THE SAVING OF A GRAND DAME

Fiona Cole had always marvelled at the proportions and character of this grand Victorian house in Hampton. When she learned that it was about to fall into the hands of a developer, she purchased the property to avoid almost certain demolition. Our client embarked on a complete and sympathetic restoration of the housed engaged us to furnish and style all the rooms, with the ultimate aim of marketing the house as a complete package to potential buyers.

I’ve been following Simone’s work for some time. She has real talent in bringing antique, vintage and contemporary pieces together. I wanted the house to be tasteful and eclectic and to avoid any current trends. Her work is very individualised and I knew that Simone would tap into the soul of the house and then build on that.

~ Fiona Cole (client)

As you walk through the original, stain glass doors of this house, our personalised approach is underscored with the placement of a vintage Italians console in an unexpected green hue contrasted with contemporary light fixtures,, midcentury mirror and whitewashed walls. Your eye then wanders to the front room, which encapsulates the zeitgeist of this project. Coined the “library” and acting as secondary living room, this space is a repository for an idiosyncratic selection of modern and vintage pieces. We used the tones and illustrations in the client-specified, etching-like wallpaper to create a series of zones within space. A 1980’s 'Madonna' Lamp by Jan des Louvre sits atop a vintage Italian bronzed leg table and is flanked by a re-upholstered, three-legged Giovanni Offredi 'Sail' Chair. We had our beady eyes on the bronze table prior to starting this project and we insisted at the first meeting that our clients specify it, despite whether we ultimately secured the project. It’s important to us that certain, beloved discoveries find their forever home, and this table in the library space resonated with us from the outset.

In the primary living area, the contrasts and detailed narrative is extended into a conversation between delicate JD Lee Dining chairs which sit alongside a re-stained and re-upholstered Danish Blond Wood "Relaxer" Rocking Chair by Vernor Panton and a Daniel Boddham “Booham" chair. Despite the nature of the brief, the clients had a vested interest in every piece of furniture and art, and were as joyful in the process of research and hand-selection as in the final result.

People underestimate how much time and work goes into sourcing, customising and managing a detailed and intimate process of this nature. The passion and expertise of the team really comes out in their work. I cannot fault one thing. Each and every one of the pieces and every vignette rocks my world.

~ Fiona