Bold Colours Bring Victorian Heritage to Life in This Notting Hill Townhouse
Past and present collide in this colourful Victorian townhouse in Notting Hill.
Victorian-era homes always have this special something – grand proportions, original mouldings and ornate architectural details that speak to their heritage. This 3,000 square foot townhouse, reimagined by London interior design practice Studio Vero, honours these original features while introducing a daring colour scheme.
The four-bedroom property moves away from typical neutral palettes in favour of energetic colours – aubergine woodwork, mustard kitchen cabinets and duck egg blue bathrooms feature throughout. The boutique firm incorporated sustainable design principles by repurposing existing kitchen units, bathroom fittings and various wall coverings, combining them with carefully sourced mid-century European furniture and distinctive art pieces.
"From the outset we wanted to bring this property to life using energetic colours and quirky design features which not only reflect our client's brief but also this wonderful lively neighbourhood. We also had to ensure it was as fabulous for entertaining as it was comfortable and practical for daily life," says Romanos Brihi, co-founder of Studio Vero.
The entryway sets the tone with Edward Bulmer's Jonquil pink on the walls and Farrow & Ball's Brinjal aubergine on the woodwork. A custom Gideon Hatch runner in pale green, peach and sky blue leads past an ISO bench sourced from Paris and a green and white Celadon Parasol table lamp from Palefire.
The ground floor continues the aubergine theme on all architraves and window frames. The sitting and dining room walls are painted in Little Greene's Drizzle, a grey-blue shade that provides a backdrop for pieces including a 1950s cocktail cabinet by Carl-Axel Acking, a Hector Finch pendant light and a custom-made oak dining table paired with teal Howe chairs. The sitting area features bespoke sofas – one curved in Dedar's boucle fabric, another in mohair-cotton velvet – alongside a 1960s Dutch armchair and antique palm side table from the 1970s.
The kitchen showcases repurposed cabinets painted in Little Greene's Middle Buff, a mustard yellow that contrasts with blue, green and aubergine Hanley Tube wall tiles by Balineum and a blue and white lino checkerboard floor from Sinclair Till. A custom fluted island is complemented by dark bronze bar stools by Rose Uniacke and pendant lights by Hector Finch.
On the first floor, a small workspace on the landing features Ferrick Mason's floral Kinkead wallpaper and a mid-century chair with mustard upholstery. The principal bedroom combines comfort and colour with an oversized plum and olive panelled headboard designed by Studio Vero, duck egg blue fabric walls and red accents from a striped C&C Milano bedspread and crimson lacquer chest of drawers. Vintage 1970s Danish rosewood bedside tables sourced from Vinterior are paired with brass table lamps from Bert Frank.
The main bathroom continues the duck egg theme with walls and woodwork in Little Greene's Aquamarine Mid, while decorative touches include a roman blind in Nuphar fabric from Zak and Fox and Hector Finch wall lights. The second bathroom features ceramic wall and floor tiles from Elisa Passino Studio against navy blue woodwork painted in Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue.
Two guest bedrooms showcase distinct personalities. One doubles as a study with bright blue walls incorporating a bespoke colourway from Papers & Paints and Kate Hawkins' dotted wallpaper, plus an Isabelle Baldwin headboard upholstered in Schumacher's Rocky Performance Velvet in Marigold. The other combines GP & J Baker's miniature trefoil sprig pattern wallpaper in green with curved Scandinavian furniture including a 1950s desk chair and Yves headboard by Trove.
The basement TV room retains original dark blue fabric wall covering with terracotta window frames in Farrow & Ball's Terre d'Egypte. The space layers abstract and traditional patterns, featuring an L-shaped sofa in Christopher Farr cloth, a vintage armchair upholstered in Thomas Callaway Pattern Works fabric, and a sculptural green floor lamp by French designer Axel Chay. A 1975 graphic poster by Josef Müller Brockmann adds visual interest.
"There's nothing more rewarding than creating a home that your clients love," adds Venetia Rudebeck, co-founder of Studio Vero. "Every element of this project has taken huge consideration and demonstrates that great timeless design can be achieved through the celebration of historical, new and re-worked pieces - a vision that will always define our work at Studio Vero."
Photography: Simon Brown