A splendid Georgian townhouse in central London where texture and glamour combine

The London- and Ghent-based interior designer earned her stripes working in hospitality design for over a decade before launching her own studio six years ago, so she wasn’t the least bit phased by what the owners sought. ‘It was about creating something that would have longevity, that would continue to evolve with them living in it,’ says Geraldine, a new addition to House & Garden’s Top 101 list this year, who started work on the project in 2022.

Built in 1826, the seven-storey house had recently been sensitively remodelled by RV Architects, who respected the proportions of the interiors, while also adding the extraordinary atrium space that plays host to a kitchen, dining and sitting areas, a sculptural staircase and a roof terrace. ‘Though the main spaces were already planned, we reconsidered some smaller rooms and also created a playroom,’ says Geraldine, whose remit was to mastermind everything from finishes and furniture to bed linen and water glasses.

Michael Sinclair

First, it was a case of thinking through how the areas would be used and, specifically, how the owners would want to feel in them. ‘We needed private spaces, but also entertaining spaces,’ notes Geraldine. ‘Rooms had to be flexible, as it is a large, tall house and we wanted to ensure that the owners would use every room every day.’ As such, the entrance hall – a spectacular affair defined by a herringbone marble floor that echoes original yellow marble discovered elsewhere in the house – is also a place for entertaining. Just beyond this, the rust-toned formal dining room, on a mezzanine in the atrium, is designed to be used for meals and special occasions. The fourth floor plays host to a spare room and also a craft room, which has a big screen for viewing films. ‘People can be making art, crafting, watching movies or even spending the night in here for the ultimate kids’ sleepover if extra space is needed,’ says Geraldine, referring to the raised platform bearing sofas with large fabric cushions that can easily be turned into beds.

In the kitchen, verdigris copper panels on units designed by the owner and realised by Ledbury Studio, and Craig Wylie’s painting L’Origine du Monde (After Courbet) are complemented with the pale travertine worktops and Italian herringbone walnut flooring.

Michael Sinclair

Michael Sinclair

Establishing a materials palette that would bring in comfort and warmth was the next piece in the puzzle. Geraldine used the owners’ three must-haves as a jumping-off point: a verdigris kitchen dreamt up by the owner (realised by Ledbury Studio and so sleek it could be mistaken for contemporary furniture); the exquisite library (achieved with burr walnut, paired with a silk carpet and velvet curtains, so that it now resembles a luxurious chocolate box); and a tone-on-tone atrium. For this voluminous space, she answered the brief with Portland stone flooring, a full-height plaster fireplace and textured paint on the walls, creating a place that feels almost monastic, but has a playful energy thanks to the sculptural coffee table and sofa.

Marble became a thread throughout. Upstairs, the main bathroom is clad top-to-toe in this material, its striking veining creating something that resembles art. In the dining room, a piece of red marble – hand-picked by the owner for its exquisite details, as with all the stone selected for the house – was chosen for the table and provided inspiration for the terracotta walls. As in many of the rooms, Geraldine used textured paint mixed from pigments on site. ‘I like walls to look like you can dive into them,’ she says.

Handcrafted Vincent Vincent ‘80/20’ wooden chairs partner a small table for informal dining.

Even an adornment as fanciful as the hand-painted ceiling by Nancy Daniell in the main bedroom – conceived as a nod to the owners’ love of flowers – doesn’t feel over the top, thanks to the way Geraldine has paired it with caramel-hued textural walls, a bespoke mirror and an organically shaped fireplace: ‘I focus on getting the essentials right, rather than overdecorating for the sake of it.’

Much of the furniture was designed for the space, including a vast travertine headboard that dominates the main bedroom, and the burr-walnut desk in the library. ‘These pieces are what make the house magical,’ she says. So, too, do several exceptional vintage finds, including a pair of sculptural sofas in the drawing room that were sourced on a trip with her clients to a Belgian antique market.

A vintage Aurelien Serre ‘AS02’ armchair and a Pierre Augustin Rose sofa in a Pierre Frey velvet are paired with Miniforms’ ‘Tototò’ terracotta side tables in the playroom.

The owners’ art collection came together as the house was being renovated. A wall in the drawing room is devoted to female artists, while a bespoke ceramic installation by Italian artist Sissi Daniela Olivieri, commissioned by the owners, trails across the rust walls of the dining room and into the atrium. ‘It’s a house built on family and craftsmanship,’ Geraldine says. ‘A piece of living art’.

Geraldine Dohogne: geraldinedohogne.com