Yahoo Finance Discover how original Arts & Crafts tiles inspired this London home’s modern look…
In a home where original features had largely been either boarded over or hidden behind layers of white paint, the sight of brightly patterned Edwardian tiles was a happy surprise for its now owners, a property developer and his wife, a successful make-up artist.
Inspired by their find and its cheerful pink, tan and mustard tones, they asked Tiffany Duggan, founder of interior design firm Studio Duggan, to subtly work the palette through every room of this house.
‘It was nice to be able to use all of those colours, but in a different scale and pattern,’ says Tiffany of the terrazzo flooring that she selected to celebrate those hues in a contemporary way. The designer has relished the task of bringing personality back to this Arts & Crafts-era home, adding personality, texture and a more modern layout that works not just for the owners, but their two young children, too.
She totally remodelled the ground floor, extending the kitchen and knocking down the wall to the adjoining room to create an open-plan space. Then she added a wall, dividing the once long, narrow and uninviting living area to create a new reception room at the front of the house.
Freshly separated, these two zones now have very different atmospheres. Where the kitchen and snug are light and family-focused – look closely at the specially-commissioned Jessica Yolanda Kaye artwork above the ‘Togo’ sofa and you can see the whole clan depicted (even the dog) – the reception room has an exclusive members’ club feel. Deep aubergine tones and moody pink make it the perfect backdrop for evening cocktails and, at the moment, Zoom calls.
‘If you are lucky enough to have two living rooms, then I think one should give you one thing and another should give you something else completely,’ reasons Tiffany.
The thread that binds the two is a considered blend of mid-century and modern designs. Several pieces were sourced on an antiques-hunting trip to France that Tiffany was lucky enough to squeeze in just before the pandemic struck, but others were tracked down virtually.
When it came to locating furniture for the bedroom, though, the search was shorter and sweeter. Tiffany’s interiors store Trove opened its doors in late 2019 and a bed from its debut collection was the natural choice for this home. With an upholstered headboard and rara skirt-like valance, it has a hint of traditionalism that is clearly important to the designer, who counts America’s great eccentric creator of interiors Dorothy Draper and Italy’s romantic Studio Peregalli as influences.
‘I love that whole element of drama,’ explains Tiffany. ‘For me, it’s about creating a whole world.’ studioduggan.com; thetrove.co.uk
This article first appeared in ELLE Decoration May 2021
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