Octavia Dickinson transforms a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse in Belgravia
‘Never let your heart rule your head’ may seem like sage advice to some, but this Georgian townhouse, so at ease with its compelling mix of energetic colour, unabashed print and considered antiques, shows the reward that can be reaped by going against the grain.
Had this not been the case, the house’s fortunes would have been remarkably different. The owner had rather sensibly acquired the property, a Grade II-listed former doctor’s surgery in Belgravia, as a buy-to-let and its future of inoffensive but non-descript decor was all but assured.
An architect was drafted in to take the building back to its shell, design and finishes were finalised and the builders got to work. But within weeks, the owner, a young, female professional, had grown increasingly captivated with the property’s architecture, light-filled rooms and period details like original floorboards and cornices, and was forced to listen to her heart: she wanted to live in it herself.
With that came the realisation that the design needed a swift change of direction. Although the joinery, for instance, was high-spec, it suddenly felt too sterile for her tastes and so did the neutral decor. Through friends, the owner came across interior designer Octavia Dickinson whose work has colour and comfort at its core, an approach that instantly chimed with her vision for her new home.
“She wanted the decor to be fun, playful, colourful and joyful,” recalls Octavia. “She was also single and didn’t know what the future held so wanted the house to be flexible. My job really was to bring the house to life.”
Octavia worked within the generous framework that had already been carved out by the architect which included three bedrooms and a dressing room, four en-suite bathrooms and two first-floor sitting rooms.
The ground floor features an interconnecting reception designed as an informal space for entertaining and relaxing. “I just wanted it to feel really homely, comfortable and happy,” explains Octavia, who in this room offers a glimpse of her instinctive flair for mixing colour and fabric. A floral print from Pierre Frey dresses the windows and from it other hues are teased out: the golden yellow sofa fabric from Claremont, the not-quite-pink, not-quite-lilac walls courtesy of Edward Bulmer, the red tones of the ottoman upholstered in fabric from Octavia’s own collection…these all work in dialogue with the architecture while maintaining a certain freshness.
“I definitely like traditional design and traditional fabrics and then I try to modernise it a bit,” agrees Octavia. “The client is a young woman so definitely didn't want anything to feel dowdy or too old fashioned.” Contemporary artwork, which the owner collects, also helps diffuse any hint of stuffiness, and it is an area in which Octavia is well-versed, coming from an art background herself. Her father is renowned fine art dealer Simon Dickinson and having studied art history at The Courtauld Institute of Art, she worked for Dickinson Roundell in London and New York as well as for decorators Cindy Leveson and Flora Soames before setting up on her own in 2018.
The kitchen was already at an advanced stage when Octavia entered the fray back in 2020. She decided to contrast the utilitarian look she encountered by bringing in textures and punchy colour such as the terracotta on the walls. At the dining room end, a large artwork is flanked by two turquoise cabinets for which she collaborated with furniture maker Alfred Newall. He also made bobbin shelving and a freestanding piece for additional storage. “I think if it had all been built in, it wouldn't have been as nice,” says Octavia. “I like having pieces of furniture in the kitchen. It softens it and makes it more like another room.”
In the first floor drawing room, the print mash-up continues. A bespoke sofa covered in Flora Soames’ ‘Cornucopia Ruby & Sage’ mingles with the Namay Samay fabric on the fender and Pierre Frey’s ‘Malou Pasteque’ on the ottoman. The adjoining snug is partitioned with a striped curtain of jewelled tones. “The first room is more grown up and formal so we just wanted to make this a bit more playful,” notes Octavia.
Thanks to Octavia’s judicious eye, the use of antiques – such as a pair of 19th-century mirrors on either side of the drawing room fireplace – has become a strong element of her work although she gives much of the credit to her husband Harry, who now works with her. “He literally scours auctions the whole time,” she says. “But I do and have always loved antiques and auctions and getting a bargain. Quite often now it's not getting a bargain, but it's always fun.”
A nostalgic mood prevails in the main bedroom which, as well as original panelling, has pelmet curtains and a tester made up from Penny Morrison’s ‘Begum’ linen. “It gives the feeling of being cocooned.” Bespoke bedside tables sit with an ottoman which houses a pop-up TV. Even the bathroom is not exempt from decorative flourishes – an antique chair has been upholstered in Rose Cumming’s ‘Ribbons Pink’ fabric to complement the rhubarb walls.
Naturally there is room for personal touches too, like in the guest bedroom, where the focal point is a treasured ‘shell’ headboard, made from gilded wood, which the owner inherited from her parents.
Many designers lay claim to creating homes for their owners to evolve in but few are able to attest to this. Not Octavia. Over the last few years, she has seen her client go from being single to becoming a married mother of one. Apart from some minor adaptations – like the second ground floor reception which has morphed into a playroom – the house’s design has held up and unlike its initial plans is now bursting with vibrancy. “It’s about creating something personal but timeless, so she's not going to grow out of it and that's what my interiors are all about.”
Helen Cathcart1/15The dining area is painted in ‘1-023 by Papers & Paints while the woodwork is Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White. The dining table is from Georgia Lacey and the dining chairs were bespoke, upholstered in fabric from Virginia White. Bobbin shelving was made by Alfred Newall. The rug is from Vanderhurd.
Helen Cathcart2/15In the downstairs powder room, the wallcovering is from Berdoulat and the vanity is painted Farrow & Ball’s Stone Blue. The mirror is an antique.
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Helen Cathcart4/15The sofa is bespoke and upholstered in Flora Soames’ ‘Cornucopia Ruby and Sage’. The lampshades were made bespoke using a Claremont gold silk.
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Helen Cathcart6/15The walls are painted ‘Pale Egyptian Blue’ by Papers and Paints in the main bedroom. The fabric for the bed tester is Penny Morrison’s ‘Begum’, the ottoman is upholstered in Lerio by Namay Samay; the antique oval mirror is from Lorfords. The wall lights are from Vaughan and their accompanying shades are from Robert Kime.
Helen Cathcart7/15The bedside lamps are from Lucy Cope and paired with custom-made shades in James Hare silk. The bedside tables are bespoke.
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Helen Cathcart9/15The joinery in the dressing room is painted Little Greene’s ‘Three Farm Green’; the rug is from Jennifer Manners and the ottoman fabrics are Jean Monro’s ‘Tulipa’ velvet and ‘Omega’ velvet by Linwood.
Helen Cathcart10/15The walls in the main bathroom are painted ‘Rhubarb’ by Paint and Paper Library. The fabric for the blinds is from Nicole Fabre. The antique chair was bought at auction and upholstered in ‘Ribbons’ in pink by Rose Cummings. The butterfly prints are the clients’ own.
Helen Cathcart11/15The wall light is from Vaughan with bespoke shades made in William Morris voile.
Helen Cathcart12/15Originally a guest room, this is now the client’s child’s bedroom. The walls are painted ‘Lulworth Blue’ by Farrow & Ball.
Helen Cathcart13/15The curtain, headboard and valance fabric is ‘Palampore Blossom’ by Soane Britain.
Helen Cathcart14/15In the guestroom, the walls are painted ‘Brick’ by Edward Bulmer. The ‘shell’ headboard, made from gilded wood, was inherited from the client's parents.
Helen Cathcart15/15The table lamps are from Hector Finch and the wall lights are from Fosbery Studio. The bedside tables are from Trove by Studio Duggan.
