Today we are taking a look at a dramatic, glamorous family home near Battersea Park. This colourful maximalist home is a riot of sophisticated pattern and colour. The Victorian residence, which first appeared in Architectural Digest, belongs to Hannah Cecil Gurney and family. Hannah is the daughter of the founder of de Gournay – a luxury wall covering brand. Prices for these handmade wallpapers start at around £1000 a panel. As the head of global marketing and development for de Gournay this lucky lady gets to use them in abundance in her home. Get ready to swoon…..
Living Room
The living room is a chic, glamorous mix of chocolate, salmon and blue. The pattern of the chinoiserie de Gournay wallpaper is echoed in the cushions on the sofa and in the flowers in the vase and on the candlesticks. This repetition, and the symmetrical furniture layout, brings unity and balance to the flamboyant room.
Kitchen
I absolutely love this kitchen. The bright colours of cabinetry and chairs are taken from the embroidered floral silk wallpaper from de Gournay. This combo of cerise and aqua is fun and uplifting. The orange overhead lampshades and gold fittings and hardware add a bit of bling but it is the arabescato marble island top that is the star of the show. Stunning, and the perfect party kitchen…..although my Aussie did point out that it might be a bit too much in the morning! 🙂
The Den
In the den we see that the dark, rich colours and mix of patterns lend an exotic, cosy feel. The wall panels are designed by Alessandra Branca are hand embroidered in Calcutta. The clashing patterns work because they contain the same colours.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is (ever so) slightly more restrained. The coral, floral wallpaper, colourful cushions and patterned furniture is tempered by the white, of the quilt, carpet and window trim, which brings a restful element to the room. This does not look a large room but it still has so many layers. You can see the detailing from the wall sconces to the pattered table lamp, the fringed cushions, lattice radiator cover and scalloped valance. For more inspo on adding florals to your home take a look here and here.
Master Bathroom
The coral colour extends into the master bathroom. It was spotting this on Instagram that first drew my attention to this house. The terrazzo tile and flamingo wallpaper is a bold move. Hannah added an ombré effect to the top of the wallpaper which feels like a ray of sunshine warming the room on those grey London days.. This bathroom is pure fantasy, what a wonderful place to unwind. Like bathing in a dream….. and, of course, we love flamingos around here!
Kid’s Rooms
Another room, another exotic wallpaper. In this child’s room the grayscale African river scene is uplifted by bold pops of red, yellow and blue in the soft furnishings and in the window trim. This brings a real vibrancy to the room, great for girls or boys. Fun but still with an air of sophistication.
In her 3 year old son’s room Hannah created an aquarium vibe by papering the built-in cupboard doors along with the walls. Apparently George’s first word was turtle! You can see that the pattern on the rug has a similar feel to the rug in the children’s room above, this links the two rooms visually.
Powder Room
The exotic downstairs powder room has wallpaper with a scene out of India. The jewel like colours in the paper are reinforced by glass flower jars and bright blooms. A moiré stripe tent and patterned lampshades complete the lavish, whimsical vibe.
So what do you think? Are you absolutely loving it or is it a little too much for you? If you are looking to add some colour or pattern to your home then I hope you have found some inspiration here. Have a great weekend. XO 💕
All images by Douglas Friedman via Architectural Digest
