Ellen Cumber and Alice Bettington of Dalston studio Golden Design bring complementary skills to their characterful projects. Oxfordshire-born Cumber comes from a farming family who were also keen artists and design collectors; she initially planned to become a painter, but then worked her way up in the interiors industry with roles at a handful of London studios. Brisbane native Bettington, on the other hand, comes from a family of scientists and started her career in marketing and advertising, before making the switch to decorating after joining Cumber as an intern at her fledgling firm (Golden Design was founded in 2013). They are now co-directors.
Both women have diplomas in Architectural Interior Design from London’s Inchbald School of Design, and cite the practical skills they have learned along the way as key to their practice – managing large budgets and ‘projects with many moving parts’, for example. Style-wise, they pride themselves on not having a strict look, instead trusting their instinctive response to a space.
‘That said, there are threads that run through all of our designs,’ adds Cumber. ‘An abundant use of colour, eclectic furnishings (including plenty of vintage pieces), tactile natural materials and an aversion to colder tones – we have a “no grey” policy!’
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What are their recent projects?
A four-storey townhouse in Ladbroke Grove for a fashion-designer client is a masterclass in show-stopping hues. ‘Colour-drenching was implemented in each space to deliver a huge aesthetic punch and ensure the house felt unique,’ says Bettington. ‘The ground floor was transformed into the ultimate party space, with a big double reception room drenched in shrimp pink, including wall-to-wall carpet that was bespoke-dyed to match the walls.’ The main bedroom suite features a similarly maximalist palette of peach and acid euphorbia green.
In London’s Brook Green, a period home for a young client who loves zingy pastels is equally uplifting. ‘We updated the existing Shaker kitchen with a pale-spearmint shade and changed the island worktop to a rather wild pink marble,’ says Cumber. ‘The living room’s acid-yellow-painted double doors are always the first thing people mention about the house.’ Upstairs, a light, open bedroom with dressing room and en suite in lilac, pink and baby blue creates a dazzling colour-block effect. ‘We never consider the colours and textures of a room in isolation – it’s vital the design flows seamlessly from one space to another,’ Bettington explains.
What are they currently working on?
Golden is designing its first country retreat, converted from a Georgian stable block designed by Sir John Soane; it will be a contemporary twist on the classic country-house style. The duo is also creating a basement space with a snug, guest accommodation and plant-filled courtyard for a house in a conservation area in Bow, east London. ‘We’re working with Yard Architects, one of our favourite studios, on a mid-century-inspired scheme with natural timber and a bespoke metal staircase,’ adds Cumber.
They say: ‘We always place our clients at the centre of the process. It’s about approaching each project in an open, empathetic way.’ golden-design.co.uk
Expert advice
Golden Design on how colour and quirky features can transform a space
To nail the ‘colour-drenching’ look, you really have to go for it. No surface should be left uncoloured, especially ceilings. The reception room in our Ladbroke Grove project demonstrates how using the same colour on the walls, carpet and curtains (the textiles were dyed to match) achieves an even, luxurious effect. You almost can’t tell where the carpet ends and the walls begin.
Do something creative with a doorway. Our top tip (Ellen has done this in her own house) is to paint the door and architrave in a punchy shade. The acid-yellow doors in the sitting room of our Brook Green project show how effective this can be. It’s not as big a commitment as painting walls; think of it as a stand-alone piece.
Try a curtained entrance in place of a door. It feels really indulgent to swish through, especially in a dressing room. This can also be a practical, space-saving solution, where a door could get in the way of a large piece of furniture. We’ve used this trick in several homes, so it’s becoming one of our signatures.
Trust your instinct when it comes to choosing colours, and pick shades you love rather than trendy hues. You can see when colours work together: they seem to glow when placed side by side. Our Ladbroke Grove project is a great example – the shades used are all very different but, when viewed together, they seem even more saturated and flow beautifully.
