REAL ROMANCE

Looking just like an Art Nouveau painting come to life, every aspect of this luscious London home leaves your senses singing.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Looking just like an Art Nouveau painting come to life, every aspect of this luscious London home leaves your senses singing.

My Reading Room

The lime-green satin and tulip wood Fire Monkey sofa, armchairs and footstools from Sera’s Les Follies furniture line form a clean counterpoint to the exposed brick walls and ornate mirrors in the living room. Luxuriant palms, ferns and orange trees inject a refreshing sense of nature.

Romantic, bohemian and dramatically exotic, interior designer Sera Hersham- Loftus’ style is one that can be described, but not categorised. In an age when “individualism” and “iconic” are simply overused cliches, her designs stand out, incorporating reinvented vintage pieces in an unabashed boudoir-style setting. Also known as Sera of London, this Londonbased interior decorator eschews boundaries. “I am a free spirit, and my interiors reflect this,” she says. Her 1,500sqf converted apartment in the scenic canal area of Little Venice in Maida Vale leaves this in no doubt. Feast your eyes on a surreal mix of glamorous Art Nouveau meets hippy bohemian chic, drenched with potent doses of luscious fabrics, ornate wall panelling and eclectic artworks – in a lush garden setting to boot. Vintage furniture, including Sera’s favourite original Peacock chairs from the 1970s, are blended with updated retro pieces from her Les Follies furniture line to create a movie set-worthy salutation to opulent sensuality. It comes as no surprise that there’s a working fireplace in every room, which Sera perfumes by sprinkling frankincense and rose oils over the burning coals. The home’s dark ceilings anchor the spaces beneath, while showing off the rustic bare brick walls and raw timber flooring to best effect.

WHERE TO GO

Sera of London, www.seraoflondon.com

My Reading Room

In front of the rustic fireplace, the Oyster love seat is framed by a pair of fuchsia lamp shades adorned with sequins and vintage glass drops.

The exotic smorgasbord of theatrical furniture, vintage bric-abrac and raw surfaces, forms an indulgent feast for the eyes. 

My Reading Room

The kitchen’s design was inspired by the stately 1940s’ style La Cornue cooker. The surrounding cabinetry was custom-made to echo its striking black and gold design.

My Reading Room

Sera found her dining table at Alfi es Antique Market in London and paired it with Nivaldo de Lima chairs. The lamps hanging from the black ceiling are made from old parchment, and illuminated with amber bulbs for a soft romantic glow.

My Reading Room

A delicate wall sculpture gives the fi replace a classical touch. Oyster chairs The exotic smorgasbord of theatrical furniture, vintage bric-abrac and raw surfaces, forms an indulgent feast for the eyes. (from Les Follies) in bruised plum silk velvet complement it perfectly.

My Reading Room

In Sera’s walkthrough dressing room, the wardrobe doors made from antique plantation shutters are whimsically decorated with feathered and flowered masks that were created for a party. The wardrobes hold her extensive collection of clothes, shoes and accessories.

My Reading Room

The powder room is a dreamy, seductive space draped with lace and vintage fabric, with Sera’s glamorous party dresses hung around the space.

My Reading Room

Long, luxurious baths can be had in the handsome claw-foot tub. Plenty of fun, quirky photos on the large Victorian mirror give the space an uplifting feel. The walls are clad in Sera’s Buttoned wallpaper from her Les Follies line.

My Reading Room

Oriental fabrics and unabashed romanticism define Sera’s boudoir. Pastel coloured satin and ruffled velvet Rose and Shell cushions dress up the bed, while the walls wear a mix of whitewashed bricks and gleaming gold wallpaper, the latter discovered in a flea market in China.