topic Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE in Home

VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

Oznell — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 23:59:58 GMT

Cookbook writer Skye McAlpine lives in a Victorian townhouse in London. It's a skinny space, with just a few rooms on each floor. A lot of the period details had been stripped out by other owners. I love how she's made it homey for her family, with the help of fab Ben Pentreath.

Rose-colored walls in the sitting room seem to glow. I love pale pink living room walls...

(Detour below-- I found the same room decorated for Christmas, from some time in the past. )

She has sentimental touches everywhere, including on this living room lamp table-- she said, "This is my only photo of my grandmother, I love how glamorous she is in this".

Another fan of vintage black and white photos!

She loves all things vintage Fornasetti, with the enigmatic faces (tucked in the corner) like I do! It's a Fornasetti fridge (who knew they made them?) from the Fifties, and has been quirkily repurposed as their bar, cool.

Her husband's glossy piano. Beautiful herringbone floors--

Challenge me if you think I'm wrong, but I maintain that *in general*, the Brits tend to be fonder of yellow in their rooms than we are. Even her small Smeg refrigerator is bright yellow. She adores the color, and has it all through her wonderful kitchen. Dispelling the London gloom, no doubt:

Her lovingly collected and used copper molds. There's a kitty, a bunch of cherries, a teapot. She makes fancy jellies in them, among other things.

Their generous dining room, for her frequent dinners, flows right out of the kitchen.

But it can also be intimate-

Here's one of her concoctions, a "berry cloud cake"--

Their little library/ study, off the living room. I think all the glass chandeliers we're seeing are Venetian. She said, I mostly prefer pastels, but this is our 'raspberry sorbet' study!" Another amusing quote from her, in her soft, self-effacing style-- "I love cluttah (clutter)". My house is "busy".

Such an expansive, charming bath...

The Homeworthy video is great to watch. I first discovered her home in Italy though, and was surprised to find the London house.

She mostly grew up in Venice, with her English parents. They left England after her family's home was bombed by the I.R.A. Now, she lives partly in London and partly in fabulous Venice, in a rented apartment below--

What fun this fanciful dining area must be, for a cook and hostess like her -- it's like a mad, mad, Alice in Wonderland confection!

And here's a fresco from a sitting room ceiling, also in the Italian apartment!

The artistry is amazing. Venice is my favorite European city.

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

just bee — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:13:33 GMT

@Oznell

Uh-oh. Now you have me Googling Fornasetti...

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

DSD2 — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:15:11 GMT

I really do love the sitting room's pink walls; I'm surprised but the pink drapes blend perfectly. The mantle is gorgeous. Love the green velvet ottoman, chandelier, the pleated lampshade and the striped pillows...

The table and chairs in the dining area are so pretty! I like the cheery splashes of yellow in the kitchen.

Those herringbone floors are just beautiful.

@Oznell another marvelous post. Thank you so much!

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

D Kay — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:21:33 GMT

Kind of an odd bathroom. Do love the pink living room.

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

cheriere — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:22:04 GMT

@Oznell Isn't it wonderful to get a peek inside someone's home & world 😃. I love her place....I'm fond of a yellow kitchen as well lol. I don't have one anymore, but one of my faves was done in yellow with blue gingham accents. In the past, I've had yellow canopy bed in a spare room before too. I've since changed it to neutrals though. Now that I think about it, throughout years past I've enjoyed using a lot of yellow too lol

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

bmorechick — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:31:51 GMT

Just stunning! So warm and cozy looking. A fitting place to get out of those damp and foggy London days...

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

JudyL — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:39:53 GMT

Beautiful rooms! I love yellow kitchens - have one myself. Wonder if that comes from my British mother! LOL

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

GingerHead — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 03:47:07 GMT

@Oznell Lovely Victorian. That pink living room is really pretty, that color really does glow. I also love how she matched the curtains to the walls and I like how she propped that large mirror on the mantel.

That creamy yellow kitchen is dreamy. I really like that she brought that color onto the hood vent and the window trim and that aged wood kitchen island. Both fridges are fun and I really like her green dining chairs.

Also, her Venice dining room is just like you said like being inside a confection. So lovely!

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

Lilysmom1 — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 08:48:36 GMT

@Oznell , lovely, lovely, lovely! My bottom floor is yellow and I LOVE it. That is where I quilt in winter. Big windows, winter sun and woodstove. Where I love to be.

I also love the living room. The curtains are perfect and the walls have a soft glow.

Thanks for posting. I think this will remain one of my favorites!

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

QVCisFun — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 03:56:30 GMT

Love her Venice apartment - the bas relief walls, the ceiling, the furniture. The floor gives the illusion of raised squares, or maybe it is just the way it comes across in the photo. Love Venice, it is one of my favorite places, very cozy there.

In her London sitting room, don't care for the pink walls, pink drapes, pink lampshade, and pink throw pillows. I do like most of the rest of the room. Don't care for freestanding bathtubs, but that gleaming copper is pretty.

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

Oznell — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:04:35 GMT

Very interesting that there is more support for yellow, with several here having it in their own rooms, than I would have realized! Her kitchen really is warm and welcoming, and the sunny shade seems to be a definite part of that.

She did say that pink and yellow are her favorite colors, and she put that into practice in her kitchen and sitting room. I wonder how many people put their very favorite colors on their walls?

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

wilma — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 21:52:40 GMT

I love the piano and the huge white cabinet in the dining room. Not really a fan of her print mixing, color choices, or other furnishings.

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

spiderw — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 01:44:36 GMT

I love anything related to Victorian designs and decor. There is much appeal in these photos and in fact I have to say there isn't anything I do not like. The rose colored walls, the printed sofa, the library, yellow kitchen and that fresco, just stunning, all.

I too love Venice!!!!

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

shoptilyadropagain — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 02:31:57 GMT

Let's just say her design style does not appeal to me.

Re: VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE

mrshckynut — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 02:44:49 GMT

Way too much for us

mrshckynut