Designer of PM’S flat tells of terrible time
The luxury interior designer embroiled in a political storm after being commissioned to refurbish Boris Johnson’s flat broke her silence yesterday.
Lulu Lytle, a co-founder of Soane Britain, was hired by the Prime Minister and his now-wife Carrie Symonds to redecorate their flat above 11 Downing Street.
But the project was mired in controversy amid reports of gold wallpaper at £840 a metre and Johnson allegedly bemoaning Symonds’ expensive taste.
Now Lytle has defended her work and said she and her family had endured a terrible time in the spotlight.
She said: “I hated every minute. I found it incredibly disquieting to be caught up in a political storm.”
Lytle added that Soane does not even sell gold wallpaper, only gold-coloured, and none of it is as expensive as the prices quoted. The prices of the wallpaper, fabric and furniture stocked at Soane are high, she said, because everything is made in the UK and the firm’s employees are treated well.
Official figures showed the cost of the Downing Street renovation had been £90,000 – which included restoring floorboards – rather than the suggested £200,000.
Lytle said it was unfair to portray her firm as catering to the superrich, adding: “Some of my favourite customers are the ones who say: ‘I’m going to save for this piece.’ ”