Matthew Williamson is known predominantly for his use of colour and pattern. He began his career in fashion design more than 20 years ago, before pivoting into the world of interiors. He now has a growing residential and commercial client list, and has produced a series of homeware collections. He recently published his first interiors book, Living Bright, a personal guide to embracing colour, and created the new Design Kitchen in London’s Design Museum.
Where do you live?
I spend a lot of my time in Deià, a village in the northwest of Mallorca. I discovered the area by chance during a break from London and fell in love with it straight away. The scenery struck me immediately: picture-postcard views and a rugged coastline. I still visit my home in Belsize Park. I love my London neighbourhood – it has an almost village-like feel.
Can you describe your house?
My home in London is a Victorian stucco-fronted ground-floor apartment. It has wonderful period features: a barrel wooden door, high ceilings with intricate mouldings and floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a solid foundation to work with, so decorating was relatively challenge-free – I just loved enhancing the space with my own style.
Do you have a signature design style?
I am drawn to a mixture of styles in my homes and in my work for clients. I like to mix things up: it creates more interesting layers in a space. I love finding unique items that reflect clients’ personalities, and think about a good mix of furniture and objects when designing – rustic, naturalistic elements and then more decadent, glamorous pieces, too. I veer towards antique objects generally, but I like to set them off with modern elements, materials and colours.
