25 Beautiful Homes July 2021

welcome

It is fascinating to see the design choices people make in their homes, and never more so than when it comes to the use of colour. Many of us wouldn’t dream of straying from neutrals, but there is no denying the mood-enhancing effect that a vibrant pattern or bold colour can have. Laura and Paul Clark have fully embraced vivid hues and, in turn, have transformed their Victorian semi (page 58). The shade of deep green repeated throughout Andrew Kuiler’s house is stunning and was inspired by his favourite cafe in Shanghai (page 52). This month we also have five room case studies, which delve into the design choices of each of these unique spaces. Colour confidence is a common theme in the rooms – we hope you find them…

force of nature

INSPIRATION ‘I love the British idea of a winter garden – it influenced the decoration of all our spaces’ The Cap Ferret home of Joanne de Lépinay and her husband, Gregory, may be situated in one of the liveliest areas of the village, but step across the threshold and the hustle and bustle of the street is instantly left behind. The entrance is, in fact, a relaxing living space that is open to the garden, where lush planting evokes a tropical feel and a plunge pool lined with zellige tiles lends a sense of serenity. ‘With this house I really could blur the boundaries between the interiors and the exterior,’ Joanne explains. The couple, who are based in Bordeaux, purchased the 1960s property five years ago. ‘Gregory is from Cap Ferret and…

seaside attraction

When Juliet Mayhew first came to Cornwall, it was not love at first sight. ‘As an Aussie, I looked at the shingle beaches and thought of the white sands I was used to and there was no comparison,’ she says. ‘But my husband Antony had spent so many happy childhood holidays here, he wanted me to love it too.’ On their second trip, however, the sun shone and Antony had prepared a weekend full of treats, including a private boat trip along the Helford River, crabbing with the children, Ophelia, now 13, and Orlando, 11. ‘That was the turning point,’ says Juliet. ‘I understood the special charm of this place.’ ‘Then we found this house, sited in a prime position overlooking the sea,’ says Juliet. ‘With boats bobbing in the water…

life at the top

It was the far-reaching views from this top-floor apartment that sold it to Louise and Andrew Palmer. ‘It overlooks the Royal Chelsea Hospital grounds and we can see the Thames and Battersea Power Station in the distance,’ says Louise. She continues: ‘We also loved the fact that the main suite felt quite separate to the rest of the spaces. For a number of years, one of our daughters and her friend lived here, but we were able to keep this section for our private use whenever we were in London.’ When the couple purchased the flat in 2014, it was in need of a complete overhaul that involved replacing the dated kitchen and bathrooms and redecorating throughout. It was the couple’s project manager, Simon Davenport Associates, who put them in touch…

rising to the challenge

Anna Davies and her husband Mark had been looking for a while to buy somewhere on the coast and eventually found a tired Grade ll-listed townhouse in Brighton. The couple, who have two sons, Danny, 18, and Jack, 15, knew that if they bought it there would be limitations and challenges on what they could do, both internally and externally. ‘The house was split into two when we first viewed it and it had a self-contained flat in the basement, with three more floors above,’ says Anna. ‘Despite the problems, we were confident it could be returned back to its original glory because there were so many beautiful original features just waiting to resurface.’ With previous experience of a home renovation, Anna, a graphic designer, appointed trusted interior designer Susan Venn…

a home with heart

Lawyer Sian Bishop is no stranger to house upheaval, moving every couple of years and completing a string of renovations. But this house is different – this house has developed family roots. ‘Adopting a child is a lengthy process and, before you even get a date for the hearing, you have to provide a photograph of you and members of the family which goes into a book for your child,’ explains Sian. ‘In our case, that photograph is me and my cocker spaniel, Arthur, on the front steps of this house, so this place is intrinsically linked to Jack coming into our lives.’ FAVOURITE ROOM ‘Most of our family time is spent in the basement kitchen, which has fabulous views of the garden’ The house may be in the centre of Oxford but…