The elegant red-brick house, built in 1709 in the Queen Anne style, was extensively restored 20 years ago. Everything that needed attention was seen to, from the roof to the brickwork and woodwork, and all unsightly cables on the façade were either removed or re-routed – something Emma often sees neglected.
Mark Anthony Fox
Every design project begins with a conversation. In the case of this handsome Queen Anne house in Hampstead, the conversation started 20 years ago and simply never stopped. It has been a dialogue not only between decorator Emma Burns and her clients, but between the three of them and this historic house, built in 1709. ‘When you work with a house as old as this, it’s really important that you don’t lose the sense of the building, and you don’t remove its soul,’ says Emma. ‘The house should always have its voice.’
The Grade II-listed property had been in the family for decades but, with the owners largely living and working overseas, few changes had been made. It was a permanent move back to London just over 20 years ago that inspired them to embark on a full restoration. Work had just begun when they were introduced to Emma, who had already spent two decades honing her craft at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, where she is now joint managing director. She came on board along with a trusted project manager to oversee proceedings.
The Brussels weave stair carpet was made bespoke by Sinclair Till.
Mark Anthony Fox
Externally, the roof was repaired, the brickwork repointed and the woodwork repainted. Inside, the focus was on restoring the original pine panelling that lines much of three main floors (there is also a converted attic and a basement). It had been covered in layer upon layer of varnish over the years, giving it an orangey, pub-like hue. So Emma called in decorative specialist Lin Connor, who carefully stripped it back to reveal the grain. In some of the upstairs rooms, new panelling was added, and it was decided that this should be painted to create a subtle change in mood.
With the work complete, they could begin to visualise how the rooms might look. As with all of Emma’s projects, this started with the furniture layout. Her clients had an extensive collection of antique pieces, the majority of which was in store and catalogued in an inventory. This turned out to be a real blessing. ‘You can look at things very objectively when you’ve just got the dimensions on a bit of paper,’ explains Emma. ‘It gives you the freedom to see things clearly and decide what should go where.’ Also in the mix was the owners’ collection of paintings, many by the Scottish Colourists, and treasured objects picked up on their travels.
The entrance hall opens onto the sitting room, where a sofa in Claremont’s ‘Toile Chenonceau’ and an armchair in Guy Goodfellow’s ‘Fez Weave’, with a kilim cushion from Susan Deliss, are arranged around an ottoman in ‘Malabar’ by Colefax and Fowler. An antique carpet is layered over the sisal floorcovering that runs throughout the house.
Mark Anthony Fox