Houzz Tour: A Small Georgian Flat in Edinburgh is Transformed
Cleverly redesigning the layout and introducing subtle optical illusions has made this compact home feel spacious and opulent
This Georgian tenement apartment had been on the market for over a year before interior designer Sally Homan of Robertson Lindsay Interiors snapped it up. ‘It had no heating, was poorly laid out, with a big hallway and a tiny galley kitchen, and mice had moved in. It was no wonder no one had put in an offer,’ Homan says. ‘Being a designer, however, I could see that I could use part of the hallway to create a new bathroom and expand the kitchen into where the old bathroom was.’
As the living room is long and thin, Holman mirrored the whole of one wall to make the room seem larger and the proportions more balanced.
‘People use mirrors a lot in a commercial environment,’ she says, ‘so I added the panelling on top and hung pictures on it at eye level so you don’t really see yourself in it, you just notice that the room feels bigger.’
Cushions and sofa, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Bespoke curtains, screen-printed from original paintings by Joanna Srokol.
Discover 10 ways to work magic with mirrors
‘People use mirrors a lot in a commercial environment,’ she says, ‘so I added the panelling on top and hung pictures on it at eye level so you don’t really see yourself in it, you just notice that the room feels bigger.’
Cushions and sofa, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Bespoke curtains, screen-printed from original paintings by Joanna Srokol.
Discover 10 ways to work magic with mirrors
Previously the whole side wall of the living room was bare stone. ‘This made the wall come in at you,’ says Homan, ‘so I built a false wall in front of it into which I’ve put a bioethanol fire. The stone is also lit up to highlight the contrast between its rough surface and the reflective silk wallpaper.’
Bioethanol fire, BioFires. Coffee table, Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Sakura Gris wallpaper, Casamance. Chair, Leather Chairs of Bath.
Bioethanol fire, BioFires. Coffee table, Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Sakura Gris wallpaper, Casamance. Chair, Leather Chairs of Bath.
As the dining room is dark and compact with a low ceiling, Homan decided to embrace this. ‘I chose to make this room even darker and give it a cosy, opulent feel. I even painted the ceiling a gloss black, so it reflects everything and actually appears higher, plus it makes dinner parties really atmospheric,’ she says.
Homan let her love of Japan influence the décor in here. She painted the Japanese-style screen doors, which conceal the study, black like the ceiling, and opted for a blossom-style wallpaper.
Flower Quince wallpaper, Clarence House. Dining table, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Chairs, eBay.
Homan let her love of Japan influence the décor in here. She painted the Japanese-style screen doors, which conceal the study, black like the ceiling, and opted for a blossom-style wallpaper.
Flower Quince wallpaper, Clarence House. Dining table, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Chairs, eBay.
The kitchen has been kept light and bright, with reflective tiles and work surfaces to bounce light around and make the room appear more spacious. ‘I’ve added pops of colour with the accessories, which I can change easily if I want a different colour accent in the future,’ Homan explains.
Kitchen units, Neptune. Neff oven, John Lewis. Butler’s sink, Villeroy & Boch.
Kitchen units, Neptune. Neff oven, John Lewis. Butler’s sink, Villeroy & Boch.
The new expanded kitchen runs into the living room, so Homan has used the same wallpaper in both spaces to help them flow naturally into each other. She also designed banquette seating to enable her to fit six people comfortably around the table.
Sakura Gris wallpaper, Casamance.
Banquette, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Chairs, John Lewis.
Sakura Gris wallpaper, Casamance.
Banquette, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Chairs, John Lewis.
No structural work was done to the bedrooms, but Homan added a cornice to the master bedroom to make it feel more feminine. She then hung metallic wallpaper. ‘I even wallpapered the ceiling to add another texture and boost the feeling of opulence,’ she reveals. Finally, she installed a large, upholstered bed, always beautifully dressed, to finish off the glamorous scene.
Spark wallpaper, Zoffany at John Lewis. Cushions and wardrobe doors, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Bedside lamps, TK Maxx.
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Spark wallpaper, Zoffany at John Lewis. Cushions and wardrobe doors, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors. Bedside lamps, TK Maxx.
Try these different ways with wallpaper
The enlarged bathroom is as subtly glamorous as the rest of the house, with a mix of marble-effect porcelain tiles and mother-of-pearl mosaics. An Art Deco-inspired mirror and vintage-style sanitaryware complete the luxurious feel.
Basin, Bathstore. Mother-of-pearl mosaic tiles, Porcelanosa.
Carrara marble-effect tiles; mirror, both Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors.
Check out ways to bring glamour into your bathroom
Basin, Bathstore. Mother-of-pearl mosaic tiles, Porcelanosa.
Carrara marble-effect tiles; mirror, both Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors.
Check out ways to bring glamour into your bathroom
The second bedroom was small and dark, so, as in the dining room, Homan decided to embrace these attributes and make it darker and more opulent. Faux eel-skin wallpaper has been softened with feminine fabrics to give this room a boutique hotel feel.
Anguille Eel Skin wallpaper, Elitis at Beut. Headboard, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors.
TELL US…
What do you think of this decadent Edinburgh apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Anguille Eel Skin wallpaper, Elitis at Beut. Headboard, Sally Homan for Robertson Lindsay Interiors.
TELL US…
What do you think of this decadent Edinburgh apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Sally Homan
Location Edinburgh
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Designer Sally Homan of Robertson Lindsay Interiors
‘Previously, you walked straight into the hall, which made the flat feel colder,’ recalls Homan. ‘So I found this internal door on eBay, which remarkably features my Robertson family crest, and I got my builder to make a frame for it to create this vestibule.’
In small areas where she doesn’t spend much time, Homan likes being bold with her décor, which is why she chose this dramatic wallpaper for the vestibule.
Pali wallpaper, Manuel Canovas. Internal door, eBay.