History is in the walls of this striking property in central London, where past and present unite to tell a rich tale. Once five separate townhouses that played home to the Victorian elite, this Regency-style space is now better known as a creative hub, where musicians and artists have gathered for decades. Parkland views spied from the building’s vast sash windows could quite easily draw the eye here, but it’s the building's beautiful period elements, lovingly restored for modern use, that instead steal the spotlight. Double-vaulted ceilings, original wood floors and paneled walls offer design cues in abundance, setting a dramatic stage for our latest fall look.

A lounge with a sofa, a coffee table, lamps and plantsA lounge with a sofa, a coffee table, lamps and plants
A room with a black sideboard with a gold lamp next to a dining chairA room with a black sideboard with a gold lamp next to a dining chair

With these original period features as a backdrop, our stylists conceived a space that feels at once pared back and at the same time thoroughly inviting. This grounded feeling is thanks, in equal part, to the flooding of natural light and the use of cozy, textured detailing. For the latter, rich velvet, rustic ceramics, natural rattan and solid oak were mixed with retro tones of burnt orange and brown, giving 1970s shades a contemporary twist.

In a nod to the building’s urban surroundings, we offset these warm hues with smart black accents, to lend a cleaner, more modern aesthetic. Iconic London design features are echoed in the Crittall-inspired doors of our Pentomino Display Cabinet and the industrial-style Icarus Pendant Lamps, both of which have been positioned next to rustic jute, wood and rattan for pleasingly tactile contrast.

A wooden cabinet filled with crockery, ornaments and cookbooks.A wooden cabinet filled with crockery, ornaments and cookbooks.
A dining room with a dining table with velvet dining chairs, vases and shelves.A dining room with a dining table with velvet dining chairs, vases and shelves.

While texture and color set the tone, pops of pattern bring the look to life. This is where décor comes to the fore; beautiful shelving stands out from the side lines thanks to patterned pottery and glassware, while coffee and side tables are given their moment in the spotlight with sculptural lamps and contrasting shades. A smattering of statement textiles, seen scattered on an ochre linen sofa and piled high on a striking four poster bed, add an extra layer of warmth and pattern that ties each room together.

Bedroom with wooden four poster bed with cushions, a bench and a lampBedroom with wooden four poster bed with cushions, a bench and a lamp
A bedroom with a chest of drawers, a lamp, a mirror, a chair on the side and a rug on the floor. A bedroom with a chest of drawers, a lamp, a mirror, a chair on the side and a rug on the floor.

Small details lend the look its final flourish: a surprise striped ribbon wrapped around the seat of our Abbey Velvet Dining Chair, a tangerine spray of faux wild rowanberries, and shocks of red, yellow and blue present in pillows, planters and lamps. In short, this is a space where minimalism meets comfort, cool lines meet cozy colors, and, most importantly of all, past meets present.