Bath is famous for its beautiful Georgian buildings and many of my projects are in these beautiful houses. The task is always how to turn a 200 year old home into a contemporary interior.

The Georgian era saw a period of great change, as cities grew, trade routes expanded, consumerism took offand art and literature blossomed. As Bath became the playground for the rich and famous, architects like John Wood came to the city to build new houses in the fashionable building style of Palladian architecture, a European style from Italy. As a result, Georgian houses have a focus on balance and proportion, harmony and symmetry. It is a real testament to Georgian building skills that of the 7,000 houses built in Bath between 1714 and 1830, over 5,000 remain today and after 200 years they are still in incredible condition.

High ceilings, large rooms, symmetry and proportion are the characteristics of Georgian interiors familiar to any Bathonian. But what are the tricks to transform these spaces into stylish modern family homes?

Paint colours

The colour palette you use, as well as how you pair it with other patterns and textures, will play a large part in creating a contemporary look. 

In addition to the bolder colours, authentic Georgian paint colours were often muted. Those worked well in houses then and still do today. I recommend choosing paint from companies such as Little Greene Paint Company or Farrow & Ball. These companies’ palettes of colours inspired by heritage shades work perfectly in busy, modern homes. Soft colours like sage greens, green toned greys, pale taupes, stone, natural beiges, sophisticated muted pinks and pale blues are timeless and work well in period homes, looking fresh and modern paired with contemporary fabrics and wallpaper.

The colours you choose should feel like they flow from the hallway troom to room to keep the look cohesive. Pick colours that work together and avoid pure white, which can look too harsh in a period propery. 

Colour-drenched walls can be the single most effective and affordable way to create a contemporary look in a Georgan house. Just paint the whole room from ceiling to skirting boards in one colour. It’s a simple trick that lets the elegance and beauty of the room shine through.

Wallpaper

While the Victorian Era is often considered the Golden Age of wallpaper, it was often used during the Georgian era, with chinoiserie and flocked styles being the most popular. 

I love to use wallpaper to give a contemporary twist to Georgian houses. It is one of the easiest ways to add impact to your walls, uplifting and defining a room’s style and adding depth that’s not possible with paint. From traditional florals to contemporary geometrics and tropical botanicals or animal motifs, there are more styles, patterns, and textures than ever.

Mixing wallpaper and paint is a great way to create contrast and interest. I like to paper one wall in a really gorgeous expensive designer wallpaper and paint the rest of the room in its background colour, so it blends in perfectly. Use wallpaper in panels or as a headboard and don’t be afraid to use more than one wallpaper design in a room; one wall in a flamboyant botanical and another in a striped design can look really striking. 

Georgian hallways and corridors can be difficult to decorate stylishly, and wallpaper works perfectly – often mixed with painted panelling or skirtings. If you want to turn a functional space – such as the bathroom – into a beautiful one, wallpaper is your best tool. I think it is fun to be bold with your decorating choices in a small space where you spend little time, such as a WC. The beauty with using wallpaper in a WC is that you often need a very small amount so you can splash out!

I love to use bold contemporary wallpaper in small or unexpected places like in boot rooms, laundry rooms or inside closets to bring fun and an element of surprise to a room. Hand printed bespoke wall murals are also wonderful to use in larger Georgian houses where they can create really dramatic statement feature walls.

Read more practical tips to create a stylish home in a Georgian building in next week’s blog post.

This article originally appeared in The Bath Magazine, July 2024