Queens Park Project

My wonderful client in Queen’s Park was looking to transform her home into a warmer, more welcoming space following the loss of her husband. The house, once filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in deep reds and leathers, felt more like a library than a living space. Sensitivity and patience were key as we carefully planned the redesign, ensuring the transition was both thoughtful and respectful. The books, of historical significance, were preserved at the Imperial War Museum, allowing us to reimagine the space with lightness and warmth. Inspired by a Scottish oil painting of heather, beach, and sky, we introduced soft colours and feminine touches, creating a home that truly reflected her.

Project Description

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Creative Process

Drawing inspiration from the Scottish coast and my client’s love of fabric and colour, we explored furniture and fabric shops together, carefully selecting materials that reflected her vision. These choices were curated into a series of mood boards featuring rich tartans, soft velvets, and a beautiful heritage pattern from GP & J Baker—with more on this to come later...

Space Planning

With the removal of the bookshelves, my client gained valuable floor space, allowing us to rethink the furniture layout. We created a comfortable seating area around the open fireplace, incorporating a sofa and armchairs, while positioning the dining table, chairs, and sideboard at the front of the house. The room’s long, narrow proportions, high ceilings, and beautifully large windows guided our selection of sofas in varying sizes, carefully integrating existing pieces to achieve a balanced and cohesive design.

Material Selection

High quality furniture was sourced from the friendly team at Love Your Home we enjoyed a trip to their showroom, located in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Surrey Hills near Guildford. Housed in a converted barn, the showroom is dog and child friendly, with a wide selection of product on display including sofas, armchairs, beds and sofa beds. They also boast a huge selection of fabric in their in-house library which was a valuable resource.

Colour Schemes

The colour scheme included deep pinks, purples, blue and yellow. A truly joyful palette and extremely feminine. Wallpaper was sourced from experts: Arte for their sophisticated interiors, made of the finest materials
in wonderful colours and textures.

Furniture and Decor

We accessorised with cushions from our friends at Evie & Skye adding stripes and brush fringe. Other accessories came from Neptune we love their coffee tables, throws, trays and faux flowers.

Lighting Design

Lighting played a key role in this project, making the sourcing process particularly enjoyable. We visited Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and met with the knowledgeable team at Porta Romana, whose craftsmanship and attention to detail perfectly aligned with my client’s appreciation for quality. After exploring various options, we selected the Monty wall lights Porta Romana, with my client personalising the finish and shade to complement the space beautifully.

Execution and Installation

For this project, we enlisted Ixia London's little-black-book of trusted contractors, electricians, decorators and fitters to achieve a superb finish.

Quality Control

Given the high-value materials, finishes, and wallpapers used in this project, careful oversight was essential. Regular site visits ensured every detail was executed to the highest standard. The installation took place during the height of summer, with the team working diligently through hot, airless days, meticulously painting and wallpapering to bring the design to life.

Project Unveiling

Our client, now a dear friend, provided the following testimonial for this project, for which we are extremely grateful. Thank you. "There are designers who bring wonderful creative ideas, there are project managers who get work done to time, quality and budget, there are lovely people who build their client’s confidence with empathy and sensitivity - but people who can do all three are rare indeed. Kirsty demonstrated all these qualities and many more (fair pricing, attention to detail, great colleagues) whilst helping me transform some rather tired rooms into a bright stylish home, full of light and colour. I am delighted to recommend Kirsty and Ixia - both the outcome and the process were an absolute pleasure."