Samantha Todhunter and her studio recently completed a complete overhaul of a classic Notting Hill Villa, crafting an elegant and functional home for their American clients and their young family. Working closely with Guy Stansfeld Architects (GSA), the team successfully created a cohesive, high-impact architectural interior, punctuated by signature furniture pieces and striking artwork. The result is a sharp, modern space, full of punch and colour, ultimately achieving a design that is high octane and of the moment.

For the entrance, Todhunter sought to create a light-filled and dramatic gallery where scale and volume sing. The original house was a classic NW London villa that hadn't been touched since the 1970s, making it feel quite dark and contained. To reflect the clients' American aesthetic, opening the space up and injecting plenty of light and dramatic overscaled volume was very important.

The central volume of the house presented a challenging opportunity—balancing the need for impact and drama while also infusing the space with atmosphere and warmth. Wrapping the walls in Philip Jeffries grasscloth creates the feeling of a jewel box and allows the strong architectural details to stand proud. Leading off this area is a vibrant de Gournay papered powder room for a touch of rock and roll glamour.

The drawing room is characterized by layered graphic shapes, bold colour combinations, and iconic furniture, including Pierre Yovanovitch’s Symmetry chair and a Todd Merrill sofa, resulting in a sharp, modern aesthetic. The room possesses an inner glow born from a luxe combination of fabrics and textures, making it completely energising and sophisticated without being staid. Todhunter recalls making a last-minute call to paper the walls in a vibrant saffron yellow silk, a choice she recognizes as a "game changer in how the room evolved."

In the kitchen, the seductive veining of Arabescato marble, flashes of brass hardware, and ribbed glass form a simple yet sophisticated combination. The white joinery and crisp brass and glass are super sleek and pack-a-punch, yet together create a warm and embracing family space. The area leads to a seating area and a killer dining room, proving that volume, light, materiality, and colour are a great recipe. Towering ceilings made this dining room spectacular, and Todhunter’s selections—Ruper Bevan’s chic dining table, Soane Britain’s Crillon dining chairs, and John Procario’s sculptural chandelier—were all it took to nail the space.

The master bedroom and dressing room offer a cocooning haven, dressed in rich, luxurious tones and de Gournay’s utterly gorgeous Chelsea silk wallpaper. Todhunter’s team used a bold floor tile in the bathroom, which she notes is a wonderfully effective way to elevate the space, grounding it and emphasising scale. It adds an edgy note to the classic elements of pale marble clad walls and brass sanitary ware, allowing glamour to balance the utilitarian.

This project is a lovely example of the studio’s signature approach: combining bold modern energy with timeless elegance. The final home is a vibrant, contemporary family retreat that is both chic and deeply personal, achieved through thoughtful collaboration, layered materials, and confident design choices. Todhunter was lucky to have clients who were receptive to their ideas and "embraced bold in such a good way." Her enduring design lesson, drawn from this and other projects, is clear:

“I think the best lesson when embarking on the interior design of a space is to go with your gut and do not ever be frightened of an idea that might feel off beat or too drastic, because nine times out of ten, it will be the hero decision.”

For Samantha Todhunter, playing it safe has its place, but stepping outside the lines is the most rewarding. To this day, she is delighted that the clients absolutely love their house and what they achieved.

Photography by Jonathan Bond Photography.