DESIGN IDEAS
Decorative plaster work and panelling have been around for centuries for a reason – they bring form and function
FEATURE ARABELLA YOUENS
THE CLASSICS
When kept architecturally intact, 19th-century French houses often come with an abundance of decorative details. One option would be to embrace neutral hues and let the artistry within these details do the talking but, here, Paris-based designer Laura Gonzalez took the opposite direction, bringing in a mix of colourful prints and cultural influences, including from China, India and, of course, France to her country house near the town of Giverny. A pink and black marble floor and trompe-l’œil marble panels mark the entrance. They were found and repaired during the renovation. Above the door is a bas relief of a dog; it points to the country-house tradition of hanging animal heads as trophies.
SUNSHINE STATE OF MIND
Panelling and cornicing add texture and shadow which is handy when it comes to rooms that suffer from little or no natural light such as hallways. There was very little light in this hallway of a home in Notting Hill. As a result, Tilly Lasseter of Studio Peake designed some simple panelling and sourced decorative cornicing from Stevensons of Norwich. Painted in one colour, the details fade into the background but still help to make the room feel considered. The paint used here is Terre Jaune by Argile, chosen to counter the otherwise dark space.
BEADED BORDER
Cornicing was traditionally designed to mask the join between the walls and ceiling. By the 18th century, however, it had become something more of an artistic expression. These days, designers are more elaborate and modern with their choices, hence the birth of the bobbin cornice. ‘The bobbin trend blew up last year and is still in full swing, tapping into the industry’s obsession with arts and crafts,’ says Alicia Meireles, associate director of Own London who designed this scheme for a house in Kensington.
SECRET SPACE
A jib door is one that is flush mounted into the wall, usually without features such as handles or door knobs, therefore rendering it invisible. Panelling and moulding are perfect tools for disguising concealed doors, too. The key, as demonstrated in this design by Rachel Chudley for a house in north London, is to continue the skirting and dado rails across the jib door so that it seamlessly disappears into the wall. →
LOOK UP
Here, the team at Spencer &Wedekind demolished a wall between two rooms to create one large entry hall. ‘In doing so, we lost a lot of the original plasterwork
