The refurbishment of this spectacular five-storey Georgian townhouse in central London, England has been designed by interior decorator Rebecca James of the firm Interior Desires. This dramatic and luxurious nine bedroom home shows off the designer’s unique style in all its technicolor glory. The family home was transformed into a contemporary, exciting and daring scheme. Bursts of color flow throughout the spaces; the designer applied “tone on tone”, which creates depth and interest and keeps a room from appearing flat.

Here is a description of the project from the designer, “it was a rough diamond of a house that needed a lot of shining up to transform it into something really special. The clients are a very charismatic couple, with four daughters and one son, who are all incredibly stylish and adventurous. The couple wanted the sitting room to have the sumptuous feel of The Ritz hotel, but with more color, and the only stipulation they demanded for the whole scheme was that they had to have a yellow and turquoise padded sofa. I wanted to create a sort of Mad Hatter’s tea party, Alice in Wonderland vibe. It’s not immediately obvious, but look hard and you’ll see clock faces in table tops, clocks in sinks, outsize headboards and tiny chairs. There’s a hint of fantasy and romance in every room.”

The top floor features a suite of extraordinary bedrooms. One of them contains a raised bed that has its own staircase fronted with panels of pink silk, embedded with concealed lights, designed especially as a fun space for the couple’s 11-year-old daughter. Opposite this bedroom is a Japanese-inspired suite of rooms for another daughter. Special elements include sliding glazed doors and a polished chrome and black glass bath and vanity unit. The residence exudes lavish style, with rich fabrics of vibrant silk, and splashes of velvet and leather. Especially glamorous touches are the numerous silk carpets, which have been designed to add a subtle sheen as well as a deep sense of luxury throughout.