New houses built in the Georgian style while being fair copies-seldom have the feeling of the real thing. However, a clever conversion and design scheme can recreate a traditional atmosphere.
Interior decorator David Mlinaric was asked to re-plan a two-storey house in Chelsea for a bachelor. The house was in good order, but not attractively decorated. The two reception rooms, separated by frosted glass double doors, were too small, and were badly proportioned. The owner wanted a design scheme that would last, both in its quality and its effect. He did not want a ‘way-out' design that would intrigue people for a year and then become boring, but one that was rather more classic.
In his 'tidying up' operations, David Mlinaric used several tricks for improving the proportions of the house. The first step was to knock the two small ground floor rooms into one to make a large living room. The Adam-style wooden mantelpiece was replaced by a handsome grey marble fireplace, and a cornice was fitted round the top of the plain walls. New paneled double doors were fitted, and brass cabin door handles take the place of the old glass knobs.
Burnt orange paint and cinnamon upholstery create a relaxed atmosphere in the living room, where a combination of old and new furniture works very well. Paper borders have been used on the walls to define particular areas and attract attention to the chimney breast and corners.
Roller blinds have been fitted to all the windows in addition to curtains. These are useful in summer, when they allow the light in, but protect furniture from being bleached by the strong sun. They also provide privacy while avoiding the closed-in feeling created by heavy curtains drawn at night.
