This is a house rooted in its Georgian history, but its beauty has been illuminated with dashes of modernity. Creative colours, vintage furniture and clever architectural ideas have been brought together by interior designer Emilie Fournet to create an enduring whole. ‘If you surround yourself with art, objects and furniture that have an emotional memory, the look will transcend time,’ she says.
Initially brought in to advise on one small room, Emilie went on to transform the entire ground and first floors – and then created further living spaces in the lower ground floor. The most radical move was adding a glass box to a back wall so the kitchen and downstairs areas benefit from natural light.‘This property has beautiful bones, from the panelling and mouldings to the shuttered windows,’ Emilie says. ‘My aim was to stay true to the period, but also bring the house into the 21st century, with a nod to key design eras along the way.’ The dramatic, dark-walled living room that lies to the left of the central hallway is, Emilie explains, ‘the most contemporary space in the house.’ She knocked through two rooms to create one double-aspect space and chose a Michel Ducaroy Togo sofa for the front half. Her rationale was practical as well as aesthetic. ‘The Togo has a nice low profile and I wanted to ensure the beautiful front window wasn’t obscured. It helps you appreciate the proportions of the room as a whole.’ In addition, the ceiling and original cornicing are actually painted in two tones of the same paint colour, Salt I and Salt II by Paint & Paper Library. ‘The lighter version is on the ceiling, which creates the illusion of it receding, accentuating the height of the room,’ Emilie explains.
Denne historien er fra April 2020-utgaven av Living Etc Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 2020-utgaven av Living Etc Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
modern extensions
WITH STRIKING USE OF COLOUR, MATERIALS AND SHAPE, THE LATEST DESIGNS ADD SO MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTRA ROOM
think like a pro
It's not just interior designers who are skilled at picking the perfect palette architects are in on the act, too, and Richard Parr knows just how to get the ideal shade
colour decoded
As with all successful schemes, there's much more going on beneath the surface of this space than first appears -Livingete's colour expert Amy Moorea Wong reveals all
enduring style
B&B Italia has pioneered modern Italian furniture design since 1966 - but its latest collection feels as fresh as ever
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
Seventeenth-century origins meet vibrant contemporary design in a cleverly reimagined Amsterdam canal house
ROCK OF AGES
The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone
FORCE OF NATURE
An unexpected flood into what was already a dark basement flat prompted a new vision, full of light, natural materials and foliage
TOP OF THE WORLD
High above the busy streets of Bangkok, two talented designers have created a tranquil retreat that nods to chic 1970s style and makes the most of the views
A PLACE IN THE SUN
An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur
OUTSIDE IN
The design of this modernist bungalow in South Africa was dictated by the trees on the plot and the desire for an indoor-outdoor flow