A Writer's Retreat in Notting Hill

HOUSE TOUR | ROOMS & GARDENS | CABANA MAGAZINE

In Notting Hill, interior designer Rachel Aisling Walker pens the perfect retreat for a writer, blending Victorian charm with modern elegance. Emma Becque takes a look inside.

BY EMMA BECQUE | ROOMS & GARDENS | 14 JULY 2024 

A textile by Thomas Wardle hangs on the wall of this charming Notting Hill apartment, which blends Parisian elegance and Belgian simplicity © Luke White

A serendipitous introduction between a writer decorating her Notting Hill apartment and a budding designer striking out on her own has, for the writer, created a home you don’t want to leave. Despite the small square footage of this Victorian space, Rachel Aisling Walker of RAW Interiors, formerly a senior designer at Rose Uniacke, worked with the bones of the historic building to execute grand plans.

The brief was simple: combine natural materials and antiques to create a home fit for a hostess. The main living space combines a comfortable sitting area with a dining table seating six rattan chairs for dinner parties. Rachel moved a wall from the bedroom to allow additional space for such soirées, and sourced antique and vintage finds to add character to the pared back space. A vivid textile displayed beside the mantelpiece reflects Rachel's skill for sourcing heirloom antiques.

The creation by Thomas Wardle, who trained and collaborated with William Morris, is based on a 16th-century design. The piece came into Rachel's hands thanks to an article from Cabana. “I was obsessively researching for an artwork for this wall, when a beautiful article on textile dealer Meg Andrews - who established the Costume and Textile Department at Sotheby’s - popped up," she says. A day later, Rachel borrowed a piece from Meg Andrews' library of fabrics and discovered it was a perfect fit.

Soane Britain textiles dress the alcove bed located in the guest room © Luke White

The original floorboards were a delightful find. Rachel stripped them back, bleached them and warmed the space with a textured jute rug; “decorating using a home’s original features can’t be compared,” she says. Rachel works closely with her clients to understand their lifestyles. The Notting Hill writer is a "ferocious reader", so the library shelves were essential, while a secret butler's bar, chaptered within the bindings of books, also allows for entertainment to unfold.

The writer's bedroom is serene. Pierre Chareau wall sconces hang above a once boarded-up fireplace, which has been given a new lease of life, while rounded forms imbue the room with a sense of calm. “I somewhat dislike protruding wardrobes in Victorian houses," says Rachel. "Instead, I created a curved wardrobe with matching cornices to replicate the architecture." A reading chair, wrapped in leaf green linen by Humphrey Carrasco, completes a restful corner.

Working closely with "forensic treasure hunter”, antique dealer Guy Tobin, Rachel sourced an antique bobbin table and a pair of “enchanting” sketches - one in situ on the fireplace and another upon a writing desk.

The hammam-inspired bathroom, with Moroccan Tadelakt walls, follows the peaceful patina of the bedroom. Rachel chose a fruitwood milking stool by Nimmo and Spooner as the only furnishing, enhanced by the natural light streaming through the window pane. Slabs of marble by James Elliott pave the floor and fringe the bath, forming a circumferencing shelf for daily rituals.

Guest bedrooms are often afterthoughts, but not in this house. The second bedroom here serves as a hybrid office and visitor suite, with high ceilings and 19th century walls wrapped in cream and green Robert Kime wallpaper. The client’s mid-century Danish desk sits in pride of place, decorated with an early 20th century Tiffany inkwell and a traditional desk lamp sourced by Tobin.

The writer’s abode is located in Notting Hill nearby the vibrant, artistic scenes of Golborne Road and Portobello Market © Luke White

Due to the room's restricted space, the single guest bed is fitted by the window, tucked away behind a pair of ochre linen curtains and reminiscent of a traditional box bed. The matching golden blind and valance are by Soane Britain. Next to them are a Liberty London side table and a 1950s ceramic lamp. 

The kitchen had to be carefully considered as it opens into the living room and bar area, "so continuity was important throughout these zones". Like most London kitchens, the space is compact and pivots around practical living. Thanks to Rachel’s touch, even functional elements appear artistic.

Stacks and rows of jars sit next to collections of Sway ceramics and piles of collected dinnerwares, while a free-range cooker and American-style fridge meet the needs of the client, a keen cook. The compact space is both practical and attractive through the designer's clever use of color and materials, with cupboards painted in olive, handcrafted tiles, and a Belgian fossil marble countertop.