Ruling the roost

Home to the founder of pioneering fashion, wellness and beauty blog ‘All The Pretty Birds’, this Milanese apartment is dressed to impress

The founder of blog ‘All The Pretty Birds’ has injected vibrant colour into her historic Italian apartment

For Tamu McPherson, born in Jamaica and transplanted to America when she was just a young girl, ‘roots remain in the heart’. ‘It doesn’t matter where life takes you,’ she says, ‘home is a place where you live in the present, where you keep your important things.’ For 15 years now, Tamu’s most valuable ‘things’ have all been based in Milan: an Italian husband, whom she met while studying law in New York, her son and a career she loves.

Following her passion instead of her training, Tamu founded lifestyle blog All The Pretty Birds in 2008, with a mission to appeal to a multi ethnic, multicultural audience. This clear editorial vision led her to being appointed editor-in-chief of the Italian edition of Grazia in 2011. Two years later, she left the magazine and returned to her self-titled post of ‘chief lover’ at her site, providing inspiration for her followers, who she affectionately refers to as her ‘flock’.

Tamu’s distinctive style and eye for colour have come in handy when decorating this early 20th-century apartment, which was a generous gift from her mother-in-law, whom she calls ‘The Signora’. ‘Making a home is a bit like creating an outfit,’ Tamu explains. ‘You start with a strong piece, and then build a mood and a palette around it.’

Fortunately, in this home, there is no shortage of strong pieces. In the living room sit a pair of Luigi Caccia Dominioni sofas – a gift from The Signora. ‘My mother-in-law is a genius!’ enthuses Tamu. ‘She has incredible taste and I’m one of her biggest fans.’ This enthusiasm is easy to understand when you catch a glimpse of the table by Carlo Scarpa in the dining room – another of the many adopted ‘kids’ Tamu has welcomed into her home over the years, sourced from the family’s rich collection.

To these inherited gems she has added pops of vibrant colour. From the cyclamen-hued ‘Florence’ sofa by Knoll to the multicoloured armchairs in the library – picked up in Milan’s Galleria Luisa Delle Piane – they bring a modern energy to the classic pieces in this historic space. For Tamu, this year’s lockdown offered a unique opportunity to slow down and really appreciate her home, although there have been accidents. ‘Living in a place 24 hours a day for two whole months means staining upholstery, breaking vases and ruining the floors, so I have a lot of maintenance to do,’ she admits. But the time did nothing but renew her love of her apartment’s vibrant marriage of the traditional and the contemporary.

Tamu jokingly likes to define herself as a ‘Bag Lady’, recognising a certain affinity with the figure depicted on a painting by Brazilian artist Marcel Cordeiro, which hangs behind the desk in her studio. This bag lady, though, carries a wildly rich, intense and colourful baggage. alltheprettybirds.com

TAMU’S DISTINCTIVE STYLE AND EYE FOR COLOUR HAVE COME IN HANDY WHEN DECORATING THIS HISTORIC APARTMENT

‘MAKING A HOME IS A BIT LIKE CREATING AN OUTFIT. YOU START WITH A STRONG PIECE AND THEN BUILD A PALETTE AROUND IT’

Living room Placed in perfect symmetry, two modern armchairs, picked up at an antiques market, sit opposite a bright pink ‘Florence’ sofa by Florence Knoll for Knoll. The glass coffee table at the centre of this arrangement is from the Raimondo Garau gallery in Milan and the floor lamp is a Spanish piece, designed in the 1970s. Behind, a ‘Shiva’ vase by Ettore Sottsass for BD Barcelona stands on a vintage lacquered Chinese cabinet

Studio The vintage chairs and desk in Tamu’s workspace were selected from the Raimondo Garau gallery. In the corner is the ‘Shogun’ floor lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide and above the fireplace hangs Bag Lady, another painting by Marcel Cordeiro Library Punchy colour updates this grand wood-panelled room, from the pink Kvadrat upholstery on the vintage sofa to the rainbow-like appearance of the two armchairs and footstool from Galleria Luisa Delle Piane. The glass coffee table is an antique piece and the botanical print above the fireplace came from Raw in Milan. A vintage industrial studio light stands in the corner ➤

Hallway A reproduction of a Jeff Koons ‘Balloon Dog’ sits on a vintage ‘Arco’ desk by BBPR Studio for Olivetti. The two backlit mirrors that flank the space are 1970s Italian designs Kitchen Eero Saarinen’s marble ‘Tulip’ table for Knoll defines a breakfast spot beneath a ‘Spokes’ pendant light by Studio Garcia Cumini for Foscarini. The wicker and steel chairs are classic pieces by Marcel Breuer Dining room An original mosaic floor dating back to 1900 is the star of this space, which houses a ‘Doge’ table by Carlo Scarpa for Cassina and a sideboard that came from the old headquarters of Pirelli. Tamu found the pendant light at a market ➤

Bathroom One of the few rooms in this historic apartment to be modernised, this elegant space is decorated in pale pink – ‘Cinder Rose’ by Farrow & Ball is a good match – and Carrara marble. For similar tiles try Mandarin Stone. The matching mirrors are antique pieces Main bedroom Bespoke, built-in wardrobes utilise the height of the room and are covered in a subtle textured tweed that complements the gentle pink walls. The bed is the ‘Frère Jacques’ by Philippe Starck for Cassina and the reupholstered armchair is a 1950s Italian design. For a similar bedside lamp, try Anglepoise See Stockists page for details