In many ways, this double-fronted townhouse in west London has a very classical look, but behind its handsome facade lies a rather special addition.
When interior designers Pamela and Kate Cox first visited their clients’ new home, they were surprised to discover a studio building in the rear garden. ‘It had been used as an art gallery space by the previous owner,’ says Pamela. ‘But it struck us both that if it was connected to the house, this fabulous, light-filled structure would be the perfect location for the new kitchen and dining room.’
Dining room: This light-filled space overlooks the garden and flows into the kitchen at the rear. 'The mood in here is soft and relaxed,' Pamela says. Grignano wall lights, Richard Taylor Designs. Arrow rug, Studio Hám.
Mother and daughter Pamela and Kate are part of family-run Hám Interiors and were brought in to revitalize the inside space, working alongside Nick Cox and his interior architecture team, who oversaw the structural side of the house’s renovation.
While this may sound like a major upheaval, the process consciously worked around the family’s busy day-to-day routines, so the transformation was achieved in a calm and measured fashion. ‘The beauty of working gradually rather than rushing in and out is you acquire a really good feel for a house,’ says Pamela. ‘Ideas are suggested, discussed, and developed in a very organic way.’
Kitchen: The pitched ceiling and porthole window hint at this space’s former life as an art studio, which is now seamlessly connected to the main house. Bespoke cabinetry, Hám Interiors; painted in Sudbury Yellow and Hague Blue (island), both Farrow & Ball. Gibson pendants, The Urban Electric Company. Range cooker, Lacanche.
The family who own this house were open to all of Pamela and Kate’s suggestions, particularly when it came to color, which plays a key role in the home’s new character. ‘There are two ways to do color,’ explains Pamela. ‘You can stick with a safe base and add layers of brighter colors on top, for example, with fabrics. Or, as we did here, you can be bolder and make strong colors your starting point.’
Living room: The warm terracotta shade makes a fabulous gallery wall for the clients’ art collection. Walls in Malahide, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. Weekender sofa, Studio Atkinson. Pinecone lamp; Ticking shade, both Studio Hám. Bespoke sofa (far left), Studio Hám; in Stanhope, Guy Goodfellow Collection.
She admits that the idea of painting a double living room orange might sound alarming to some people, but their clients were on board from the start.
‘It’s vital to listen to your clients at every stage and there was a constant back and forth between us as ideas evolved.’ The moment they knew ‘operation orange’ was a success came when the couple’s own artworks and books were brought out of storage. Until this final stage, these items had been safely packed away and Pamela and Kate hadn’t set eyes on them. ‘But as soon as their vibrant paintings were hung and their books were arranged on the shelves, the color was softened, and it all worked perfectly,’ Pamela recalls.
Boot room: A lower ground floor entrance area includes a window seat – a favorite spot of the family’s dachshund. ‘She likes to sit there and look out,’ says Pamela. Walls and bespoke cabinetry in Pigeon, Farrow & Ball. Bench cushion in Racing Stripe, Mulberry Home. Antique caddies, Studio Hám.
This warm terracotta shade – Malahide by Edward Bulmer Natural Paint – is used in both areas of the living room then subtly repeated in fabrics elsewhere in the house, such as on the striped window seat in the boot room.
Through setting up such echoes, the use of a bold color feels coherent rather than jarring. The shade is also a great partner for the moody blue tones that appear throughout the home.
‘Dark blues are a consistent thread, from the paint shade used on the kitchen island to soft furnishings in the living room and the walls of the main bedroom,’ says Pamela. This fosters a feeling of continuity: ‘When all the internal doors are open, the spaces feel connected.’
Main bedroom: ‘This wonderfully restful shade was a natural choice,’ says Pamela of the moody blue on the walls, which offsets the luxuriously layered fabrics and rich-toned wood beautifully. Walls in Inchyra Blue, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke New Gloucester bed, Max Rollitt.
Pamela and Kate’s clients also fell for the mellow yellow shade Nick suggested for the kitchen, where the bespoke cabinets have a hint of country style without feeling out of place in this city setting. ‘When you walk into this home, the colors evoke character without feeling overwhelming,’ Pamela adds.
Child's bedroom: A sumptuously gathered canopy in a fine-check pink gingham neatly frames the bed and creates a timeless feel. Bespoke joinery in Pink Ground, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke bed and canopy in Jay Check, Colefax and Fowler. Lizzie wallpaper in Rose/Stone, Jean Monro.
In the bedrooms, however, color is used to calm and soothe. The children’s rooms were decorated first, because it was important for them to feel settled as soon as possible. The daughter’s scheme features a romantic canopy draped around an upholstered bed, creating layers of softness in dusky pinks. Meanwhile, bespoke bunk beds come with curtains that can be drawn across to create a cozy Moonrise Kingdom-style hideaway. Even in the main bedroom, the four-poster has a similar wrap-around feel, while the bed’s proportions suit the room’s high ceiling.
Child's bedroom: The home’s key colours of orange and blue are echoed in this scheme, where the bespoke bunk beds are recessed and curtained for a cosy feel. Walls in Skylight, Farrow & Ball. Joinery in Blue Blood, Paint & Paper Library. Artwork; Rufus table (just seen); both Studio Hám.
One of the things Pamela loves most about this home is its genuinely relaxed feel. ‘It’s a fabulous house but not overly formal, and children and dogs have the run of all the spaces,’ she says. ‘Now that the studio is integrated into the main house, there’s a sense of flow and every area of the home is well used.’