Color Compact Interior designer Kim Stephen’s terraced home in Barnes,
A s it is situated in a row of brick the front door, however, and the uniquely colorful style that interior designer Kim Stephen has brought to her abode rapidly becomes evident. “I am naturally drawn to color… and I’ve certainly got a very wide range of colors in this house,” says Kim. She’s not exaggerating–from the bright blue and green ikat wallpaper in the guest cloakroom to the bright pinks and yellows in the open-plan dining, kitchen, and living space, a plethora of vibrant shades meets the eye all over the house. Asked where her affinity for color comes from, Kim simply says, “Color makes me feel happy and brings interiors to life. My use of it feels intuitive– I’m just drawn to it when given a choice.” As her mother owns an interior textiles showroom, she grew up being exposed to a huge array of interior fabrics, “and I think I just found the colorful ones more exciting and interesting,” says Kim. terraced homes that were originally built as workers’ housing, the facade of this house is almost identical to those on either side of it. Step inside As anyone who has tried to put together a decor scheme using a range of bright shades knows, it’s not easy to get this sort of look right. Kim says that to make color work in interiors, “it’s always important to temper with neutrals and texture,” and adds that here she made sure both of these elements were effectively used. STYLED BY SVEN ALBERDING PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELSA YOUNG WRITTEN BY ROBYN ALEXANDER London, combines her signature flair for color with a clever use of its relatively compact spaces.
Originally built as a worker’s cottage, the house is one of a row of terraced homes with neighbors on both sides. Homeowner and interior designer Kim Stephen’s home office is situated in the room with the bay window. Kim says, “I use my bike all the time in summer. Sometimes I don’t use the car for weeks–I do everything around Barnes on my bike, and if I go into central London, I use public transport.”
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