Designer's Home, Notting Hill

INTERNATIONAL INTERIORS | FEATURE

FEATURE | INTERNATIONAL INTERIORS LEFT: The apartment is arranged around a grand symmetrical vista with the wooden saints at one end.

BELOW: Each elevation in the drawing room is perfectly symmetrical.

The paired chairs and occasional tables are to Ryan’s own design. The vast weight of the wallmounted cast-iron hoppers each required three men to lift into place.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND WORDS: JAMES BALSTON

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INTERNATIONAL INTERIORS | FEATURE

Ryan, whose portrait hangs in the bathroom, cleverly teamed a heavy Zoffany floral wallpaper with striped Missoni towels.

The scheme for the subdued elegance of the drawing room was built around the Napoleon Tigre marble fireplace from Lassco.

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T S HARD TO IMAGINE 0ORTOBELLO 2OAD WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS AND CHIC DELIS AND BARS AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE HOME OF 7EST ,ONDON S TRENDIEST SET BUT THE ELEGANT STUCCO TERRACES AND VILLAS WERE ONCE MORE FAMILIAR AS DECREPIT BEDSITS *UST ONE SUCH FORLORN BUILDING CAPTIVATED INTERIOR DESIGNER 3TEPHEN 2YAN WHO PASSED IT REGULARLY AND WAS AT THE TIME LIVING ONLY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY (OWEVER IT HAD ALSO CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF DEVELOPERS

WHO WERE ALREADY WELL ADVANCED WITH PLANS TO SUPPLY YET MORE hLUXURYv FLATS TO AN EAGER MARKET 2YAN MANAGED TO PERSUADE THE DEVELOPERS TO SELL HIM A DUPLEX SHELL ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND BASEMENT !T THIS STAGE ONLY THE FOUR PERIMETER WALLS EXISTED SO AS BOTH OWNER AND CLIENT 2YAN HAD CARTE BLANCHE 4HE BUILDING HAD A SCALE WHICH SUITED 2YAN S SENSE OF GRANDEUR HIS SCHEMES OFTEN BEING POPULATED

BY OVERSIZED OBJECTS AND BOLD THEMES

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INTERNATIONAL INTERIORS | FEATURE Ryan’s “insomnia” room.

A study that doubles as a guest room, it opens onto the lightwell beyond.

The guest bed is framed by the impressively realistic faux wood wallpaper from Nobilis.

RIGHT: The tangerine wall in the lightwell echoes the palette of the guest bedroom.

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WITH THE END OF THE VISTA GUARDED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY PAIR OF TH CENTURY WOODEN SAINTS MOUNTED ON MIRRORED PLINTHS 7HILE THEIR ORIGIN IS UNKNOWN 2YAN FOUND THEM IN /XFORDSHIRE THEY HAD APPEARED ON THE FRONT COVER OF #OUNTRY ,IFE MAGAZINE IN THE @ S ADORNING THE OUTSIDE OF A GRAND HOUSE WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN THEIR TRAGICALLY WEATHERED APPEARANCE 4HEY DID

HOWEVER SERVE AS A USEFUL STARTING POINT FOR THE KITCHEN DESIGN 2YAN S PARTNER

-ARK "ROOK A KITCHEN DESIGNER WITH THE UPMARKET KITCHEN COMPANY -ARK 7ILKINSON ECHOED THE FADED SLIGHTLY GREEN TINGED OAK OF THE STATUES IN THE ELEGANT PANELLED JOINERY &UNCTIONALLY THE KITCHEN IS ARRANGED EITHER SIDE OF A DOUBLE DEPTH PENINSULAR UNIT THE FOOD STORAGE AND COOKING ON ONE SIDE WITH THE CROCKERY AND WASHING UP ON THE OTHER 4HE PENINSULAR IS hBOOK ENDEDv BY A SLIGHTLY HIGHER WALL WHICH SERVES IN PART TO HIDE ANY COOKING CLUTTER FROM THE ADJACENT DINING AREA BUT ALSO HOUSES A FLAT SCREEN 46 WHICH AS 2YAN SAYS hALLOWS FOR THAT INEVITABLE CURSE OF MODERN LIFE 46 DINNERSv 4HE EXTENDABLE SAND BLASTED GLASS TABLE AND ELEGANT TAUPE LEATHER DINING CHAIRS LOOK OUT THROUGH A VAST FULL HEIGHT SASH WINDOW ONTO THE COURTYARD GARDEN AND LOWER LEVEL LIGHTWELL 4HIS SMART URBAN SPACE IS ENTERED THROUGH &RENCH DOORS FROM THE KITCHEN ! CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PRIVACY IS PROVIDED BY THE HIGH END WALL OF THE ADJOINING PROPERTY 4HE SPACE IS ARCHITECTURALLY ARRANGED WITH PLANTERS OF BAMBOO AND SUBSTANTIAL GARDEN FURNITURE AND SERVES AS A GLAMOROUS EXTRA ROOM ON SUMMER EVENINGS 2ETURNING TO THE HALL ONE S EYES ARE DRAWN STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE LARGE BAY WINDOW AT THE FRONT OF THE DRAWING ROOM 4HE OUTSIDE WORLD IS FILTERED

THROUGH WHITE WOODEN 6ENETIAN BLINDS )N FRONT OF THE WINDOW STANDS AN ELEGANT BLACK WRITING CONSOLE ON DEVILISHLY SPIKY BRONZE LEGS /N THE TABLE ARE IMPOSSIBLY TALL GLOSS BLACK VASES AND HUGELY FLAMBOYANT BLACK WIRE TABLE LAMPS IN PAIRS 4HE WHOLE ENSEMBLE MAKES A STRIKING COUNTERPOINT TO THE SAINTS AT THE FAR END OF THE APARTMENT 4HE DRAWING ROOM AS IS THE CASE ELSEWHERE HAS LARGELY BEEN SHAPED BY ONE ELEMENT (ERE IT IS THE FIREPLACE IN .APOLEON 4IGRE MARBLE .O CHIMNEY BREAST EXISTED SO THE ONE INSTALLED WAS DICTATED BY THE DIMENSIONS OF THE FIREPLACE 4HE ROOM IN ITS MOSTLY SOMBRE TONES IS ARRANGED FORMALLY AROUND THE HEARTH

WITH SOFAS AND CHAIRS AND OCCASIONAL TABLES ALL DESIGNED BY 2YAN GROUPED IN FACING PAIRS 4HE GREY VELVET OF THE TWIN SOFAS MATCHES PERFECTLY THE TWO PET 2USSIAN "LUE CATS WHICH HAVE THE RUN OF THE PLACE 3PARKS OF COLOUR DOT THE ROOM IN THE FORM OF BOLD STRIPED AND PATTERNED CUSHIONS STRIKING VASES AND GLASSWARE !GAIN WHAT MAKES THE ROOM TRULY MEMORABLE IS THE INCLUSION OF UNCONVENTIONAL ITEMS SUCH AS THE FOUR CAST IRON HOPPERS IN EACH CORNER 4HEIR VAST WEIGHT REQUIRED STRUCTURAL BRACKETS TO BE EMBEDDED INTO THE WALLS AND THREE MEN TO LIFT EACH INTO PLACE /F A SIMILAR FEEL IS THE PAIR OF GASOLIER LIGHTS WHICH 2YAN DOMESTICATED BY CLEVERLY INSERTING PLEATED PETROL BLUE SILK DRUM SHADES 4HE LIGHTS SIT EITHER SIDE OF A SOFA ON FLUTED !RT $ECO BRONZE AND BURLWOOD PLINTHS WHICH ONCE STOOD IN THE $ORCHESTER $OWNSTAIRS ARE TWO BEDROOMS THREE BATHROOMS TWO OF WHICH ARE ENSUITE TO THE MASTER BEDROOM AND A SMALL STUDY ,INKING THESE ROOMS IS A LOBBY SPACE WHICH CONCEALS A UTILITY ROOM AND COPIOUS STORAGE BEHIND SECRET

MIRRORED DOORS IN EACH CORNER THAT BAMBOOZLE WITH THEIR INFINITE REFLECTIONS 4HE FOCAL POINT IS A BEAUTIFUL SHELL ENCRUSTED CHEST OF DRAWERS OVER WHICH HANGS A STRIKING h"ACONESQUEv PORTRAIT 4HROUGH THE JIB DOOR ON THE RIGHT IS THE MASTER BEDROOM LINED ALMOST ENTIRELY WITH MIRROR AND EMBOSSED AND STUDDED LEATHER PANELS 7HAT APPEARS TO BE A FOLDING SCREEN DOWN ONE SIDE IS IN FACT A RUN OF BUILT IN WARDROBES 6ERY GENEROUSLY THERE ARE TWO ENSUITES ENTERED THROUGH MIRRORED DOORS EITHER SIDE OF THE BED /N THE LEFT IS THE PROPER BATHROOM WHILE THE SMALLER OF THE TWO HAS A CLEVERLY CARVED OUT SHOWER CUBICLE FROM THE SPACE BELOW THE STAIRS !CROSS THE LOBBY LIES THE STUDY 2YAN S hINSOMNIAv ROOM IT IS FURNISHED SIMPLY WITH FOUR BESPOKE WALNUT BOOK CASES A SIMPLE WRITING DESK AND A SOFA THAT DOUBLES AS A GUEST BED 4HE THEMES ARE !FRICAN AND /RIENTAL DOMINATED

BY THE HANDSOME PORTRAIT OF A HAREM GUARD 4HROUGH THE RHINESTONE STUDDED

CURTAINS A &RENCH DOOR LEADS OUT TO THE VERY PRIVATE LIGHTWELL PAINTED A DAZZLING TANGERINE WHICH GIVES A TASTE OF THE MAIN GUEST ROOM WHICH CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED VIA THE LIGHTWELL !N ORANGE S CHAIR BEARING THE 0RINCE OF 7ALES FEATHERS WAS THE UNLIKELY STARTING POINT FOR THE DESIGN OF THIS ROOM 2YAN S FATHER HAD ATTENDED THE INVESTITURE OF 0RINCE #HARLES AT #AERNARVON #ASTLE AND EACH GUEST RECEIVED ONE SUCH CHAIR 4HE RICH ORANGE AND RED FABRICS OF THE ROOM ARE TEAMED WITH THE ODDLY SUITABLE AND REALISTIC FAUX WOOD WALLPAPER FROM .OBILIS 4HE GUEST BATHROOM ARRANGED ROUND A SPARKLING GLASS BASIN IS PERFECTLY SYMMETRICAL 4HE WALLS ARE FINISHED IN BURGUNDY MOCK ALLIGATOR WITH MIRRORS AGAIN ADDING IMAGINARY DIMENSIONS TO THE SPACE 4HIS IS A CLEVER HOME WHICH FREQUENTLY SURPRISES BUT THE ELABORATE FINISHES AND ARTEFACTS BELIE A PLAN OF UTTER SIMPLICITY .OW WHERE IS THAT FRONT DOOR

STEPHEN RYAN DESIGN AND DECORATION 7 Clarendon Cross, Holland Park, London W11 4AP | Website: www.stephenryandesign.com

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