If there’s one thing we consistently associate with retirement, it’s freedom. The liberty to travel the world, live life at your own pace and lounge idly at home are all luxuries for those who have earned it.
In the case of the owners of a Victorian-style abode in London, a married couple in their retirement years, part of that pleasure included the leisurely renovation of their dream property – an imposing yet thoroughly inviting home located within a conservation area in Chelsea.
“After our initial meetings, we discovered their love of the art deco era and decided to adopt that direction for the interiors,” says Mike Fisher, co-founder and creative director of Studio Indigo, the London-based design firm tasked with the project led by interior designer and architect Gemma McCloskey. “Once an understanding of how the owners lived was established, and we learned what was important to each of them and to them as a family, the design direction became almost intuitive.”
Mike and Gemma reconfigured the layout of the home to maximise the space and make the most of the natural light, gutting the interior completely. Outside, the traditional facade was restored to its full splendour. “Because the house is listed and sits within a conservation area, we were very limited as to what we could change,” he notes.
Among the owners’ specific requirements were areas for leisure and entertainment, including a basement level that houses a 17-metre-long swimming pool – the exact length of the pool the owners were accustomed to at their country club. With the owners’ fondness of the RMS Queen Mary also in mind, Studio Indigo referenced a variety of imagery from the ocean liner. The gaming room is equipped with a moveable pool and table tennis table, providing an additional area for entertaining that is flexible for the family’s various activities.
Spanning five storeys, the house required a concealed passenger lift that would allow the owners and their guests to move conveniently between each floor. “This enables an easy transfer between levels, especially as the owners grow older,” says Mike. “They see this house as their forever home.”
Keen to avoid the potentially clichéd “old cinema look” that some art deco spaces tend to possess, the designers conjured a similar feel from a contemporary perspective.
Among the first accessories sourced for the home were a pair of vintage Murano palm tree floor lamps – just one of the deliberate decor choices that set the tone for each space, such as in the master bedroom, which features high-gloss black timber marquetry panels that mimic the bespoke de Gournay wallpaper covering the walls.
While utilising different stones, marbles and de Gournay wallcoverings, the areas are bordered by black marble joinery “to create a cohesiveness,” explains Mike. “Each room explores a different art deco style in a unique and bold way. The owners allowed us to push the creative boundaries of our architects and designers, resulting in a home full of character and style.”
Photography by Julian Abrams
See also: A Charming Home That Brims with Energy and Warmth
A version of this article appears in our April 2019 issue.
