A Look Inside the Eclectic Homes of Seven London Creatives

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Serafina SamaPhotography by Ingrid Rasmussen, Courtesy of Thames and Hudson

A new Thames and Hudson-published book steps inside the living spaces of London’s diverse creative community

The intimacy of being invited into a person’s home is something usually reserved for friends and lovers, but a new book by Architectural Digest Middle East editor Talib Choudhry and London-based photographer Ingrid Rasmussen extends that invitation to the shy voyeur. An homage to London’s centuries-old reputation as an artistic idyll, The New Creative Home (published by Thames & Hudson) takes readers on a tour of the vibrant abodes inhabited by well-known artists, designers, florists, and more. We caught up with Rasmussen on her beloved Portobello Road to hear more about some of her favourites.

1. Serafina Sama

“I came across Serafina through her fashion label Isa Arfen, it’s really fabulous and almost architectural in design. When I realised she was a fellow Notting Hill girl I contacted her and she said yes to the shoot. I didn’t really know what to expect but she has a really beautiful style. She’s Italian and has some really incredible pieces she’s inherited from her family. I thought she’d done an incredible job mixing them in – that amazing tapestry behind the bed is just so wow – it makes it feel like a really powerful interior and just really fabulous. For me, the pieces I love in my flat are the pieces I’ve inherited because there’s strong emotional connection. Weaving them into your own look is incredibly poetic. I love Serafina’s work and I just think her home is really beautiful.”

2. Carina Cooper 

“Carina, a food writer, is a great friend of mine and I’ve always really admired her style – I think she’s one of the most stylish people I know. The look in her homes has never been formulaic, it’s always individual and it’s always something I’ve never seen before. I photographed her old London house and her country house and she always puts in something new, so it was a no-brainer putting her in the book. I love her London house because it doesn’t feel like you’re in London, it almost feels like you’re in the country. She’s great to collaborate with because she’s got such a brilliant eye, she always helps me style the place.”

3. Camille Walala

“I just loved Camille, she’s a real character. The thing I loved about her is that she has made this jewel of a place in the middle of a housing estate and it’s so unexpected. That for me is true creativity, when someone can create a beautiful space out of anything. With her use of colour and pattern and sense of fun she’s created this fabulous little space that you love being in. It’s full of her, the way she uses pattern and colour, for me, is so joyful. She’s such a lovely easy-going person, she’d never met me before and she just left me shooting in her home!”

4. Nikki Tibbles

“I’ve photographed lots of Nikki’s homes. She’s a very well-known florist in west London, I think she has great style and her use of colour is really clever and innovative. She was one of the people who created the first boutique florists in London. She made floristry cool, and this was probably about 20 years ago – she really was a pioneer. She’s a lovely person and also obsessed by dogs – she started a charity called the Wild at Heart Foundation – they are always in her house and they’re all rescues!”

5. Matthew Williamson

“I love colourful interiors and I love pattern in interiors, and I think Matthew is a great pioneer of that look. From fashion design he’s made a really great transition into interiors and I think he does the maximalism look so well. His house is totally him, walking into it is like walking into one of his dresses. Everything is embellished, it’s very colourful, big use of pattern. It’s the look he’s really known for, but seamlessly reinterpreted for the home.”

6. Sophie Ashby

“It was a real joy shooting Sophie’s house, it was Talib who found her and it turns out she literally lives opposite me. I pretty much look into her flat from my flat, which is bizarre, and we didn’t know each other! I loved this one because she’s a fellow girl living on Portobello and she’s pretty much my neighbour. I think her style is very impressive for someone so young – it’s so mature. In my experience, style in interiors really does develop with age, but she’s got a really strong sense of it. I admire her. She had some great art in her flat and it’s super well done.”

7. Lee Broom

“I went to the shoot not knowing too much about Lee and I liked his apartment because he has a very unique look. It’s quite 80s and very Memphis-inspired. It’s definitely very unique to him and was a really fun shoot to do – he has a mad swinging chair and the place has a great feel. I love anyone doing something different and his work in lighting has been so innovative.”

The New Creative Home, by written by Talib Choudhry and photographed by Ingrid Rasmussen, is out now, published by Thames and Hudson.