House Tour: Rich colours and textures fill this artfully designed apartment in London
By Home & Decor Team -
Romantic, bohemian and dramatically exotic, interior designer Sera Hersham-Loftus’ style is one that can be described, but not categorised.
Also known as Sera of London, this London-based interior decorator eschews boundaries. Her 1,500sqf converted apartment in the scenic canal area of Little Venice in Maida Vale leaves this in no doubt. Feast your eyes on a surreal mix of glamorous Art Nouveau meets hippy bohemian chic, drenched with potent doses of luscious fabrics, ornate wall panelling and eclectic artworks – in a lush garden setting to boot.
In front of the rustic fireplace, the Oyster love seat is framed by a pair of fuchsia lamp shades adorned with sequins and vintage glass drops.
The kitchen’s design was inspired by the stately 1940s’ style La Cornue cooker. The surrounding cabinetry was custom-made to echo its striking black and gold design.
Sera found her dining table at Alfies Antique Market in London and paired it with Nivaldo de Lima chairs. The lamps hanging from the black ceiling are made from old parchment, and illuminated with amber bulbs for a soft romantic glow.
A delicate wall sculpture gives the fireplace a classical touch. Oyster chairs (from Les Follies) in bruised plum silk velvet complement it perfectly.
In Sera’s walk-through dressing room, the wardrobe doors made from antique plantation shutters are whimsically decorated with feathered and flowered masks that were created for a party. The wardrobes hold her extensive collection of clothes, shoes and accessories.
The powder room is a dreamy, seductive space draped with lace and vintage fabric, with Sera’s glamorous party dresses hung around the space.
Long, luxurious baths can be had in the handsome claw-foot tub. Plenty of fun, quirky photos on the large Victorian mirror give the space an uplifting feel. The walls are clad in Sera’s Buttoned wallpaper from her Les Follies line.
Oriental fabrics and unabashed romanticism define Sera’s boudoir. Pastel-coloured satin and ruffled velvet Rose and Shell cushions dress up the bed, while the walls wear a mix of whitewashed bricks and gleaming gold wallpaper, the latter discovered in a flea market in China.