Houzz Tour: Color and Pattern Liven Up a London Home
Vibrant textures transform this turn-of-the-last-century house into a highly individualized home
Since she spends her working days creating beautiful homes for other people, interior designer Annie Grierson couldn’t wait to let her creative juices flow when it came to refurbishing her own home. “It was wonderful to be able to do exactly what I wanted and experiment in ways I can’t do in other people’s homes,” she says. The experimentation paid off, and Grierson and her family are now living in a home that not only looks great, but also is tailored to their individual needs.
Since this room looks out on the street, Grierson left the existing shutters to ensure privacy. “I always opt for floor-length curtains in period homes,” she says. “They add a touch of drama and warmth.”
She picked up the unusual puma sculpture while visiting the northeast of England.
Patterned pillow: Zara Home
She picked up the unusual puma sculpture while visiting the northeast of England.
Patterned pillow: Zara Home
The back of the house was extended to create an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space with a view to the garden. Grierson wanted this area to be modern but not ultracontemporary, so she opted for a midcentury feel.
“I had a local carpenter make the iroko dining table for me; it seats 12. The sideboard is from a local auction house. I find auction houses really useful for finding well-made, individual pieces.” She paired the table with classic Tulip chairs.
“I had a local carpenter make the iroko dining table for me; it seats 12. The sideboard is from a local auction house. I find auction houses really useful for finding well-made, individual pieces.” She paired the table with classic Tulip chairs.
“I love playing around with color, so I’d never go for a white kitchen,” Grierson says. “I felt this green would work really well with the architecture of the house, and I designed the kitchen and had it made [custom]. I like using open shelving to break up cupboards, and I always design units that go all the way to the ceiling. I don’t like that gap at the top just gathering dust,” she says.
“I like introducing pattern too, which is why I’ve gone for the encaustic tiles here.” Grierson designed these Moroccan-influenced ceramic tiles and had them custom made.
Tile: Dar Interiors; Glenn bar stools: Ikea
“I like introducing pattern too, which is why I’ve gone for the encaustic tiles here.” Grierson designed these Moroccan-influenced ceramic tiles and had them custom made.
Tile: Dar Interiors; Glenn bar stools: Ikea
The paintings on the wall by the dining table are family heirlooms and helped to inspire the room’s color scheme.
Pendant light: BHS
Pendant light: BHS
The brick wallpaper used behind glass as a backsplash in the kitchen also decorates the living space to help link the two areas. The shelves are made from crates that Grierson picked up in an antiques shop and backed with patterned wrapping paper.
Sofa: Dwell; rug: Rug Designer
Sofa: Dwell; rug: Rug Designer
The terrazzo flooring in the hallway — made from chunks of marble embedded in concrete — is particularly special. Even though it’s highly patterned, it works with the bold Squiggle wallpaper, which complements the shapes and warm tones.
The space echoes the front living room through the wallpaper, here in a red colorway rather than the living room’s blue.
Go sign: antiques market in Bridport, U.K.
Discover 11 different ways with wallpaper
The space echoes the front living room through the wallpaper, here in a red colorway rather than the living room’s blue.
Go sign: antiques market in Bridport, U.K.
Discover 11 different ways with wallpaper
The master bedroom gets lots of natural sunlight throughout the day, so Grierson felt that it could take a soft gray paint on the walls. She’s teamed it with pink and a vibrant crocheted bed throw.
Wall paint: Grey Steel 2, Dulux; light fixtures: Astro Lighting, with shades bought locally
Wall paint: Grey Steel 2, Dulux; light fixtures: Astro Lighting, with shades bought locally
What is now the guest room would traditionally have been the master bedroom, as it has an en suite bathroom, but Grierson prefers that her guests have the en suite to give them more privacy. “I wanted to make this room feel really warm and welcoming and very comfortable. I didn’t want it to have the anonymity of a boutique hotel room,” she says.
The designer customized crates with paint and wood stain, then arranged them on the wall above the custom headboard to create a bookcase.
Crates: Bloomingville; wall paint: Grey Steel 2, Dulux
The designer customized crates with paint and wood stain, then arranged them on the wall above the custom headboard to create a bookcase.
Crates: Bloomingville; wall paint: Grey Steel 2, Dulux
“Children love dens,” Grierson says. “I always like to give them scope to create one. That curtained area leads to another part of the loft that’s become a playroom.”
Check out more hip hideaways your kids will love
Check out more hip hideaways your kids will love
Grierson modified her son’s loft bed to create a climbing wall, and it has an open end to make changing the sheets easier.
World map, wall mural and sleeper bed: Argos
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World map, wall mural and sleeper bed: Argos
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Annie Grierson with her husband and their two children
Location: West London
Property: An early-20th-century semidetached house
Size: Six bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Grierson of Aegis Interior Design
The front living room is treated as a more formal entertaining space, although the mix of bright colors ensures that it still feels fun. “I love pinks and reds together; I think they work really well,” Grierson says. “I had the red sofa already, and the pink one I inherited from my grandmother.”
To offset these hot colors, Grierson opted for a cool blue Vivienne Westwood Squiggle wallpaper.
Red sofa: Sofa.com; pink sofa: re-covered by Pilgrim Payne