Entering the decorative artist Natasha Mann’s five-bedroom Edwardian home is like stepping into a jewellery box – full of vibrant colours and exquisite patterns. Natasha, who lives here with her husband and five children, was attracted to the house in south east London by its original period features.
‘There were beautiful fireplaces, and I loved the geometric black and white tiles in the hallway,’ she says. The couple moved in 10 years ago, and the house has provided the perfect canvas for Natasha’s wonderfully intricate work.
From Morocco to Mastery
She became interested in North African and Andalusian decorative art as a teenager on family holidays. ‘I always appreciated their buildings,’ she says. ‘I liked that Moroccan homes in old cities have beautiful tiles and woodwork.’
Having completed an Arabic and French degree at Cambridge University, she decided to study Moroccan decorative painting, moving to Fez in Morocco for a one-year apprenticeship. There, she learnt how to compose designs that are characteristic of Islamic art, and how to craft authentic paint brushes from cedar wood and donkey hair.
Natasha then took her master’s at what is now called the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in London, where she was able to make paints with natural pigments. ‘I’ve never bought any paint since then for decorative work – I create my own,’ she says. ‘I collect earth, plants and minerals and crush and clean them, then mix with egg tempera.’ A second master’s in the art and architecture of Andalusia and Morocco – taken at the prestigious Courtauld – increased her expertise.
Celebrating Pattern, Colour and Craft
Over time, Natasha’s interest in pattern design widened, and she became drawn to Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and European folk art. ‘I hadn’t realised when I was younger that we had this amazing Arts and Crafts movement,’ she explains. ‘Even the Elizabethans had heavily painted houses.
When I was growing up, homes were minimalist and pale; for me, Morocco was the opposite. When I started researching Edwardian and Victorian houses, they were full of pattern, embellishments and colour – only in modern times have we painted the walls plain.’
Natasha has reflected this in the cloakroom and one of the children’s bedrooms, where Ben Pentreath’s Willow Boughs wallpaper, a collaboration with Morris & Co, takes pride of place. ‘I’ve long enjoyed William Morris wallpaper, and I remember the willow pattern while growing up. I really liked Ben’s update.’
Stained-glass windows were introduced into many of the rooms. Natasha replaced most of the glass in the front door with stained glass, for instance, enhancing the period feel of the tiles in the hallway. ‘The Edwardians would have had quite grand entrances, so it made sense to paint an elegant ceiling and add glazed panels onto the doors to make it more interesting,’ she explains.
She drew the ornate geometric ceiling design with a compass and enhanced it with gold leaf. More stained glass in the family bathroom is an additional highlight, influenced by a pattern seen in a water feature at the Alhambra, in Granada. ‘I thought it was very appropriate in a bathroom,’ she says. Like the hallway, it has a finely detailed Moroccan-style ceiling, derived from a complex pattern with 48 petals, adorned with gold leaf. Teamed with rich green tiles, it envelops you.
Furniture, Folk Art and Finishing Touches
Painted furniture, much of it by Natasha’s own hand, is another cornerstone. The joyfully decorated wardrobes and bed in the main bedroom are inspired by folk art from Europe, and Natasha based the wardrobe pattern on tree of life designs. She also sourced antique Indian painted chests at an East Sussex store, Jaadu Boutique.
Vintage furniture and inherited pieces enhance the interior’s timeless feel. A further speciality, painted lampshades, are dotted around the house, including lamps from a limited-edition collaboration with lighting company Vaughan.
Collections of tapestries, ceramics, miniatures, and tribal art sourced from her travels amplify the eclectic mood and inject interest into more pared-back areas, such as the kitchen. Here, the extension has a comparatively modern feel, with roof lights and sliding doors: ‘I like the mix of the old and the contemporary,’ says Natasha.
A Feast for the Eyes
This kaleidoscopic home is truly a feast for the eyes. ‘It’s fun to have pattern and vibrancy around you,’ she says. ‘I feel much more inspired in a really colourful place, packed with motifs.’
