DREAM ROOM
An atmospheric garden room designed by Nicola Harding
1. THIS ROOM is part of a wider house project we undertook for a young family moving out of London to the Home Counties. The house is large, so they wanted each room to have a distinctive atmosphere. Here, it was to be comfortable rather than formal, so we took an asymmetric approach with slightly mismatched fabric on the chairs – sisters rather than twins – and a coffee table deliberately set off-centre.
2. Taking inspiration from the garden, we used different shades of green – light on the walls and darker on the woodwork. We also placed a large indoor plant on a sculpture stand in one corner and introduced botanical prints.
3. THE SPACE is also used for entertaining. As a result, we wanted to be able to sit lots of people here without running the risk of it ending up looking like a furniture showroom. Instead of introducing another sofa, we added a pair of stools and a wicker pouffe that can also be used as extra seating.
4. The room has large windows, a roof lantern and an existing stone floor so there was a risk of it feeling cold. To address this, we used lamps at different heights so that it looks cosy and twinkly at night. The blue and white cotton dhurrie helps to soften and define the space (the other half of the room, out of shot, is used for dining). 5. I LIKE to mix hero pieces with thrifty finds alongside items from a client’s collection. Ideally, I go shopping at antiques markets Kempton, Lillie Road or Tetbury but I search online, too – although it’s an adventure; you’re never sure what will arrive. Doing this helps to build a room that feels like it has evolved organically over time.
Nicola Harding runs a London-based studio (formerly known as Harding & Read). She trained at the KLC School of Design and has a reputation for producing modern interiors that combine pattern, colour and different time periods to create rooms that work beautifully without ever being too formal. Nicola Harding & Co, 020 8743 6690; nicolaharding.com