It would be easy to assume that an interior designer would find living in a rental property frustrating, but it was quite the opposite experience for Sophie Ashby when she moved to this enviable Georgian property with her husband Charlie, step-daughter Rainbow and baby Gaia. “It had already been made beautiful so I was able to come in and fill it up with beautiful things,” Sophie says, and she certainly has done just that. Of course, Sophie has filled her home with a lot of pieces from her own brand, Sister by Studio Ashby, alongside her and Charlie's burgeoning collection of mostly South African art. The fairly neutral backdrop of the house has allowed Sophie to add pops of colour along the way, most notably in the living room with its banana yellow velvet sofa.
In the spirit of sharing, Sophie has opened her sourcebook and let us in on some of the shoppable items that have made their way into her lovely family home.
In the living room
The starting point for the living room was the Lakin Ogunbanwo photograph above the fireplace. Sophie extracted the yellow from his hat and used it to upholster a custom made sofa in an acid yellow velvet. Alongside that, she's layered in tones of red and orange, alongside more neutral–but equally playful–pieces such as Woolly the sheep.
In the study
Art was again the starting point in Sophie's study, with the colours in the painting over the fireplace mimicked throughout the soft furnishing. Sister's Chess chairs are upholstered in a vibrant Pierre Frey flame stitch, with a vintage stool upholstered with a kente flag.
In the hallway
A sense of fun continues in the hallway, where there is more art, as well as two tiger-shaped piggy banks creating a sweet focal point as you enter the Georgian property.
In the bedroom
Sophie and Charlie's bedroom is a delightful mix of old and new, with murano glass lights framing the bed and a quilt made of vintage kanthas. The pinks were used to pick up on those in the large photograph above the bed, and Sophie then added in custom Sister pieces to the mix, including a rather sensational sustainable horn mirror above the fireplace.
In Gaia's bedroom
In Gaia's bedroom, vibrant fabrics and bold colours create a sense of playfulness. It's a room that any adult would be thrilled to inhabit, let alone a one-year-old.
In the family bathroom
Few rentals come with bathrooms as lovely as this, and Sophie was keen to make it feel like a room, rather than simply a bathroom given its size. The family spend a lot of time in here together and the addition of a large rug creates a comfortable feel.
