Gallery
The white-on-white interior design of this townhouse layers abundant shades of white, using texture and nuances of tone. This captivating, alabaster design is home to a contemporary selection of white items of furniture that have been used to create the perfect ‘gallery space’ for displaying eclectic works of art. Unique works of art adorn the walls, bringing bright punches of colour and intrigue to the rooms while alluring white pieces of furniture, such as the egg chair and Twiggy-style lamp in the living room, add a subtle glamour.
Industry insight
The space has been put together by Suna Interior Design – an award-winning boutique interior design consultancy – as part of a show home project for the London Portobello Square development. Interior designers Helen Fewster and Rebecca Tucker head up the London-based studio ensuring that a high level of attention is dedicated to each client and project. The team has worked on numerous projects from four storey townhouses to beautifully refurbished apartments, exclusive serviced apartments and luxury hotels.
Rebecca created this bespoke design for development company Catalyst By Design's townhouse in their new development, Portobello Square in Portobello. Rebecca comments: “We wanted to design something unique, involving the local community. We wanted to create a talking point, something that hasn’t been done before and so this design was born, unique in that it revolves around the colour white. This white design then forms the backdrop for the select works of art that hang on the walls. The artwork brings colour to the design in a unique way. It’s very important that the design is strong enough on its own. The fantastic works of art are the piece de resistance, adding glamour and making the design completely unique.”
The white palette creates the feel of a gallery, however, subtle greys and blacks have been used to soften the scheme and lend the design perfectly to the domestic market, meaning the appearance is not clinical, but instead homely and welcoming. In the bedroom, grey curtains soften the palette, as do a variation of textures – used especially within the bedroom spread. The more traditional application of pattern on walls and plain ceiling is turned on its head here, as the ceiling plays host to a bold elaborate faux plasterwork pattern and the walls remain pure white.
Complementing tones
The lounge appreciates the white theme, but pares it with a wooden floor and large patterned rug to soften the look. “The wooden floor that runs from the stairs up through the house also breaks up the white-on-white backdrop. In the living room we used a dusty grey and off-white rug to ensure that the room has more of a softer feel to it,” explains Rebecca.
The use of spotlights in another unobtrusive element of the design and the white lamps are barely visible within the scheme, meaning that their light blends seamlessly within the space. Because white is at the core of this interior design, the clean and simple concept lends itself to statement areas – much like that of a gallery. This means that the artwork becomes the focal feature of the room, whether a bold pattern or not.
For example, in the lounge many of the wall art pieces are un-complicated and subtle, but the simplicity of the neutral surrounding allows each element of the piece to be appreciated.
The perfect backdrop
This luxurious townhouse is unique in that it is simultaneously a successful show home and a pop-up gallery. The artwork has all been supplied by local, London Westbank Gallery, situated in Westbourne Grove. Each work of art has been specifically selected to hang in its own space.
Rebecca adds: “It was important that the townhouse should feel like a home, not just a gallery. To this end we worked with the gallery to select the best works of art in order to create the best design possible. It was important to get the right combination between show home and pop-up gallery. This is partly why we went for the white-on-white colour palette – to better show off the artwork, while still enabling ourselves to design a luxurious interior design, befitting of this home.
“We’ve created a confident, statement scheme – a talking point. We’re absolutely thrilled with the result. Fifty shades of white – a rousing and exciting design, eclectic, contemporary design at its finest.”