A handsome late-Georgian house in north London with a rich palette by Tom Morris
'Start with the art' is a useful maxim in more ways than one. The colours and forms of an artwork can be endlessly inspiring, and a picture does not have to be in your own collection to provide an excellent springboard for a scheme. For interior designer Tom Morris, it was the palette favoured by the Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico that would influence the decoration of this late-Georgian house in north London. The house is situated on the historic Cloudesley Estate in Barnsbury, a lovely parcel of streets developed during the 1820s in the handsome late-Georgian style. Tom's client is a father of two young daughters. He wanted to bring sophistication to interiors that had been somewhat overrun by family life, and to create fun spaces for the girls and also more grown-up zones in which he could entertain. 'In terms of mood, he gave us an initial brief of warmth, earthy colour and masculinity,' says Tom, who used this as a starting point for a hunt for sources of inspiration.
A short walk from the house is the Estorick Collection, a small gallery with a fine collection of early-20th-century Italian art and that brand of European modernism seemed like a perfect fit for the owner's aesthetic. Eventually, Tom focused on the work of Giorgio de Chirico, an artist known for his surreal paintings of piazzas punctuated by figures both sculpted and human, and also the use of distinctively rich colours. 'Looking at de Chirico's paintings helped outline a main palette of terracotta and dark orange, teal and smoky blue - with bursts of primary reds and greens,' he explains.
It is a clever choice that helped Tom to create interiors with the warmth and masculinity the owner sought. Tom was also canny in his choice of paint used for the walls. 'Atelier Ellis does just what I wanted - strong colouration that still feels soft and not too artificial. I wanted to keep things ultimately rooted in a Georgian "drab" palette and then layer decoration on top of that.' The colours also work well to create zones, with every room getting its own fresh take on the palette, so each one feels distinctive while the whole remains coherent.
Much of the rest of Tom's work involved rethinking how the space was used and imposing a more rational approach. 'We began in the kitchen on the lower-ground floor at the front of the house, where there was originally a massive island, while the back room had a big dining table that the girls would end up playing around,' he explains. 'By getting rid of the island and making space for a dining table, we helped the kitchen to function better as an entertaining space. Then the back became a more informal sitting area, which could be a proper space for play, but also a nice place for drinks when people come over for dinner.' The same logic transformed the ground floor, with the front of the house becoming a formal sitting room painted in Atelier Ellis's cosy mid-brown ‘Tea & Toast’, the awkward middle space a music room, and the back room - down a set of steps - a jolly playroom for the girls.
There was little structural work that needed to be done, other than installing additional French windows at the back of the lower-ground floor to provide a more generous opening onto the garden. The elegant mouldings and original features were still intact, and Tom rather hit the jackpot when he suggested removing the stud ceiling in the kitchen, which had given it a cramped feeling. This revealed a beautifully crafted lattice of beams that now brings real character to the space.
Elsewhere, Tom has added character in spades through his choice of furniture, art and striking textiles. 'Although the proportions of the house are wonderful, it's relatively small,' he says. So we had to make sure that everything served a purpose and that each piece sang in some way. Custom-made furniture, including all the sofas, blends well with stylish 20th-century designs and new pieces from British makers Pinch.
'The house does feel masculine as per the brief, so I wanted to add a bit of joviality with the textiles and various handcrafted elements, and by bringing in bolts of primary colours,' explains Tom. The main bedroom, a vision in deep blue, is a case in point, enlivened by the showstopping Congolese kuba cloth hanging over the bed along with some Arts and Crafts pieces. Tom has applied his masterful approach to accessorising throughout the house. Another highlight is the collection of antique Puigdemont fish plates displayed around the range cooker in the kitchen. The rooms that are used the most by the girls are particularly lively, with pretty wallpapers and exuberant textiles - including an eye-catching Anni Albers-designed fabric on the sofa in the playroom.
'It was all about that mix of antiques, pieces that have been designed specifically for the space and special things,' says Tom. The finished house is an expert blend of all these different elements - of earthy and primary colours, of the contemporary and the period, of formal and informal moods. 'That's what keeps it from feeling overdone, from feeling too designed'.
Morrisstudio: morrisstudio.co.uk
Boz Gagovski1/6The dining table is teamed with Carlo Bartoli 'Model 4875' chairs from Kartell, a Tuareg rug from Larusi and a Vaughan light with Pentreath & Hall shades. The DeVol cabinetry in Paint & Paper Library's 'Kigali' with Brazilian quartzite worktops is complemented by a display of Puigdemont ceramics.
Boz Gagovski2/6In this space adjoining the kitchen, a bouclé-covered mid-century chair, a Paolo Buffa side table and a 1970s Swedish lamp from Les Trois Garçons create a place to sit next to the french windows, which have curtains in Mourne Textiles tweed. Art and Mingei pottery already belonging to the owner enhance the scheme.
Boz Gagovski3/6In the main bedroom, a wall hanging made from a seven-metre-long kuba cloth and an oblong cushion in 'Herat' fabric from Robert Kime's studio - which also supplied the wall lights - brighten the ‘Moreau’ bed in blue linen and the 'Harlosh' bedside table, both from Pinch.
Boz Gagovski4/6Walls and woodwork painted in dusky blue ‘Ede’ by Atelier Ellis create an atmospheric, masculine feel. This is enhanced by a mix of dark wooden pieces, including the octagonal side table with an ochre tiled top in the window, which was bought from Liberty.
Boz Gagovski5/6A headboard upholstered in de Le Cuona's intricate ‘Victoria’ design in garnet and walls in sepia-toned 'Hari' by Atelier Ellis work well with the owner's existing furniture and furnishings.
Boz Gagovski6/6
