Houzz Tour: Neon Brights Mix With Classic Style in a London Home
Bold blasts of colour, quirky pieces and family heirlooms give a unique look to this impressive family townhouse
When the owners bought this six-storey townhouse in Chelsea, London, they went straight to interior design studio NBB Design, known for its signature use of colour, quirky sense of style and savvy spatial awareness.
“We had previously worked for this couple, so the brief was to reuse some furniture from their previous house but in a more family-like, elegant way that was less urban than their former property,” says Niloufar Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari owner and founder of NBB Design. “They were already familiar with our use of colour so we knew we could be quite daring on this project.”
“We had previously worked for this couple, so the brief was to reuse some furniture from their previous house but in a more family-like, elegant way that was less urban than their former property,” says Niloufar Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari owner and founder of NBB Design. “They were already familiar with our use of colour so we knew we could be quite daring on this project.”
The background in the drawing room is a very subtle setting-plaster shade, with the architraves painted in grey to make them stand out.
“It creates a very mellow yet elegant effect that not everyone would have gone for,” adds the designer.
The fireplace provides a focal point for the room and is flanked by a pair of antique chairs (family heirlooms) and black-and-white photography, for a calming sense of symmetry.
Mirror, RV Astley.
“It creates a very mellow yet elegant effect that not everyone would have gone for,” adds the designer.
The fireplace provides a focal point for the room and is flanked by a pair of antique chairs (family heirlooms) and black-and-white photography, for a calming sense of symmetry.
Mirror, RV Astley.
The elegant drawing room leads into the ‘en-suite’ family space at the back of the house, with the two areas united by a grey-tinted wooden floor.
Sofa, NBB Recline.
Sofa, NBB Recline.
The family room has a bolder look with a crimson sofa and charcoal wallpaper surrounding the fireplace.
Moma extra-deep sofa, NBB Recline. Wallpaper, Élitis.
Moma extra-deep sofa, NBB Recline. Wallpaper, Élitis.
The grand, grade-II listed, six-storey townhouse was originally two separate flats.
As soon as you step through the front door, a bold hallway scheme sets the tempo for the rest of the house.
“It is a typical Chelsea house so when you open the front door, the first thing you see is a corridor and a staircase,” explains Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “So we started with this in order to make it amazing.
“I found the entrance and staircase the most challenging as it is a tall building with many floors. I didn’t want this space to feel like a tunnel so we treated it as a real room with a red handrail to keep people’s eyes away from the wall.”
NBB Design installed white deer heads as a subtle reference to the owner’s passion for hunting, which make for an eye-catching feature in the entrance.
White resin stag head with antlers, Graham & Green. Stair runner, Hartley & Tissier.
“It is a typical Chelsea house so when you open the front door, the first thing you see is a corridor and a staircase,” explains Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “So we started with this in order to make it amazing.
“I found the entrance and staircase the most challenging as it is a tall building with many floors. I didn’t want this space to feel like a tunnel so we treated it as a real room with a red handrail to keep people’s eyes away from the wall.”
NBB Design installed white deer heads as a subtle reference to the owner’s passion for hunting, which make for an eye-catching feature in the entrance.
White resin stag head with antlers, Graham & Green. Stair runner, Hartley & Tissier.
The clash of daring colour, contemporary style and classic furniture in the ground-floor dining room is a design concept that runs throughout the house.
“The dining room is my favourite part of the house as it is rare these days to have a separate dining room,” adds the designer. “It’s a timeless and elegant space, which is very comfortable. The mirrored panelling makes it seem much bigger and brighter.
“The chandelier encapsulates the brief for this project: a classical glass chandelier surrounded with ultra-contemporary transparent mirrors.”
“The dining room is my favourite part of the house as it is rare these days to have a separate dining room,” adds the designer. “It’s a timeless and elegant space, which is very comfortable. The mirrored panelling makes it seem much bigger and brighter.
“The chandelier encapsulates the brief for this project: a classical glass chandelier surrounded with ultra-contemporary transparent mirrors.”
Two Asian art pieces owned by the client provided the starting point for the dining-room décor.
“The two tables can be joined as one for entertaining purposes, but they are usually separated to make it more cosy for everyday life,” says Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “The polycarbonate chairs are by Philippe Starck for Kartell – we use them a lot as they are stackable and can go outside. The fact that they are transparent means that they don’t take up space visually.”
Dining table, NBB Design. Victoria Ghost stackable chair, Philippe Starck for Kartell.
Discover classic dining chairs you need to know about
“The two tables can be joined as one for entertaining purposes, but they are usually separated to make it more cosy for everyday life,” says Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “The polycarbonate chairs are by Philippe Starck for Kartell – we use them a lot as they are stackable and can go outside. The fact that they are transparent means that they don’t take up space visually.”
Dining table, NBB Design. Victoria Ghost stackable chair, Philippe Starck for Kartell.
Discover classic dining chairs you need to know about
Lacquered furniture and tones of burnished gold and red create an Oriental look in the dining room.
The design concept for the ground-floor kitchen was to have a more country, family look.
“This was a challenge as it is a small room,” says the designer, “but the client is a good cook and wanted a breakfast area. Before it was ultra contemporary with no sitting space.”
Kitchen, Higham.
“This was a challenge as it is a small room,” says the designer, “but the client is a good cook and wanted a breakfast area. Before it was ultra contemporary with no sitting space.”
Kitchen, Higham.
The kitchen is now an elegant yet practical space in tones of grey and white, with a marble worktop.
“I discovered the original architrave in the kitchen and brought it back to life in all its authentic glory,” she adds.
“I discovered the original architrave in the kitchen and brought it back to life in all its authentic glory,” she adds.
The guest toilet is a flamboyant space that demonstrates the NBB design ethos.
“We made it a priority to have stunning guest toilets,” says Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “It is a very small space but we wanted something striking. The classical moulding has been treated in a contemporary way with the use of neon paint. The inspiration came from a drawing that the clients’ daughter created with highlighter pens.”
Even the classical toile du jouy blind is handprinted with fluorescent colours.
Check out these expert tips to make the most of a cloakroom
“We made it a priority to have stunning guest toilets,” says Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “It is a very small space but we wanted something striking. The classical moulding has been treated in a contemporary way with the use of neon paint. The inspiration came from a drawing that the clients’ daughter created with highlighter pens.”
Even the classical toile du jouy blind is handprinted with fluorescent colours.
Check out these expert tips to make the most of a cloakroom
The ground-floor garden room has a snug, cocooning ambience with a deep-red ceiling and grey walls.
“This is a typical example of where we improved the small, awkward passage to the garden,” explains the designer, “and made it into a real room. The idea was to make it like a cosy box with a TV – it’s a very relaxing space.”
Chairs, antique. Curtain fabric, Pierre Frey.
“This is a typical example of where we improved the small, awkward passage to the garden,” explains the designer, “and made it into a real room. The idea was to make it like a cosy box with a TV – it’s a very relaxing space.”
Chairs, antique. Curtain fabric, Pierre Frey.
The country-cottage garden is kitted out with comfortable outdoor furniture from Peter Jones.
The master bedroom suite on the second floor is a charming space in a palette of soothing grey and pinks.
“We wanted to create a cosy, classic and romantic look, which mixes contemporary with a more classic style,” says Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari.
An elegant antique sofa is perched at the end of the Robert Langford bed.
“We wanted to create a cosy, classic and romantic look, which mixes contemporary with a more classic style,” says Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari.
An elegant antique sofa is perched at the end of the Robert Langford bed.
The fireplace wall has been clad in antique mirror with unusual upholstered cupboards on either side.
“It’s a signature look of NBB,” says the designer, “and is perfect for softening and hiding cupboards. I hate cupboard doors.”
Curtains, Rapture & Wright.
“It’s a signature look of NBB,” says the designer, “and is perfect for softening and hiding cupboards. I hate cupboard doors.”
Curtains, Rapture & Wright.
The en-suite bathroom is a continuation of the master bedroom with accents of colour and quirky pieces.
“The painting of Peter Sellers is cherished by the client and they wanted to enjoy it, hence the idea to have it in the bathroom,” explains Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “I always try to treat bathrooms as other rooms and incorporate art into them.”
“The painting of Peter Sellers is cherished by the client and they wanted to enjoy it, hence the idea to have it in the bathroom,” explains Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari. “I always try to treat bathrooms as other rooms and incorporate art into them.”
The Peter Pan-themed nursery on the top floor was designed to accommodate a growing family.
Sea Green Bartsch Cotton Clouds wallpaper, Smallable.
Sea Green Bartsch Cotton Clouds wallpaper, Smallable.
It has a sleeping area as well as a separate play area.
What do you think of this vast London townhouse with its quirky sense of style? Share your thoughts in the Comments below – and please remember that you’re discussing someone’s home!
What do you think of this vast London townhouse with its quirky sense of style? Share your thoughts in the Comments below – and please remember that you’re discussing someone’s home!
Who lives here French family with a young child
Location Chelsea, London
Property Grade II-listed townhouse
Size 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Designer Niloufar Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari, interior designer, owner and founder of NBB Design
The property was originally two completely separate basement flats, so these had to be reunited.
The first-floor drawing room is subtly divided into two halves. A sophisticated and understated front room with French windows leads out to a Juliet balcony.
“The clients had a few antique furniture pieces, and the goal was to feature them throughout the house,” explains interior designer Niloufar Bakhtiar-Bakhtiari of NBB Design. “They were very involved in the design and it was a pleasure to see them enthusiastic about the colour choices.”
Chandelier, Challiere.