From furnishing her homes with flea-market finds to transforming her Regency-style house from a white box into a colour-enveloping haven, creating joyful interiors is second nature to Amy Eld.
‘We saw a lot of properties before this house came up, and I just knew it was the one!’ laughs Amy, who runs vintage and antiques homeware business Rock the Heirloom. With its high Georgian ceilings and sense of calm, the house offered both character and breathing space. ‘It’s sometimes hard to believe we’re in the heart of London, although the chime of Big Ben is a good reminder.’
The four-bedroom house was pristine and already fully renovated – the perfect canvas for what Amy calls The Pimlico Project, her mission to furnish and decorate sustainably, using vintage and antique pieces. ‘The house was completely liveable, so ripping anything out would have been criminal – it would’ve gone entirely against my core values,’ she explains.
Stylish and sustainable
Amy collaborated with Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, using their colour consultancy, and worked with Sarah Davenport of That Rebel House on textiles and rugs.
‘I wanted the home to fully embrace and celebrate colour while complementing the art and antiques I selected,’ says Amy. With Sarah’s guidance, she introduced statement textiles – handmade suzanis, vintage rugs and UK-made gathered lampshades. ‘The aim was a layered, mismatched maximalist style that’s both versatile and eco-friendly. Sarah inspired me to use rugs on the walls as well as the floors, which works beautifully.’
Entrance hall
Amy wanted to make an impactful entrance, so she enlisted the advice of a painter and seller of original artworks to create a gallery wall before adding a rich yolk yellow stair runner.
Kitchen
Two brightly coloured kilim rugs bring vibrancy to the floors of the small kitchen and dining/sitting room, which are divided by bifold doors, tying them together neatly. Keeping the modern kitchen fitted by the previous owners, Amy has added character with an antique butcher’s block, a bright kilim rug and colourful crockery.
Sitting room
Furnishings pay homage to the building’s history while creating warmth and texture through natural materials like cane, wood and bamboo.
‘I love Victorian furniture, especially bobbin and tiger bamboo pieces, and I collect along these themes,’ says Amy. She restores many of her finds, including a Regency-style faux bamboo chair reupholstered in patterned House of Hackney velvet – ‘It’s now as much a piece of art as furniture.’
Another favourite, a Victorian sofa reupholstered in deep blue velvet with pink fringing, ‘was a real triumph – I love it even more than before.’
Dining area
White walls are long gone, as seen in this dining area in the sitting room. The new palette flows naturally from yellows and mid-browns to soft pinks, warm neutrals, peach and sunshine yellow.
‘I was encouraged to use colours I love and shown how to make them work,’ says Amy. ‘I’ve grown in confidence throughout the process, and the end result is beyond my expectations.’
Office/balcony
With no space wasted, a small study area has been created on a landing between the ground and first floors.
Raised in a creative, antiques-loving family, Amy’s passion for old things feels instinctive. ‘I believe my love of vintage and antiques is in my genes,’ she says. Her inventive eye extends to repurposing – a 19th-century oak wine press now serves as a plinth for plants in the home office.
‘This home has taught me that antiques offer endless opportunities – from adding comfort to creating unique talking points.’
Bedroom
Playing to the strengths of natural materials, this welcoming second-floor bedroom combines bamboo, cane, wood, wool, and cotton to beautiful effect.
Bedroom
Painted in Tawny by Edward Bulmer Paint and layered with boho textiles, this bedroom channels a relaxed 1970s look and feel.
Bedroom
Warmed by shades of rusty red and pink, this top-floor bedroom feels inviting and characterful, with rugs used creatively on both the floor and wall.
Exterior
The house sits in a Regency-style terrace in Pimlico. The four-storey terraced house was built in the 1830s by notable British master builder Thomas Cubitt. Amy and her family occupy four floors, from the first floor up.
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