‘We really wanted to bring in some lovely warm earth tones,’ says Tom. ‘Frank would have quite a moody, dark color palette and against it there would be brighter colors, so that’s why we brought in a bespoke pistachio green sofa, as well as all the indigo shades.’
Living Room: The custom joinery has been painted in the same earthy red as the walls for a cocooning feel. Walls and joinery in Masai by Paint & Paper Library. Curtains in Hamac sheer by Métaphores
The clients were keen to incorporate more storage, and Tom introduced custom joinery that is painted in the same earthy red hue as the walls. Sitting neatly in alcoves on either side of the living room fireplace, the cabinetry provides practical storage, as well as a handy drinks cabinet. Rich wooden detailing injects extra depth. ‘I was trying to create something useful, but also make a feature of it,’ says Tom. ‘We added the ply background to link to the original floorboards, which have been beautifully treated, so it’s a way of mirroring them as well.’
The chestnut tone of a Josef Hoffmann chair works beautifully in the mix, while a sleek leather chair is another iconic vintage Danish piece. ‘I was trying to do a lot with a little so that each piece worked cohesively as a whole, while still keeping the room fairly open,’ says Tom. In keeping with his ethos of not overdesigning, he chose a simple but effective sheer fabric at the window to provide privacy. ‘Light filters through it and it has the most beautiful dappled texture,’ he reveals. Japanese boro cloth artwork, cushions, and an Indian rug infuse pops of indigo and evoke an eclectic feel.
Dining Area: The early-20th-century anthropological prints were spotted by Tom a few years ago. ‘They’re really beautiful and this was the perfect spot for them,’ he says. Prints, Quindry. 1950s teak and oak chairs from Chase & Sorensen. Table and runner, client’s own. Curtain in Fil-à-Fil by Inga Sempé for Kvadrat. Artwork, Ashoka panel by Robert Kime. Walls in Hawksmoor, Mylands
The blue and red color scheme was then teased through into the next-door kitchen, where it translates as a paler blue and pink. ‘We chose the colors to contrast with the living room, where we’ve gone for the reds in one room, it’s pinks in the kitchen,’ explains Tom. ‘I was very conscious of the kitchen clashing with the sitting room, so the bases are quite complementary.’
Statement fabrics, such as the striped curtains and blinds, catch the eye, while an exquisite fabric by Robert Kime was framed and made into an artwork. The dark wood kitchen cabinetry, which already existed, links with the walnut timber in the living room, while the thread of iconic Danish design is continued with the mid-century Chase & Sorensen dining chairs.
Bathroom: This soothing green space is Tom’s favorite room. ‘The bath is vast and sits under a bright window,’ he says. ‘It’s the most lovely, calm place.’ Rockwell bath, The Water Monopoly. Kelly floor lamp, Porta Romana. Blind in Primrose linen by Volga. Lyon limestone floor tiles, Mandarin Stone. Walls in Wattle V by Paint & Paper Library
The large Victorian house is notable for its good proportions. However, Tom faced a challenge on the first floor, where an open-plan layout meant that the client could see from the bedroom through to the bathroom beyond.
Stud walling was therefore installed, and the door was moved to provide a grander entrance to the space, and the bed was repositioned to sit on the fireplace wall, and joinery was installed on either side, improving the sight lines through to the bathroom.
Dressing Area: Curtains separate this space from the bedroom and bathroom. ‘We made a feature of them with double-sided fabric,’ explains Tom. Curtains in Burnley Ticking (using two different colors back to back), Howe at 36 Bourne Street. Grasscloth wallcovering, Nobilis
Tom then created a dressing room space with mirrors on the cupboard doors to bring in light and incorporated double-sided fabric curtains to close off the bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom when necessary.
‘It was a way of making a focal point of the opening yet softening it, and using color to section out each space without being too out of sync with each other,’ he says.
Bedroom: The Indian carving was left by the previous owners. Tom restored it and made a feature of it, hanging it up above the bed to crown it. Zettel’z pendant by Ingo Maurer. Curtains in Laundered linen by Warwick. Quilt, Yoruba indigo cloths by Adire African Textiles. Headboard and cushion in Obernai jacquard, Pierre Frey. Grand rug in Moss by Nordic Knots
The house’s grand scale ensures that the interior feels quite contemporary, which fed into Tom’s design narrative. As he concludes: ‘The interior space allowed us to blend different styles and different periods to create something truly singular.’
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