If there’s one look that’s sweeping the (American) design industry by storm right now, it’s classic heritage interiors. Yet, while the revival of chocolate brown hues and traditional floral prints might feel novel to many living stateside, trendy women in London have been rocking this design style for years (see: Victoria Beckham’s colorful Holland Park mansion). The look is classic and elegant with a hint a of eclecticism—and it’s actually way easier to pull off than the Traditional Home house tours suggest. So below, we’ve put together seven must-have items that you’ll be sure to find in every chic London woman’s home right now. Chip chip cheerio, design friends.
7 Items Every London Woman Has in Her Home Right Now
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Published Jan 21, 2023
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London Decor Style Vs. American
OK, so you may be wondering what the difference is between British and American style in this instance. London's decor style is a more whimsical take on this year's Hipstoric Heritage trend. While American interiors pull from more minimally traditional influences (like J.Crew and Ralph Lauren), London decor tends to be more playful with pattern and color (like House of Hackney and Liberty London). Think: a velvet loveseat in emerald green instead of a cognac leather sectional. Royal floral prints (like House of Hackney's London Rose Wallpaper) instead of traditional plaid/argyle patterns (like MacKenzie-Childs' Carnevale Pillow). It's basically London's Bridgerton versus America's Boardwalk Empire.
Soho Home
First and foremost: velvet seating. It’s a staple in all London townhomes where its plush, playful texture can work in both trendy and traditional aesthetics. For those who fall into the latter camp, keep things timeless with smaller seating pieces in warm, brown/cognac hues (see: the ottoman and barrel chair listed below). Otherwise, if you’re looking to go full glam, you can pull inspiration from Beckham, where she has everything from a blue velvet sectional in the living room to a more formal, sage-channeled settee in the dressing room.
Shop the Trend: Soho Home Audrey Loveseat ($3,195); Modway Overstuffed Cognac Velvet Ottoman ($416); Bloomingdale's Artisan Collection Blair 2-Piece Sectional ($5,799); All Modern Pollman Upholstered Barrel Chair ($600)
House of Hackney/Anthropologie
If we had to choose one home accessory that *every* London woman has right now, it’s a nature-inspired print from House of Hackney. The brand is known for its opulent, moody designs—and it’s been nailing the Hipstoric Heritage trend long before it was even a thing. Take it from the inspiration behind Kate Moss’s bucolic home, which is filled with “slithers of snakeskin, rosettes of leopard spots and flourishes of bamboo,” according to the brand’s website. Plus, while Moss used everything from the brand’s Zanjan wallpaper in Juniper-Green to its signature Sabel tiger throw pillows, you can tone down the look by incorporating just one nature-inspired print and keeping the rest of your patterns solid.
Shop the Trend: House of Hackney Saber Pillow ($336); Ruggable Black & White Faux Cowhide Rug ($349); Cheetah Table Lamp ($119); Morris & Co. Owl & Willow Wallpaper ($1,058)
Getty Images
While Coastal Grandmother might have had a major spotlight this year, the Brits have been sporting the old-school print for centuries. More specifically, with antique Oriental chests and penwork tables. The pieces showcase a lacquered, Regency-era design with handpainted accents—and if Rosmund Pike's restored London townhome is any indication, it’s the perfect way to combine old with new. “I [recently] bought a penwork table, where they used to do black, fine penmanship, with black drawing all over it. It’s an exquisite thing from the 1820s,” the Gone Girl star tells Architectual Digest. “I think it comes from this idea of inheriting stuff like your mother’s chair, not recovering it and putting out some modern things.”
Shop the Trend: Rosdorf Park Iron Tray Top Table ($480); Chinoiserie Ceramic Garden Stool ($83); 1990s Signed Chinoiserie Rotating Cabinet ($1,650; $450); Ralph Lauren Painted Chinoiserie Chest ($13,545); Noir Portuguese Desk in Hand Rubbed Black ($3,865)
Serena and Lily
ICYMI, pleated lampshades are back—and they’re at this forefront of this year’s minimal maximalism trend. “Whether fashioned from a yummy print or a bold-colored solid fabric (which will emanate the coziest of glows come sundown!), pleats have the habit of looking decidedly custom,” writes design expert Marisa S. Martin on Chairish.com. “Among our best tips for this look is to choose pleated shades in darker-colored fabrics or prints, which will ensure your [lighting] reads like candlelight,” she continues. “[It] can give [an old lamp] a new lease on life when perched atop a relic like a ceramic figurine lamp or a less-than-novel swing-arm lamp—[and] a pleated shade will play to your lamp’s antiquity while adding a quirky, haute bohemian edge.”
Shop the Trend: Serena and Lily Collins Swing Arm Sconce ($798); Urban Outfitters Pleated Blue Lamp Shade ($49); Everly Quinn Muriel Arched Floor Lamp ($280); Korean Pleated Table Lamp ($45)
Etsy
The easiest way to transition your home from contemporary to classic? Artwork. Instead of colorful, abstract illustrations (i.e., Matisse), you want to look for scenic rural landscapes with autumn hues. Think: an oil painting of a horse on a pastoral farm. Or a framed photograph of a creek in the countryside. Everything should be earthy and cozy with a rustic, agricultural-inspired subject.
Shop the Trend: Set of Printable Vintage Gallery Wall Art ($6); Fleur De Lis Living European Martin Roberts Framed Print ($450); Pastoral Etching II Wall Art (from $72); Charcoal III Treetop Panorama by Aileen Fitzgerald ($199; $159)
Anthropologie
Sure, we’ve seen the famous Anthropologie floor mirror trending for a while now. But this year, the look is getting a very British upgrade with worn, patina bronze finishes and antique ornate styles. Think: royal embellishments at the top of the frame. Or shiny gold hues swapped for more toned-down, lived-in metals. Everything about the accessory should feel aged (instead of trendy) while still being big enough to make a statement against an empty blank wall.
Shop the Trend: Anthropologie Peacock Floor Mirror ($1,098); Contemporary Baroque Carved Gilded Swag Mirror ($1,297; $301); Tulca Narrow Floor Mirror ($828; $414); Willa Arlo Interiors Arch Floor Mirror ($780); Antique Golden French Mirror ($3,304)
Finally, there’s one item that seems to be everywhere in celebrity London home tours right now: potted palm tree plants. Take it from Justina Blakeney's greenery-filled home: Although it’s not in London, the boho design queen nails the English look with palms everywhere—big and small—from ones used as shelf accessories to larger iterations hanging in the corner. Not only is this a great way to sneak some greenery in (without cheapening the vibe), but you can pair it with a brass planter to elevate the look even further.
Shop the Trend: Parlor Palm (from $38); Faux Potted Fan Palm Tree ($152); Ponytail Palm ($79)
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