Cawdor House by Tamsin Johnson

Cawdor House by Tamsin Johnson is immersed in the local vernacular and is staunchly resolute in its unique expression – a repository of curated artefacts expressive of the family who reside within.

Set within a cluster of terraced dwellings amid the leafy streets of Paddington, Cawdor House presents an exuberant reinvention of neo-classical architecture. Remarkably unassuming from the roadside elevation, the abode stands as a container of personality – a gallery of valiant tones and intrenched tactility, representative of its occupants. Composed as an entertainer’s domain, the house affords a series of places for eating, lounging and conversation.

Each room presents as a progression upon the former, while alluding to what may lie beyond, knitting together a tapestry of subtle common threads – warm, cool, texturally rich and daring.

The project was conceived through a longstanding friendship, underpinned by a deep respect for the creative pursuits of one another. “The owners are friends who I understood implicitly without great need for interpretation, which I think allowed for maximum expression,” recalls interior designer Tamsin Johnson. “The client wanted a home with a sense of play, exuberance, cheek and youth – avoiding the pastiche of off-whites and travertines.” Responsive to this position, the house imparts a calculated eclecticism of balanced hues that toe the line between retreat and hospitality.

Respectful of the original 1880’s Palladian-Georgian home, the project is a demonstration of a sympathetic restoration, embracing the logic of the existing plan and light-filled courtyard. “There was little renovation required with this project. It consisted mainly of a new powder room to the lower level and reworked bathrooms,” describes Johnson. In this vein, a concerted effort has been made not to reinvent but to instil an evolution of the architecture. Akin to a gallery, the house is a repository of curated artifacts of varying character and scale. Each room presents as a progression upon the former, while alluding to what may lie beyond, knitting together a tapestry of subtle common threads – warm, cool, texturally rich and daring.

Insertions of weighty stones serve as divisive heroes amid the interior composition, which is markedly distinct from one room to the next.

“The objective was to create a confident and jovial interior with strong juxtapositions between unique artwork, furnishings and surfaces,” explains Johnson. Stepping into Cawdor House, the primary entry displays an exercise in deliberate restraint. This space exudes a monochromatic formality, found in checkered tiles, black and white artwork, ornate cornicing and a stair runner of red and mauve that hint to an unfolding colour story. Entering the communal heart, a honey-oak timber floor runs underfoot as a restful base for the layering of colour and texture. Pastel blues adorn the walls, serving as a backdrop to the vibrancy of amber, crimson, clay and ochre tones.

Insertions of weighty stones serve as divisive heroes amid the interior composition, which is markedly distinct from one room to the next. “The green and gold onyx is graphic and obtuse and has an opposing relation to the rusty reds – falling just short of garish – among a lot of determined and powerful furnishings,” remarks Johnson. Polished contemporary elements of glass and metal punctuate the composition, set against layered robust weaves, tactile bouclé and plush velvets. “Stainless steel is squeezed in throughout, and I love the way it knifes into everything around it.” The powder room addition instils a similar contradiction, featuring earthen Venetian plaster and a plethora of veined stone.

“The client wanted a home with a sense of play, exuberance, cheek and youth – avoiding the pastiche of off-whites and travertines.”

Cawdor House is free of a single style or era, staunchly resolute in its unique expression. Harkening the diversity of the local vernacular, the dwelling speaks loudly of the family who reside within. The project is a demonstration of a collaborative endeavour of brave combinations and a melding of viewpoints – an unrestrained aesthetic, presented in the spirit of Tamsin Johnson.

Interior design by Tamsin Johnson.