Inspiration is one thing, the ability to express your ideas in a tangible and functional way is another. Working room-by-room, Tom Lalande and Julian-Pascal Saadi have fused influences from their travels and heritage to bring warmth, energy and life into this east London townhouse.
“As a psychologist, I’ve always been very interested in the mind, our feelings and what we think about,” says Julian-Pascal. “I know that there’s a very strong link between architecture, colour design, and how we feel internally.” With this in mind, he was clear that he wanted each room to have a specific effect.
A lot of inspiration was taken from Le Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, but the pandemic also played a large role. The couple were living in a one-bedroom flat in Dalston, east London during lockdown, which they painted in bold colours.
“There was a real need to inject some colour into the flat,’’ explains Tom. “Julian has a private practice and was meeting patients on Zoom in the corridor. I’m a teacher and ended up teaching in the kitchen.” Following that experience, the couple promised themselves that they would buy a place with more space, and on multiple levels.
When they found the new-build townhouse in Forest Gate they had been looking for a period property. However, they soon realised they wouldn’t have the money to renovate an older property to their liking. “With a new-build there was no need to worry about the plumbing and electrics,” says Tom. This meant that they had the budget to be able to make the house fit their personalities, and so they engaged PL Studio’s Sabrina and Aude to help them focus on personalising what was effectively a blank canvas.
“We took inspiration from the existing bathroom which has a pink arch – that was the only space that was already done,” says Tom. The next step was about creating a place where Julian could meet his patients. In his therapy room, Farrow & Ball’s Nancy’s Blushes and Setting Plaster were chosen to complement a design that creates a cocoon-like space. The curves of the arches painted on to the walls and soft furnishings are warm and inviting. The ceiling has been painted with clouds, establishing a surreal sense of escapism.
In the bedroom matt Greens 7, 13 and 16 by paint company Lick are the go-to hues and this is complemented by planting and natural furnishing, plus artwork from PSTR Studio. “We both associate green with forest and groundedness and nature,” says Julian. “So it was about trying to create harmony within our minds across all of these different spaces.”
Artworks and masks are very personal touches linked to heritage and travel. “Some of the masks in the therapy room are from a local village in Equatorial Guinea where my family lives,” Julian-Pascal explains. “There’s another one I bought in Guatemala a few years ago where my best friend lives. We’ve got more masks gathered around the house that we bought from different countries.”
In the dining room a kaleidoscope of colour has been used to create bold frame patterns on the walls. The Pluck kitchen cabinetry is a more subdued shade called Ruskin Blossom. “We love hosting dinners and drinks, and added the breakfast bar to the kitchen as we often have friends around and we socialise in this space a lot,” Tom explains.
The colours here are very energising to look at and the couple chose them after reflecting on how they wanted to feel after waking up in the mornings while having coffee. “The colours inject energy into the day and I really wanted colour, which definitely has to do with my Brazilian upbringing,” Julian explains. “I spent time there as an adolescent and there are many pink buildings in Brazil and in Portugal as well.”
Comforting rugs feature throughout the house, from the large piece by Made in the living room, to the Berber rug in the guest room and one from Beni Rugs in the entrance.
Leaving and entering the property, an electric jolt of blue is positively striking and thoroughly refreshing. The stairs have been painted in Graham & Brown Kimono from top to bottom, tying the whole house together in one delightfully colourful package.
