THE KINDNESS PROJECT

The new London home of broadcaster, author and Queen of the British high street Mary Portas is a true representation of every side of her personality

Reception This is a room of two halves, one painted in ‘Olive Grove’ by Dulux, the other in ’Powder Pink’. The darker side is a retreat from the world, furnished with a cosy British-made sofa that Mary bought more than 25 years ago – for a similar style, try Andrew Martin – and a wooden desk and chair from Liberty, with wall shelving by Vitsoe. An ‘Opal Lantern’ table lamp from Heal’s sits on the built-in storage that straddles the

two distinct spaces. The flooring throughout is teak herringbone from Lassco

Many of us know Mary Portas as the face, and champion, of the British high street, but in recent years she’s taken up another cause. Work Like a Woman, her 2018 book, was a manifesto for change, for women to rise up against alpha culture and adopt a more collaborative way of getting things done.

It was a rallying cry that architects Amelia Hunter and Anna Drakes were eager to answer. The duo were working with Project OO – a collective studio of architects, designers, scientists, economists and more – when Mary approached the company looking for someone to help reimagine her London home. It’s testament to the broadcaster and author’s inspirational power that Amelia and Anna not only created a welcoming interior that distills Mary’s ‘firecracker’ personality, but also formed a brand-new studio: Space A.

‘It’s been wonderful to watch Space A grow,’ says Mary. ‘It’s important to me to support talented young business owners who embody values beyond profit and growth. In the postpandemic era, it’s about care, respect and understanding the implications of what we are doing and how we are living. It’s more than design.’ This new value system is something Mary argues for in her new book, Rebuild: How to Thrive in the New Kindness Economy, and it was key to every stage of this project.

For Mary, the most important element of the renovation was to use as many of the property’s original and pre-loved features as possible. The fireplaces and utility room are decorated with old church tiles that she collected, as well as ones found in the house. Also there when she moved in was the vintage sink in the powder room, a space which is made contemporary with a shocking lick of orange paint and joyfully clashing House of Hackney wallpaper.

In the basement, English oak panelling, herringbone flooring and joinery lend the new kitchen a timeless quality, while upstairs, the two reception rooms are open-plan yet divided by a bold shift in colour: Dulux’s ‘Olive Grove’ on one side and ‘Powder Pink’ on the other.

As one would expect from Mary, British brands and artists are heavily represented throughout (Grayson Perry’s Britain is Best tapestry seems right at home here), but when it came to selecting furniture with the help of interior decorator Louise Donald, what was most important to the prolific broadcaster and author was that the people behind the brands were kind, honest and passionate about their products. She was looking, says Amelia, for ‘a spark in their eyes’.

That passion is the energy Mary wants to invite into her home. It is one of what Amelia pithily describes as the ‘five a day for your space: the metaphorical vitamins and minerals that you need for your psychological health.’

‘For me, my home is part of my spirit and joy as a human,’ adds Mary. ‘Now full of colour, character and warmth, it’s a place where I can be my best self and has been such a refuge during the past year.’ Above all, the biggest joy has been to work with people who, she says, ‘understood what I as a woman needed to feel nurtured and at home’. spacea.co.uk

ENGLISH OAK PANELLING, HERRINGBONE FLOORING AND JOINERY LEND THE NEW KITCHEN A TIMELESS QUALITY

THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT WAS TO USE AS MANY OF THE ORIGINAL AND PRE-LOVED FEATURES AS POSSIBLE

‘NOW FULL OF COLOUR, CHARACTER AND WARMTH, MY HOME IS A PLACE WHERE I CAN BE MY BEST SELF’

Reception A pink ‘Papaï’ armchair by LucidiPevere and purple ‘Ploum’ sofa by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, both for Ligne Roset, face a framed Britain is Best tapestry by Grayson Perry. The pendant light and wall lights are by Inscapes Design – available via Etsy. A ‘Jardim’ side table by Jader Almeida for Sollos and vintage drinks trolley are placed beneath the window

Kitchen Honey-toned oak panelling and cabinetry by Sygnet Style Ltd joiners is complemented by a gold-flecked marble countertop and pastel pink zellige tiles from Mosaic Del Sur. The table and chairs are by Jader Almeida for Sollos, while the pendant light above is a vintage find from the 1970s

Snug The oak panelling and engineered oak herringbone floor by Havwoods continue into this space, where built-in shelving displays precious objects. The chair is the ‘Lamino’ by Swedese and the side table is the ‘Cigg’ by Jader Almeida for Sollos, while the rug is the ‘Lana Mangas’ by Patricia Urquiola for Gan. Beside the doors to the garden, a framed Friendly Giant headscarf, designed by Grayson Perry for his 2011 ‘Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman’ show at the British Museum, hangs between two handmade brass wall lights by Inscapes Design on Etsy Exterior Dark olive tiles from Victorian Ceramics allow the back of this home to camouflage against the mature garden

Powder room Bright orange ‘Charlotte’s Locks’ paint by Farrow & Ball and ‘Artemis’ wallpaper in ‘Amaranth-Pink’ by House of Hackney add a powerful contemporary zing to the traditional sink and taps – vintage pieces that were in the house when Mary bought it. The wall lights are from Pooky Bedroom A pink ‘Redondo’ chair by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso sits by the windows, which are dressed in curtains made from GP & J Baker’s ‘Hydrangea Bird’ fabric (just seen). A throw from Graham & Green decorates the bed and the chandelier is a mid-century find from Inscapes Design on Etsy. The mirror is the ‘Logan Leaner’ by Select Mirrors See Stockists page for details