For most interior designers, their starting point is normally a space in need of transformation – whether that means peeling back dated decor or reconfiguring awkward layouts. Rarely are they handed a house that, to all intents and purposes, is already ‘done’. But this was the unique scenario for Emma Shone-Sanders, founder of London-based Shone-Sanders Studio (formerly known as Design & That).
When she was enlisted to work on a Grade II-listed five-bedroom house a stone’s throw from Hyde Park, the interior was almost alarmingly immaculate. The previous owners had restored the period details, used well-crafted materials and finishes and created a thoughtful flow throughout.
‘It was unusual as it was already a beautiful house, which is why the client fell in love with it,’ says Emma. The client in question is Sophie Hill, who founded fashion platform Threads Styling and moved into the townhouse with her family two years ago. ‘The brief was about making the house feel like theirs,’ continues Emma. ‘Sophie has two young children, so we also wanted to make it more family-friendly. It was very collaborative – we were constantly sharing ideas and inspiration.’
With the groundwork in place, Emma’s focus was to transform the home into one that felt personal through layering colour, interesting textures and well-chosen furniture. Some bedrooms were rebranded to suit the family’s needs.
‘On the lower ground floor, for instance, we turned two guest bedrooms into a playroom and Sophie’s dressing room,’ she says. The rear reception on the first floor became Sophie’s multi-purpose retreat. ‘There’s a little desk there where she does her Zoom calls and a comfortable armchair where she can sit and read.’
Colour was one of Emma’s secret weapons for adding warmth. With its plum cabinetry and Arabescato-marble worktop, the existing Plain English kitchen became the springboard for the house’s palette, starting with the adjoining dining room.
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‘We wanted a strong colour in there that paired nicely with the kitchen. In my initial meeting with Sophie, I had taken over a box of fabrics and we both pulled out the ochre velvet as one we were drawn to. We decided to upholster the banquette seating in it,’ explains Emma. That turmeric shade became a visual link stitched throughout the house, popping up in several spots including the vintage ‘Halabala’ chairs in the living room, the rear reception walls and in artwork and furnishings in the jungle-themed playroom.
Furniture is a medley of bespoke pieces (such as a sideboard designed by Emma and made by Alfred Newall) antiques and contemporary buys. Storage was added when required – a floating bathroom vanity was grounded with cabinetry and the hallway console doubles up as a shoe depository.
In every room, Emma leaned heavily on materials to soften any formality. Velvets and mohairs recur in different guises; perhaps most notably in the main bedroom on the grand, elongated headboard. ‘It makes the space feel more luxurious,’ she notes. Wood finishes add a counterpoint and limewash walls give depth.
A bespoke mural inspired by Hyde Park wraps around the children’s bedroom. ‘It has animals doing things like skipping rope and picnicking,’ says Emma. ‘We brought some of its elements into the room’s design, such as the gingham canopies and striped fabrics.’ This house now hums with the personality of its owners. ‘It was never about starting from scratch,’ says Emma. ‘But now they have finally been able to make it their own.’ shone-sanders.co.uk
