Want to add character to a period property? Studio George has the answers…

Amy Bradford
·4-min read
a person standing in a hallway
Studio George on adding character to period homesEdmund Dabney

Studio George, based in Camberwell, was set up in 2021 by George Townsin. A spirit of adventure is integral to her story: in her late twenties, she swapped a successful career as a TV producer for interior design, upping sticks to Melbourne to get her diploma.

‘There are plenty of transferable skills between those industries – client services, creative briefs, budgets and timelines – so one prepared me well for the other,’ she says. On her return to the UK, Townsin worked for acclaimed decorator Suzy Hoodless, and she advanced quickly.

open plan living room and kitchen
A collaboration with Cake Architecture, this living room in Studio George’s Dulwich project shows a minimalist take on mid-century styleFelix Speller

Numerous requests from friends to design their homes convinced her it was time to set up her own practice, where she’s influenced by Italian design (‘going right back to Roman architecture – I’m a history nerd’), cinema (she loves Pedro Almodóvar’s use of colour and Shona Heath’s set designs) and Sir Terence Conran. ‘He mastered that timeless, lived-in look, which I try to emulate on my projects,’ she says.

‘I’m not bound to any particular style, but telling clients’ stories is a thread in all of my work, and I always create comfortable spaces. I love bold colour, an eclectic mix of styles and elements of surprise.’

a bed with a lamp on it
Townsin brought joy to this Hackney home through the playful pattern on the bed’s headboard and the bright-blue paint to make the adjoining stairwell popEdmund Dabney

What are Studio George’s recent projects?

The studio’s first new-build project, a ‘forever home’ in Suffolk. Surrounded by fields and enjoying glorious countryside views, it’s an open-plan space with a double-height entrance. ‘The interior was inspired by the landscape, with a burnt-orange kitchen that echoes local sunsets, and soft blues and pinks borrowed from the sky and from the pampas grass in the fields,’ Townsin explains. ‘I chose a mix of contemporary and antique furniture, including inherited pieces, which tells the family’s story and adds warmth.’

a bathroom with a checkered wallpaper
An Elmer-like wallpaper makes a statement in this detail from the bathroom of Studio George’s in-progress Suffolk projectStudio George

Townsin has also renovated a 1960s house on the Dulwich Estate, in collaboration with London firm Cake Architecture. Once again, the colour palette was informed by the surroundings – the kitchen is stained in a custom green finish and has grey terrazzo worktops. To update the layout, walls were knocked down, placing the kitchen in the centre of the space to ‘create flow between the living and dining areas’. Terrazzo and oak flooring distinguish the various zones, while customisable furniture – including an extending dining table – is designed to adapt and to move with the owners when they eventually acquire a bigger home.

What is the studio currently working on?

A large Victorian home in Stoke Newington for a young family, and the restoration of a small house in the Calabrian mountains. The first is focused on joyful colours and sustainable materials, with a cinema/party room in the basement; the second, a holiday home, takes inspiration from the caves that locals used to live in before such dwellings were built. ‘We’re using lots of natural plaster, local timber and stone,’ says Townsin. ‘The furniture will be a mix of Italian vintage and old farmhouse pieces.’

a bathroom with a large mirror
The bathroom of Studio George’s Herne Hill project, which blends British and American design sensibilities to reflect the tastes of its Anglo-American ownersStudio George

She says: ‘It’s my view that interiors are the backdrop, and that life is what’s going on in the foreground. Rooms are meant to be lived in, experienced and enjoyed carefree.’ studiogeorgelondon.com

Expert advice

George Townsin on how to add character when renovating a period property

Use bold colour to highlight original features. We used a bright-blue eggshell paint on the original staircase of a Victorian home in Hackney – it reveals the details of the woodwork beautifully while adding character in a playful way.

Don’t be afraid to change the layout to make it work for life today – but keep it flexible. It’s popular to have an open-plan kitchen and dining room with the option of an open or closed living room. We’ve divided spaces using bifold glass partitions and heavy fabric curtains.

a room with a bed and a chair
Shutters, stripped back to bare wood (a feature Townsin loves) lend a warmth to the garden-themed palette of this living room in HackneyEdmund Dabney

Retaining original features where possible is crucial. We often strip shutters back to the old timber and it transforms a room, giving it a sense of history. If plasterwork has gone, there are plenty of companies that supply period designs so you can restore sympathetically.

When buying new pieces, seek out makers you can have direct contact with. I love it when I can tell clients about the designer behind a piece, and the story of its creation. It often helps them understand the true value of an item.