For Anouska Tamony, founder and creative director of award-winning London-based boutique interior design studio, Anouska Tamony Designs, interior design was a hobby that she never seriously considered as a career until her involvement in a Guantanamo Bay case made her realise that the emotional intensity of human rights law was not for her.

After retraining at KLC School of Design while working part-time in a London firm, she set up her own studio that specialises in creating bespoke homes for private clients.

When it came to designing her own home, a late Victorian property in Dulwich, in south London, Anouska looked to her Asian roots. The bold use of colours combined with a playful mix of patterns can be attributed to her maternal grandmother, a Singaporean-Chinese couture seamstress who designed wedding dresses for royalty and wealthy magnates.

Her home is an exotic blend of East and West that draws upon her Eurasian heritage, childhood influences and sojourns around the world.

“My poh poh’s colourful studio was where I fell in love with exotic patterns and vibrant textiles that captured my imagination, inspiring me to incorporate pattern and pizzazz into my designs,” says Anouska.

The study room is classic with a softer palette of pale blue and dusty pink, and a touch of chinoiserie.

The clean lines of the kitchen evoke a relaxed feel, and are a nod to industrial and Moroccan styles. A copper tap provides a contrast against the backdrop of blues and whites.

A pair of antique carved teak chairs from India complement the vintage textiles, which were handpicked by Anouska’s aunt when she was living in Mumbai.

Her master bedroom is like a jewel of the orient, with a burnt orange, turquoise and magenta palette that is sumptuous, zesty and sophisticated.

At the foot of the bed is a late 19th century rosewood opium table that was shipped from Malaysia when Anouska’s mother moved to England with her poh poh and grandfather in the 1950s.

In the bathroom, Anouska kept the colour scheme to a more subdued cobalt blue with yellow and golden accents, and introduced dramatic prints in the wallpaper, blinds and floor tiles. 

This floral arrangement brings out the jungle chic of the bathroom. 

A simple shower area provides an appropriate counterpoint to the rest of the space.

Treasured photos and knick-knacks are lovingly displayed on the study table.

The dining area is an extension of the living room. The Askha blind fabric by Jim Thompson picks up on the Farrow & Ball Green Smoke paint used on the cabinets.

Anouska’s home is not just a reflection of her personality and her passion for interior design, but also a way of keeping her poh poh’s artistic spirit, kindness and positivity alive.