Houzz Tour: Designer Works Magic in Her Edinburgh Apartment
Redesigning the layout and introducing subtle optical illusions make this compact Scottish home feel spacious and opulent
This Georgian apartment had been on the market for over a year before interior designer Sally Homan of Robertson Lindsay Interiors bought it. “It had no heating, was poorly laid out, with a big hallway and a tiny galley kitchen, and mice had moved in. It was no wonder no one had put in an offer,” Homan says. “Being a designer, however, I could see that I could use part of the hallway to create a new bathroom and expand the kitchen into where the old bathroom was.”
Because the living room is long and narrow, Homan mirrored an entire wall to make the room seem larger and the proportions more balanced.
“People use mirrors a lot in a commercial environment,” she says, “so I added the paneling on top and hung pictures on it at eye level so you don’t really see yourself in it, you just notice that the room feels bigger.”
Sofa and pillows: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; custom curtains, screen-printed from original paintings by Joanna Srokol
“People use mirrors a lot in a commercial environment,” she says, “so I added the paneling on top and hung pictures on it at eye level so you don’t really see yourself in it, you just notice that the room feels bigger.”
Sofa and pillows: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; custom curtains, screen-printed from original paintings by Joanna Srokol
Previously, the side wall of the living room was bare stone. “This made the wall come in at you, so I built a false wall in front of it into which I’ve put a bioethanol fire,” Homan says. “The stone is also lit up to highlight the contrast between its rough surface and the reflective silk wallpaper.”
Bioethanol fire: BioFires; coffee table: Robertson Lindsay Interiors; Sakura Gris wallpaper: Casamance; chair: Leather Chairs of Bath
Bioethanol fire: BioFires; coffee table: Robertson Lindsay Interiors; Sakura Gris wallpaper: Casamance; chair: Leather Chairs of Bath
The dining room was dark and compact with a low ceiling, and Homan decided to embrace this. “I chose to make this room even darker and give it a cozy, opulent feel. I even painted the ceiling a gloss black, so it reflects everything and actually appears higher, plus it makes dinner parties really atmospheric,” she says.
Homan let her love of Japan influence the decor here. She painted the Japanese-style screen doors, which conceal the study, black like the ceiling, and opted for a blossom-style wallpaper.
Flower Quince wallpaper: Clarence House; dining table: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; chairs: eBay
Homan let her love of Japan influence the decor here. She painted the Japanese-style screen doors, which conceal the study, black like the ceiling, and opted for a blossom-style wallpaper.
Flower Quince wallpaper: Clarence House; dining table: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; chairs: eBay
The kitchen has been kept light and bright, with reflective tiles and work surfaces to bounce light around and make the room appear bigger. “I’ve added pops of color with the accessories, which I can change easily if I want a different color accent in the future,” Homan says.
Kitchen units: Neptune; Neff oven: John Lewis; sink: Villeroy & Boch
Kitchen units: Neptune; Neff oven: John Lewis; sink: Villeroy & Boch
The newly expanded kitchen runs into the living room, so Homan used the same wallpaper in both spaces to help them flow into each other. She also designed banquette seating to enable her to fit six people comfortably around the table.
Sakura Gris wallpaper: Casamance.
banquette: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; chairs: John Lewis
Sakura Gris wallpaper: Casamance.
banquette: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; chairs: John Lewis
No structural work was done in the bedrooms, but Homan added a cornice to the master to make the room feel softer. She then hung metallic wallpaper. “I even wallpapered the ceiling to add another texture and boost the feeling of opulence,” she says. Finally, she installed a large, upholstered bed, beautifully dressed, to finish off the glamorous scene.
Spark wallpaper: Zoffany at John Lewis; pillows and closet doors: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; bedside lamps: TK Maxx
Spark wallpaper: Zoffany at John Lewis; pillows and closet doors: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors; bedside lamps: TK Maxx
The enlarged bathroom is as subtly glamorous as the rest of the house, with a mix of marble-effect porcelain tiles and mother-of-pearl mosaics. An Art Deco-inspired mirror and vintage-style hardware complete the feel.
Sink: Bathstore; mother-of-pearl mosaic tiles: Porcelanosa;
Carrara marble-effect tiles and mirror: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors
Sink: Bathstore; mother-of-pearl mosaic tiles: Porcelanosa;
Carrara marble-effect tiles and mirror: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors
The second bedroom was small and dark, so, as with the dining room, Homan decided to embrace these attributes and make it darker and more opulent. She combined faux eel-skin wallpaper with plush bed linens to give the room a boutique hotel feel.
Anguille Eel Skin wallpaper: Elitis at Beut; headboard: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors
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Anguille Eel Skin wallpaper: Elitis at Beut; headboard: Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors
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: Interior designer Sally Homan
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Size: Two bedrooms, one bathroom
Designer: Sally Homan of Robertson Lindsay Interiors
“Previously, you walked straight into the hall, which made the flat feel colder,” owner and designer Sally Homan says. “So I found this internal door on eBay, which remarkably features my Robertson family crest, and I got my builder to make a frame for it to create this vestibule.”
In small areas where she doesn’t spend much time, Homan likes to go bold with her decor, which is why she chose this dramatic wallpaper for the entry.
Pali wallpaper: Manuel Canovas