Coup de foudre a' Notting Hill

Behind the Blue Door

The famous Notting Hill door, right? Well, that is what I think of whenever I hear of such a place.

When I was skimming through an issue of Elle Decoration, that is precisely what I intended to find.

After the film, the new owners felt less admiration for the blue door and collumns and as a good act auctioned off the door to a charity.

The new door as it stands, black and non discript. I am sure the new owners are feeling better as not to find the press or paparatzzi or even the tourists at the steps.

In the film, the flat itself was narrow and long. But as resale goes the image below shoes the actual flat inside,

a very different look from the interior of the film's set design.

The interior of Williams flat, narrow bricked walls, galley kitchen and a shallow winding staircase up to the second level.

This is the real interior of the chapel converted into a residence. You can see more pictures of this interior at Hooked on houses blog. I beleve the asking price is at L 2.5 million.

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Which brings me to the post;

 About a designer Kelly Hoppen, a member of the British Empire and her home on Notting Hill.

While on vacation recently, I had picked up the French version of Elle Decoration. This feature article was depicting a British woman and her own Notting Hill home.

The interior with ebony stained floors, acid green draperies and neutral colored slipcovered and not slipcovered chairs. The main living room is deep, rich in neutrals and ebony touches on the decor, floors and built in wall units.

The kitchen is open and does have it's own fireplace. The island is topped off with a tempered glass and surrounded by upholstered cream and chrome chairs. The trio of orb shaped lights over the island also add to the modern feel of the space. The dark feel is also her, as the floorplan is open. White and cream is used to lighten up the space in upholstery, island top and wall behind the fireplace.

A closer view of the staircase rail, simple drywall and concrete stairs with the outer edged painted with a black stripe. To the right an underwater photograph of a boxer under water. The walls are colored lighter and the concrete floor finish is stained darker.

One of the pieces that really drew me into the article was the artwork. The center photograph is surrounded by smaller almost vintage type pictures. Although neutral in color, the entire piece is casually placed on a haevy weigh artist paper placed on top of the matte and simply framed in a black wooden frame.

A closer view of the artwork. The table is also a piece of art itself as it is made from a rough cut and sanded smooth as a  finished piece of wood. The center of the table is lined with succulants and lit by drum shades.

The collage is by Peter Beard.

The white bedroom is accented by chrome in a hanging orb style light beside the bed and an X type of bench at the foot of the bed. Near the windows is a chrome three tiered table  and an accent chair with fringed metal accent.

The standing cylander shaped sink is reflected in the Venetian glass mirror. A full glass door opens to the left of a chrome heated towel bar.

A closer view of the metal side table, fringed chair bottom and the large scaled artwork behind the chair. Slipcovered in a pale shade of ecru highlighted with a slipcovered pillow and green accent color, the pale lilac colored canvas highlights the owners Westie dog.

Although this is not what I think of when I hear Notting Hill, the real interior of the famous flat is not what I imagine either. The cool shads of white, Ecru, Silver and Onyz land a sophisticated feel to this flat, and the end result is so not Willie and Spike!

Images from google and interior Hooked on Houses / Elle Decoration 2009