Its lateral layout over four floors was not without challenges but I loved the energy that Melissa and her family radiated in their home. Even before the work began it had a very cool vibe with beautiful light and good bones. My starting point was a series of mood boards initially for the living room, master bedroom, media room and guest bedrooms but the brief ultimately expanded to nearly the whole house. The brief: to create a glamorous, luxe interior in keeping with Melissa's lifestyle that was still family-friendly.
To achieve this I gave every room its own individual aesthetic while retaining a unified approach to the interior. My method was to work room by room and focus my efforts on sourcing beautiful furniture for each area through my network of international suppliers.
For much of the house I selected whites, creams and golds – the beach hues that have made Melissa's brand so successful. I then went for more sultry colours in the bedroom and Melissa's snug and finally added bolder colours through the art and objects. It has created a clean, fresh, light-filled interior that is both energising and tranquil.
To add more interest I wallpapered the walls and ceilings of both the master bedroom and the snug room using Philipp Jeffries' wall coverings – they add texture and warmth to any design. I also used sumptuous silk rugs by Stark throughout to make the furniture stand out against the darker floors. The mid-20th century pieces were discovered in London Alfie's Market, as well as 1st Dibs, Palm Beach and Miami. I combined Melissa's photographic collection – Slim Aarons, Wim Wenders, Andy Warhol – with my own finds at ArtBasel Miami and London's Frieze – artists like Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Josh Smith and Glenn Ligon.
The style of the house now personifies the glamour and luxe that Melissa and I set out to achieve with a chic, cool vibe that is both refined and striking while retaining a sense of calm and a warm family feel.
