Interior designer, TV presenter and author, Siobhan Murphy has brought her own unique style to a spectacular Art Deco house in Castleford, West Yorkshire, where she lives with her husband and cat.
From the outside their home looks much as it has since the 1930s with its classic white rendered walls and black framed windows. But open the front door and the bold black and white striped wallpaper in the entrance lobby offers a hint of the exuberant blend of pattern and colour to be found inside.
Over the past five years Siobhan has transformed this loved but bland house into a maximalist dream home with heaps of personality and plenty of fun, whilst keeping its bones true to its original Art Deco style.
Siobhan told us: “I remember this house from when I was a child. My mum and I used to drive past and I used to think ‘what a glamorous house’. When we were lucky enough to move in five years ago, it was a blank canvas with a lot of white walls. There are definitely no white walls now!
“I didn’t want our house to be a time capsule or a museum to Art Deco but it was important to keep the character of the period whilst adding a twist with our own personalities too. When I researched Art Deco style I found a lot of colour and flamboyance. Just think of the flapper girls with all their frills, feathers and sequins.”
Calacatta d'Oro from our Art Select collection.
Siobhan explained: “I’ve used a lot of my own fabric and wallpaper designs around our home. I see it as a showcase for both my work and my mission to encourage people to introduce colour and joy into their own lives. I think it’s so important to have a home that reflects your personality. It’s something I’m passionate about.
“When it came to choosing a new floor for the sitting room, I had my heart set on Rose Onyx but when I went into the showroom I really fell in love with the Calacatta d’Oro marble. Its clean white tones with subtle grey and gold veining has resulted in a beautifully neutral floor that oozes elegance.
“There’s a lot going on in this room but when people visit, the floor is the first thing they mention. I think it’s really opened up the space and it feels much calmer in here now. The luxurious floor makes everything else pop.”
Dawn Oak parquet from our Art Select collection.
Siobhan added: “The previous owners installed the Karndean Dawn Oak parquet floor in the entrance reception. The original Japanese parquet flooring has been preserved on the upstairs landing and they chose this floor to exactly replicate this, even down to the tramline borders. The Karndean is so authentic that it’s impossible to tell the difference which is lovely as it’s great to add back original character using a modern material.
“I always have a project going on and my latest is the kitchen where I’m trialling a circus theme. I’m loving all the red colours coming through at the moment. Red isn’t a colour I usually decorate with but using red in my kitchen is really working. My next step is to replace the flooring with Karndean. I love the checkerboard pattern but the vinyl isn’t as hard wearing as I’d hoped.
“Our home is always evolving but we love it. I look around and can’t believe this is our house! It’s my dream forever home!”
To find more home inspiration, visit Siobhan on Instagram @interiorcurve.