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Monday Inspiration: Beautiful Rooms

School’s out for summer then. Or out for ever in the case of the 18yo currently wandering around Sicily on a post A level trip while the nearly 16yo is taking more of a horizontal approach to his relaxation schedule. So with that in mind, here’s the first of this week’s beautiful rooms designed by the uber talent that is Amber Lewis and photographed by Tessa Neustadt. I dream of a room like this.

white chaise longue via Amber Lewis photographed by Tessa Neustadt
white chaise longue via Amber Lewis photographed by Tessa Neustadt

It’s so simple and yet so beautiful with a really minimal colour palette but lots of different textures including vintage wood. I increasingly find that modern wooden furniture just doesn’t do it for me these days. I struggle to think of any we have in the house as most of it has come from junk shops, ebay and the odd road find. Perhaps it’s an age thing and I just want my furniture to be older than me? Anyone else find their tastes changing with their age?

gubi coffee table
gubi coffee table

That said it only applies to wood and possibly only to tables when I think about it. This is by Gubi and while it will cost squillions of pounds there are plenty of similar marble ones around that you can find and you can add a couple of vintage chairs and recreate this look. If we’re getting into the details – and that surely is the point of this post – the round table is a good contrast to the rectangle sofa and the square chairs but the dots on the cushions are a nice touch that bring it all together. It’s thinking of the details like that that make all the difference. And also throwing in an burst of unexpected colour like emerald green – not too much or it will all start to look a little over co-coordinated but just a bit – so that it looks carelessly chic -that’s what you are aiming for. In houses and clothes come to that.

image via hkliving
image via hkliving

Here’s another example; yes this is a product shot for a sofa. And yes it’s an amazing room with the high, wooden inlaid ceiling and parquet floor but that irreverent picture above the sofa just brings a lightness and a sense of fun to the space that might otherwise feel a little stiff and posh. This may be pale furniture in a grown-up setting but you know, when you see that picture, that you are meant to relax and have fun in this room. You can buy similar here, possibly even better as it makes a direct point about the period of the room it’s in.

pale neutrals by bianca hall of french for pineapple
pale neutrals by bianca hall of french for pineapple

This is another clever room. A standard Victorian terrace belonging to Bianca Hall but she has customised this Ikea cabinet to add interest and if you’re feeling brave then here is how she did it. Or what about this upholstered headboard. This is a great way to make a bed look larger and more luxurious and you can put the bedside tables in front of it. Again here are step by step instructions. I couldn’t do it but that doesn’t stop me recommending it to you. Basically it’s the age old thing – if the room doesn’t have lots of character then you have to add some in the furnishings.

bedroom headboard makeover by bianca hall
bedroom headboard makeover by bianca hall

Showing you two pictures here as it’s too wide for one and that gives you a sense of how it fills the width of the room. It’s such a clever idea and one I heartily recommend you steal as long as you give her credit when you show it off on social media. If you can’t do it then show the builder the blog post!

upholstered headboard by bianca hall
upholstered headboard by bianca hall 

Sticking with the relaxing pale shades again and let’s look at this gorgeous Devol kitchen for Ingredients LDN, which, despite its name, is in Edinburgh. This is the natural finish by Devol’s long time collaborator Sebastian Cox.

Natural devol kitchen by Sebastian Cox for Ingredients LDN
Natural devol kitchen by Sebastian Cox for Ingredients LDN

Finishing with a little touch of the unexpected and the pink larder in this kitchen. This is a perfect example of everything I like in interiors. Classic with a twist. Something unexpected. It’s a very classic kitchen but the pink larder brings something new and different to the room. It could be any colour you choose but it’s a curveball to the room and it works brillantly. If nothing else seek out your own interior curve balls.

pink larder via SW16_no96
pink larder via SW16_no96

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

4 Comments

  1. You are right to wonder if your interior tastes change with age, of course they will. Getting older you will, possibly, want to live differently. The boys leave home, the house may be too big and by selling it you can start again, probably with more money for making things the way you dream?

    We have had several houses and 2 flats. I find that eventually you keep the furniture and things you love the best and hand down or give away the rest. Eventually you get to the point where you can buy most things you desire, (within reason).

    If you are interested in interiors, even at the point in life you struggle with colour choices, and the interiors that you had planned won’t work at all!

    Therefore Mad about…..is invaluable.

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