Take a tour of fashion designer Alice Temperley's eclectic Regency manor house
Alice Temperley MBE, Founder and Creative Director of British independent fashion brand, Temperley London, lives in this Grade-II-listed Regency manor house, built in 1811 and set in the rolling hills of Somerset, with her teenage son Fox; Guinness the dog; three cats; Tiny the shire horse; and three alpacas – This and That, Geronimo and Hercules.
Alice has launched her first interiors fabric collection with Romo Fabrics. 'When I first met Emily Mould, Director of Design and Excellence at The Romo Group, we immediately clicked on our vision for a Temperley homeware collection,' she says. 'I have always dreamed of creating a homeware collection as it seems like an obvious extension for my brand. Conversations continued so I invited Emily and her team to my design studios in Illminster, Somerset, and took her through my archive – we could have spent days going through all the designs….'
The house was once owned by Lord Beaverbrook and frequented by Winston Churchill. 'I found it in 2010, when a friend's daughter sent me to see it,' says Alice. 'I fell in love with the house instantly – the architecture, its proportions, its magic. I had never seen a house like it before and still haven’t – it's like something out of a fairy tale.'
A perfect example of British eccentricity, the manor has fantastical inverted-wedding-cake architecture inspired by Sir John Soane’s work. Original features include the domed library, hand-painted murals, large windows and original plaster roses. The house is very close to Alice’s parents’ cider farm where Alice and her siblings grew up.
Sitting room
The inspiration for this room is a 1970s, Art Deco, Palm Springs vibe. ‘I knew I wanted the sofas from Italian Solutions to be upholstered in the Mimi velvet, so that was the starting point for this room,' explains Alice. 'Leopard print goes with absolutely everything. Euphoria velvet for the curtains was a must, and the gold palm and screen add a luxe, decadent feel to the room. The walls are painted in Kelp from Colourman Paint while the coffee table is covered in pink plain Frieda velvet from the collection.
'I love the heady atmosphere created by the colour palette – especially when the fire is lit, and candles are burning. The French windows open onto a terrace that wraps around the house and is where I entertain in summer – it’s an extension of the house.
'I use this room a lot when I have house guests and people seem to gravitate towards it…for cocktails at golden hour, after dinner drinks or reading the papers on a Sunday morning in front of the fire. The piano is often being played. I love hanging vintage jackets and headdresses on the walls. I also have an unhealthy amount of mirrors as I love light reflections at play, which is also why I love a disco ball....'
Morning room
The morning room connects the kitchen to the entrance hall and has an alcove that opens onto the stairs. 'This room is so versatile, we sometimes use it as an office,’ says Alice, 'Sometimes a breakfast room or games room. It has grand proportions so it lends itself perfectly to this bold, repeat wallpaper and long, romantic drapey velvet curtains. The theme is the wild west, and the print – made up of hand-painted mandalas of keys, tessellating intricately with novel motifs such as antique scissors and rodeo trinkets – is the hero.
'The Roxanne wall covering goes well with the green Frieda velvet curtains. The window seat cushion, in the romantic Mimi leopard velvet, always brings a smile to my face, while the ceiling is all curved and the gold paint makes it a warm, welcoming slightly decadent entrance. Even though the wallpaper is painted keys, it has a lace or filigree effect from afar so it's quite subtle. There is a round Art Deco style mirrored table that reflects all the patterns and ceiling details, and my enormous moose head, which I bought at an antiques market a long time ago, who wears a vintage paste crown.'
Dining room
The architectural details throughout the house are generously proportioned and the huge windows in this room are the perfect home for the curtains made up in the Lavinia embroidery. 'The French doors are big enough for my shire horse to come through and spend time with us,' says Alice. 'This room is for fun and entertaining; I often have 25 people over for Sunday lunch so a huge dining table and fireplace are essential.
'The dining table, originally from Wells cathedral, was found at a reclamation yard. It’s used when the house is full – for long lazy lunches or dinners with decadent candelabras and late night dancing on the table…with or without Tiny my shire horse.
'My figurative bronze lady lamps were a wedding present from my parents. I also have a large drawing board there and I like locking myself in this room to work. My great friend Frederick Winsett painted the chinoiserie-inspired mural on the China-Blue-painted walls.'
Library
The library, on the first floor, is one of Alice's favourite spaces to spend time in. The proportions of the room and the colour palette allows for masculine furniture. 'I upholstered my vintage sofas in the Fantasia velvet – the colour palette works perfectly with the rich, tobacco walls,' she says. 'The velvet is based on our crystal print and so what this stands for has a lovely meaning in this incredibly powerful room.'
The 70s checkered coffee table lights up. 'I found it in Les Couilles Des Chien on the Golborne Road where my friend Jerome the owner has the most eclectic selection of antiques and curios. The lampshades have been made up in the collection – I now want to do every shade in the house! I love the proportions of this room, the dome and the view – at sunset it is bathed in the most magical golden light.
'It used to be where my son, Fox, played video games, but since we have incorporated the Romo x Temperley fabrics and trims I have taken it back! The colours make it a very heady, atmospheric room – a place to read, listen to records or stay up into the early hours with friends. It’s also where Fox and I keep our crystals and rocks that we collect from all over the world.'
Main bedroom
The main bedroom is all about the 9ft wide bed which Alice loves. 'We upholstered my bed in the Mimi velvet and the full-length curtains are in the Lavinia embroidery. This fabric is overtly feminine and decadent, and the leopard base is an unexpected twist that I love. I also love the pink paint, handmade by Colourman Paints for the room, as it’s the perfect pink along with the natural light and the proportions of the windows. I found my ER II shield, now on the wall above the bed, at Alice’s on Portobello Road.'
Guest bedroom
'The guest bedroom is occupied most weekends by friends as I love having a full house,' says Alice. 'I wanted it to be a calm, quiet space. I like the dark masculine base of the wall covering juxtaposed with the feminine leopard. We chose the Delilah wall covering for this room – it is both playful and bohemian and the black base with metallic print gives a richness and decadence, especially with the pink jacquard curtains and the rich brown Frieda plain velvet canopy above the bed.'
Main bathroom
This bathroom is Alice’s private sanctuary. 'It’s where I go to relax and re-set,' she says. 'I love soaking in the bath and relaxing after a busy day, often twice a day! My inspiration for this room is French boudoir style with a bohemian twist.
'About 12 years ago a friend, Jade Parfitt, and I decided to cover my freestanding bath in broken mirror – it took a lot longer than we thought but was worth it….when the light shines on the bath it fills the room, it’s just magical.
'I love the light in the afternoon when it hits the disco-ball bath. The walls are covered in the flocked leopard Mimi wallpaper and the curtains are the plain pink Frieda velvet while the vintage rugs and mirrors are from Alice's travels. 'I collect pairs of vintage chairs which I have reupholstered and I will be selling similar chairs in my shop soon.'
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