CHANGING FACES
After years of various alterations, Ciara Ephson’s elegant home has reached its full potential thanks to clever spatial planning and her eye for characterful pieces
From graduation to marriage, as the life of this homeowner
has evolved, so too has the look of her Victorian maisonette in London
Ciara Ephson’s apartment has been through its fair share of changes since she bought it seven years ago. The interior designer found the upper maisonette in southwest London just as she was graduating. Since then, she has rented it out, lived in it with numerous friends, started her own
design practice, Fentiman Design, and married husband Will Mason, who now shares this elegant home with her.
Fittingly, the decor and layout of the apartment, which ranges over two floors and includes a terrace, have been refined over the years. ‘When I bought it, the bones were there,’ says Ciara. ‘But it was uninspiring, with magnolia walls and lots of dark-wood finishes.’ She made a few tweaks, such as adding sliding doors across the full width of the terrace, as well as repainting and recarpeting throughout, but knew that when time and budget allowed, a fuller renovation was on the cards. Four years later, she and Will were ready to undertake a complete overhaul. They
decamped to a nearby flat and in just 10 weeks gutted the property. They removed a stud wall and archway into the previously small kitchen, extending it into the living area and creating a breakfast bar, while a new wall conceals the sink. ‘I avoided wall-mounted units, to make the under-eaves space feel more generous,’ says Ciara. ‘It works so much better now – I can cook and still feel part of the action, with the new wall providing a subtle delineation.’
Though clever spatial planning lies at the heart of her designs, Ciara admits that it was a more sentimental factor that drove the decor. ‘My mother was an art dealer and the first piece she bought with my father was a work by Joanna Kirk,’ she explains. ‘Growing up, it hung in our living room and I loved it. When Will and I married, my parents gave it to us.’ It now takes centre stage on the wall behind the dining table. ‘It meant we had to forgo a radiator, but opted for underfloor heating to compensate.’
With a keen eye for colour and shape, Ciara says her style is ‘clean, but characterful. I am definitely influenced by mid-century Scandi and modern Italian design’. Tactile fabrics abound, from the geometric design on the sofabed to the pleasingly heavy drapes in the living area and master bedroom. ‘I think I inherited a passion for art from my mother, and for the nuances of colour from my father,’ says Ciara, in reference to Martin Ephson, co-founder of Farrow & Ball and, latterly, Fermoie. ‘Growing up with them was an education in subtleties.’
The latest addition is a whippet called Plum. ‘The apartment is more lived-in thanks to her,’ smiles Ciara. ‘But I designed the interior to last.’
FAVOURITE SHOP ‘I love The Conran Shop for accessories and inspiration, and Pinch Design and Benchmark for their wonderful craftsmanship’