BIRD OF PARADISE Fashion-turned-interior designer Matthew Williamson’s exotic home in north-west London
Bold, vibrant, exotic! Fashion-turned-interior designer Matthew Williamson’s home epitomises his signature style, with a glamorous mix of vintage pieces and a daring combination of colour
‘I don’t think you can be everything to everyone. I’ve learned that you should do what you’re good at really well’
Matthew Williamson doesn’t do neutrals; there are bursts of vibrant colour in every room of his northwest London home. In the imposing sitting and dining room, ochre bay window frames, a huge turquoise velvet sofa and parrot-print-covered chimney breast dominate. ‘I would call my look organised bohemia,’ he says. ‘People laugh at me because I have all these vintage pieces and knick-knacks around my home, but the cushions have to be in the right place. They’re currently not and it’s driving me crazy. I like there to be a sense of order.’
While Matthew admits his home is ‘done’, there is nonetheless a random, effortless quality to it. Much like his own designs, it draws on the lure of far-flung lands and the louche glamour of the jet set in decades gone by.
‘I was born in Manchester, which was quite cold and grey, so going to places like India and Brazil was creatively energising,’ he explains. ‘The culture became part of my look’s DNA, along with my mum’s approach to fashion and meeting Jade Jagger.’ Together with
Kate Moss and Helena Christensen, Jagger memorably modelled jewel-coloured dresses from Matthew’s 1997 catwalk collection. The show lasted just seven minutes and featured 11 outfits, but it was enough to catapult the label to global success. Matthew’s style has changed little since – unusual in an industry that
demands something new every six months.
All around are hits of colour and pattern. The furniture is eyecatching and eclectic, covered in kaleidoscopic prints including Matthew’s signature butterfly motifs.
Many of the pieces are his own designs
(he’s collaborated with Osborne & Little and Debenhams) or DIY revamps – from a lampshade updated with boho fringing to brightly painted dining chairs.
While the ‘scale and great bones’ of the building attracted him to the flat, Matthew has also radically changed the layout, removing an ensuite to make the main bedroom bigger and taking part of the formerly ‘huge’ kitchen to add a second bedroom and shower. The new galley kitchen has white units and walls, but isn’t short on personality. Cobalt-blue pendants add a kick of colour, and even in that functional space, Matthew shows his knack for displaying vintage finds en masse.
Matthew’s home boldly and beautifully shows that style isn’t about conforming to fads or following others. It’s about expressing yourself and celebrating what inspires you. Taken from The New Creative Home, published by Thames & Hudson. Find out more at matthewwilliamson.com