Houzz Tour: Period London Townhouse Gets a Lavish Makeover
Luxurious fabrics, custom features and lush details make this Regency house a French-inspired showstopper
Designer Vicki Wells likes a challenge — which is good, because when she was asked to refurbish this Regency townhouse near Regent’s Park in London, the scale of the project and the clients’ vision were both vast and exceptional. The owners had been inspired by the work of French architect and interior designer Jacques Garcia. “His look is a sort of over-the-top, completely overwhelming French style with masses of layers,” Wells says. “I’d never done anything like that before!” She relished the chance to make the look come alive in this period property, while also incorporating modern technology and making the house function well. “The owners are very individual and wanted their home to reflect them regardless of what anybody else would think,” Wells says.
The sense of luxury is apparent as soon as you walk into the house. “The challenge was to find pieces that looked original to the property,” designer Vicki Wells says. She used moldings to create the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the hallway. “I attached the moldings to the wall, and then fitted the mirrors within,” she says. “They were painted black and then washed over to look like grey metal.”
Wells used three varieties of marble tile on the floor, cut to size and thickness to fit. “The floor also had to be leveled,” she says. “It was a highly complex job, but it really worked in the end, so I was very pleased.”
Mirrors: Mirrorworks
Wells used three varieties of marble tile on the floor, cut to size and thickness to fit. “The floor also had to be leveled,” she says. “It was a highly complex job, but it really worked in the end, so I was very pleased.”
Mirrors: Mirrorworks
Ornate, layered and luxurious — that’s how Wells describes this home. “The atmosphere and style have to work together,” she says. “You walk in and you feel it straightaway.”
The two formal living rooms are on the second floor. “These rooms had original cornicing, grand windows and fireplaces,” Wells says. They were designed as one space. “This was going to be the typical configuration, with the double doors open most of the time.” Moldings were added to the walls and small plaques fixed in place. After painting the walls three times, this soft greenish shade was settled on. The double doors that connect the living rooms have gilt detail for an extra layer of luxe.
The two formal living rooms are on the second floor. “These rooms had original cornicing, grand windows and fireplaces,” Wells says. They were designed as one space. “This was going to be the typical configuration, with the double doors open most of the time.” Moldings were added to the walls and small plaques fixed in place. After painting the walls three times, this soft greenish shade was settled on. The double doors that connect the living rooms have gilt detail for an extra layer of luxe.
“Each floor was planned with its own color scheme, to be linked by the stairwell,” Wells says. This floor includes burgundy, green, olive, yellow, burnt orange and pink tones, inspired partly by this rug. All the upholstery was made to order and the box the TV sits on was also created for the space.
The owners found the mirrors. Wells added glass sconces on either side. She made the padded fire surround, which can double as seating.
Lights: Rothschild & Bickers
Lights: Rothschild & Bickers
Throughout the house, Wells used new wood for the flooring and then had it treated in situ to look aged. The ground floor contains his and hers studies. This is the largest of the two (hers) and it features custom paneling and shelving. “The paneling was an extremely complex design with an inset mirror,” Wells says. “It’s made from sapele wood, which is similar to mahogany and was sourced in Africa, but with protected and monitored felling.” All the lampshades were handmade to suit the scheme.
The house’s protected status meant the original cornicing had to remain visible, so Wells had the study shelving built just below it.
Armchairs: de Gournay; lampshades: custom by Caroline B Designs
The house’s protected status meant the original cornicing had to remain visible, so Wells had the study shelving built just below it.
Armchairs: de Gournay; lampshades: custom by Caroline B Designs
A two-story addition had been built on the back of the house, but planning restrictions meant Wells wasn’t able to knock through into it. So the original window now sits between the small study and the dining space. “I dressed it in the same way as an external window to help incorporate it,” Wells says.
Marlowe Floral wallpaper: Ralph Lauren; chairs: de Gournay
Marlowe Floral wallpaper: Ralph Lauren; chairs: de Gournay
Stairs lead down from the first floor to the kitchen on the lower level. When it came to designing this space, the owners showed Wells images of cupboards in a chalet in Switzerland. “They were made up of square shapes, but kitchen doors aren’t typically square, they’re rectangular,” Wells says. Nevertheless, she created a wall of storage with neat square doors, some black and some fitted with glass and lit from within. “This whole piece is quite a narrow design, about 300 millimeters [11.8 inches] deep,” she says.
The island countertop is black marble, the pendant lights over it ceramic. All the storage was specifically designed for both the space and the owners’ possessions. “I even designed a knife drawer for their special set of knives,” Wells says.
Bar stools: custom
The island countertop is black marble, the pendant lights over it ceramic. All the storage was specifically designed for both the space and the owners’ possessions. “I even designed a knife drawer for their special set of knives,” Wells says.
Bar stools: custom
Wells created the square outline the owners love by using pressed bronze leaf around the upper parts of the cabinets, some of which are drawer fronts.
All appliances: Sub-Zero and Wolf
All appliances: Sub-Zero and Wolf
“The look in the rest of the house is quite mad, but when you arrive at the master suite, it calms down and becomes quite serene,” Wells says. The owner had assembled a huge selection of fabrics she liked for this space. “We worked together to get it down to about 100 samples,” Wells says, “which I then edited down even further.”
Canopy in Romo Palazzo velvet, fringes and trims: all GP & J Baker; curtain fabric: Zimmer + Rohde; art silk carpet: Blenheim Carpets
Canopy in Romo Palazzo velvet, fringes and trims: all GP & J Baker; curtain fabric: Zimmer + Rohde; art silk carpet: Blenheim Carpets
The beautiful blue silk wallpaper in the master suite forms the backdrop to a mix of different fabrics all sharing the same color palette. An original fireplace sits behind the headboard; Wells created a canopy and curtains to hide it.
All curtains and soft furnishings: Ewa Minkina; silk wallpaper: de Gournay
All curtains and soft furnishings: Ewa Minkina; silk wallpaper: de Gournay
The master en suite bathroom continues the blue theme. A screen partially divides the toilet from the room, while a generously sized lion’s head spout is mounted on a marble panel. “The owners wanted marble basins too, but to keep costs down I instead found oval basins and chests of drawers and had them adapted to fit and topped with Carrara marble,” Wells says.
Usk bathtub, lion’s head spout: Drummonds
Usk bathtub, lion’s head spout: Drummonds
There are two half landings at the rear of the house. In this one, seen down a flight of stairs, Wells created a dressing room for the master bedroom, which is behind the door on the left.
“Using incidental spaces, such as landings, makes the most of them and can help a house feel very grand,” she says. The staircase on the right leads up to more bedrooms and a bathroom.
“Using incidental spaces, such as landings, makes the most of them and can help a house feel very grand,” she says. The staircase on the right leads up to more bedrooms and a bathroom.
This bedroom on the top floor, with its numerous patterns, again shows the influence of Jacques Garcia. “The same carpet is laid throughout all three bedrooms on the top floor,” Wells says, “and the colors from here continue into the bathroom.” The velvet curtains have deep pinch pleats at the top, tiebacks and trim, for lots of layered detail.
Laura Ashley Wisteria carpet: Brintons; Marchwood wallpaper: Colefax & Fowler; curtains in Radmore fabric in Aqua: Jane Churchill at Colefax & Fowler
Laura Ashley Wisteria carpet: Brintons; Marchwood wallpaper: Colefax & Fowler; curtains in Radmore fabric in Aqua: Jane Churchill at Colefax & Fowler
The top-floor bathroom features a tub and window shade in a matching hue. “The owners wanted very traditional fittings in here, but ones that were practical too,” Wells says. She chose blue tiles and then added the mirrors in sections, with tiles and lighting in between for a framing effect. “There are two recesses at the back that are also mirrored,” she says. “These details are all to make the space feel bigger.”
Burley sink on nickel frame: Aston Matthews; faucets: Lefroy Brooks; shade in Chalcedon Cerise silk: Henry Bertrand; Retro Metro tiles in Green Park: Fired Earth; Raydon wall lights with fluted glass and nickel base: Jim Lawrence
Burley sink on nickel frame: Aston Matthews; faucets: Lefroy Brooks; shade in Chalcedon Cerise silk: Henry Bertrand; Retro Metro tiles in Green Park: Fired Earth; Raydon wall lights with fluted glass and nickel base: Jim Lawrence
No opportunity was missed to add ornamentation and a luxurious feel throughout the house. This street-level hallway, for example, has a custom curved ceiling, decorated with a handpainted design that continues into the powder room.
“I always try to make a [powder room] interesting,” Wells says. “The owners wanted the whole room, including the ceiling, to be wallpapered, and I fitted recessed lit shelves too.” Railings replace a solid wall on the way down to the lower level, helping to open up the space.
Tiles: Fired Earth; handpainted decoration: Angel Interiors
“I always try to make a [powder room] interesting,” Wells says. “The owners wanted the whole room, including the ceiling, to be wallpapered, and I fitted recessed lit shelves too.” Railings replace a solid wall on the way down to the lower level, helping to open up the space.
Tiles: Fired Earth; handpainted decoration: Angel Interiors
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Who lives here: A professional couple and their young daughter
Location: Near Regent’s Park, London
Property: A Grade II-listed terraced Regency house on five floors
Size: Five bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designer: Vicki Wells of Wells & Trembath
The property is a five-level townhouse in central London. The lowest level, below ground, holds the kitchen and breakfast area, with additional living space, a bedroom and a TV room. On the ground floor is the front door, hallway, two studies, a formal dining room and a powder room. Up some stairs you find an alcove seating area on the half landing, which leads up to the next floor, home to two living rooms. Up another half flight there’s a dressing area on the half landing, with a master suite on the third floor. On the fourth floor are three more bedrooms and a bathroom.