Kiely, Orla - Riding the Vintage Wave
Irish-born designer, Orla Kiely does not sell any of her fabrics or prints - instead, her distinctive designs and motifs adorn a huge variety of home accessories, furniture, wallpaper and fashion pieces, available at various retailers including Anthropologie, Nordstrom and HD Buttercup.
Kiely’s colourful palette has ridden the tidal wave of interest in vintage style in both fashion and interiors since 1997.
Her four-storey, 3,000 square foot, terraced London home epitomises her vibrant, bold look. “Go for the big thing rather than lots of little things,” advises Kiely.
Mid-century style (below) with walls covered in walnut, leading into the dining room containing Kiely’s upholstered dining chairs around a vintage table. In the hallway, Kiely's side console with gloss vases bearing her leaf motif.
Kiely and her team kept the original features of the Victorian terraced house, including ceiling roses and mouldings but added a mid-century style which would have been curious for the Victorians. “I didn’t want to compromise the Victorian nature of the house,” Kiely explains.
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| A colourful kitchen combining vintage and modern design with Orla Kiely's striking colours and motifs. |
The original fireplace was kept but the flooring was in bad shape so was replaced with recycled floorboards sourced from an architectural salvage yard.
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| Vintage art and chandelier complete the look. |
The two original downstairs rooms were opened up to create one larger space with a sunken seating area leading onto the garden.
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| Rhododendron Sunflower wallpaper by Kiely with a yellow Eames rocker |
Kiely studied textile design at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and knitwear design at the Royal College of Art in London.
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| Orla Kiely in her London home. |
Orla Kiely's House collection at John Lewis department store in London.
Photography of Orla Kiely's home by Chris Tubbs.
