HOME TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Georgian-style new-build LOCATION London ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, family room, studio, study, five bedrooms (four en suite) bathroom PLOT PURCHASED 1996 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in an apartment in Singapore,’ says Olivia.
designed a Georgian-style home, rather like a doll’s house, that has beautiful features but doesn’t look brand new,’ enthuses Olivia. Overseeing such a large-scale project from the other side of the world ultimately proved too challenging and the couple realised that being on the ground would be essential. ‘We eventually came back to the UK and moved into Geoffrey’s mother’s house next door, which meant I was able to go to the site daily to check up on progress,’ says Olivia. ‘I found Anna Hewitson, an interior designer (annahewitsondesign.com) who made the process really enjoyable and it ended up being a real labour of love.’ The project took three years in total and the family home built on the site looks like it has been there for many years. Olivia, an entrepreneur who founded organic skincare company Vanderohe, has a finely tuned appetite for aesthetics. ‘I was one of five children and we grew up in a large, traditional English house with pillars and chandeliers and a drawing room you were never allowed into,’ she says. ‘I wanted to draw on that influence in the use of wallpaper, and in the solid and steadfast basins with Victorian-style taps that recall the grand bathrooms of my childhood.’ As time went by, Olivia became more influenced by Arne Jacobsen and moved towards a cleaner, more modern style. The nod to a more contemporary design language can be seen in the crispness of the architecture and the bright, uncluttered quality of each room. Flexing her interior design passion within her own business, Olivia has launched Curio, a collection of pieces for the home from glassware to hand-blown baubles (see more at vanderohe. com). ‘I’ve always loved antiques markets and picking out gems from among the junk,’ she adds. ‘It’s been great creating a collection that stems from what’s in my own cupboards.’