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House of Design
By Juliet Herd | 29 July 2022 | Lifestyle, Style
The best of British luxury to be showcased under one spectacular roof next to Buckingham Palace
The best of British luxury will be brought together under one roof – literally – with the creation of a bespoke apartment at No. 1 Palace Street, the St Regis Residences, one of London’s most coveted addresses.
The ‘House of Walpole’ one-off show residence is a partnership between leading property developer Northacre Properties, Walpole, the sector body for British luxury industry, and Oliver Burns, and is located adjacent to Buckingham Palace with unique views of the Queen’s private gardens.
Inspired by the Palace gardens, the design concept is the brainchild of London-based architectural interior design studio Oliver Burns, a Walpole member. “Our design vision is to re-tell the stories from this treasured sanctuary in a modern way; a love letter to the garden’s enduring beauty, transformation and resilience,” says founding partner and interior designer Sharon Lillywhite. “From floral and winged motifs to organic lines, the narrative is weaved through the design using the subtle geometry, abstract pattern and repetition found in nature.”
With a colour scheme based on “nature’s palette”, neutral base notes and muted tones of grey and blue have been chosen to reflect the ever-changing surface of the lake and sky, melding with warmer earthy tones and soft shades of green, to evoke the seasons and invite nature indoors.
The 3600sq ft space will feature a curated mix of the best of British luxury brands, including artist Helen Amy Murray, textile art studio Aiveen Daly, wallpaper heritage company Cole & Son, luxury house Asprey and furniture makers Shaw Stephens.
“House of Walpole showcases contemporary British luxury on a scale rarely seen,” says Helen Brocklebank, Walpole’s chief executive. “It is a beautifully curated, immersive and celebratory presentation of the skill and wealth of design talent this country has to offer.”
Some of the highlights include a dramatic entrance hall light installation. Designed by Nulty Bespoke, it is inspired by the Palace lake, which was created in the 19th century and represents a self-regulating eco-system, flourishing in fauna and providing a habitat for rare birds.
The Aiveen Daly studio has created a Mulberry Leaves bench, formed around the silhouette of intertwined Mulberry leaves and upholstered in leather and a touch of silk in a nod to the Mulberry bushes planted in the Palace gardens by James 1. The studio has also produced embroidered dining chairs using a hundred-year-old technique with a design inspired by the light reflections on the water. When placed next to each other, the chairs form an art-like installation.
In the master bedroom, a stand-out piece is Helen Amy Murray’s three-metres-tall sculpted wall, a tribute to a pair of Plane trees named Victoria and Albert, which were planted in the gardens by Queen Victoria and her Prince Consort in the 1850s. The hand-sculpted artwork features the trees shadowing either side of the bed with the leaves creating an arched canopy and the trunk and branches extending along the walls and ceiling.
The rooms are decorated with Cole & Son bespoke wallpapers, including the powder room, which displays a hand-painted scene that pays homage to Queen Charlotte’s menagerie and features a depiction of the first zebra ever seen in England.
Other bespoke designs include Axminster rugs, Richard Brendon bone china, beds by Savoir Beds and a reception room chandelier by Rocco Borghese. Candle-maker Rachel Vosper has even created four seasonal scents.
The apartment is due to be completed in the autumn and will be available for preview with special guests.
“We are delighted to be able to convene the brands shown in the apartment and it’s been a pleasure to partner with Walpole members, Northacre Properties and Oliver Burns to bring this captivating project to fruition,” adds Brocklebank.