Notting Hill Maisonette: A Colourful Three-Storey Family Home by Kelling Designs
Filmed & Produced by Dan Burge | 23 February 2026
We were invited by the team from Kelling Designs to tour this reimagined three-storey maisonette in Notting Hill, completed for a private client over a three-month transformation. Originally a neutral rental-style property finished almost entirely in grey and white, the flat lacked personality and warmth. Their client, a mother of two daughters, wanted a classic contemporary English home that felt layered, characterful and distinctly Notting Hill - colourful, welcoming and playful, yet elegant enough for family life. The result is a thoughtfully curated London family home balancing bespoke craftsmanship, spatial intelligence and joyful use of colour.
Vision and Transformation of the Three-Storey Maisonette
From Grey Rental to Colourful Family Home
When the client first purchased the maisonette, the interiors were functional but flat - typical of a rental property with minimal detailing and a muted palette. The design brief was to introduce warmth and individuality while respecting the building’s structure. Rather than radically altering the layout, the focus remained on elevating existing spaces through thoughtful detailing, cohesive colour storytelling and bespoke joinery.
The goal was to create a home that felt timeless yet personal: a contemporary English interior with layers of texture and pattern, designed to grow with the family.
Classic Contemporary English Interior
The design celebrates a modern interpretation of English interiors. Colour plays a central role, but it is applied with restraint and intention. Soft greens, yellows and purples appear throughout the property, linking rooms and creating visual continuity. Traditional elements, such as mouldings and classic furniture silhouettes, are balanced with contemporary finishes, ensuring the home feels neither overly traditional nor starkly modern.
This approach allows the maisonette to reflect its Notting Hill setting while remaining uniquely tailored to the client’s lifestyle.
Design Collaboration and Bespoke Approach
This project emphasised bespoke solutions. Custom furniture, tailored joinery and carefully selected materials ensured every element fit the spatial and aesthetic requirements of the home. By designing pieces specifically for the rooms they inhabit, the interiors achieve proportion and functionality without sacrificing style.
The result is a London family home that feels considered and cohesive - a space shaped by both creative vision and practical living needs.
Entrance and Circulation: Storytelling Through Space
Rhubarb Front Door and Mural Journey
The transformation begins at the front door, now painted a rich rhubarb tone in place of its former grey finish. Previously, the entrance corridor felt long and utilitarian. To create a sense of arrival and visual movement, a hand-painted woodland mural was introduced, running from the ground floor to the top of the house.
As you ascend the staircase, the perspective of the mural shifts - trees appear to recede and grow, evoking the sensation of walking through a forest. This vertical storytelling turns circulation space into an experience rather than a mere passage.
Pops of colour from the mural - greens, yellows, pinks and purples - reappear throughout the home, ensuring design continuity. A rope banister adds tactile texture, softening the stairwell and reinforcing the layered aesthetic.
Bespoke Details and Lighting
A bespoke radiator cover conceals functional elements without disrupting the design narrative. Meanwhile, an antique chandelier introduces an unexpected layer of elegance against the playful backdrop of the mural.
Small interventions like these demonstrate how utility and beauty can coexist. By addressing practical components with creative solutions, the entrance becomes a considered introduction to the home’s wider design language.
Staircase as Design Feature
The staircase itself functions as a visual spine. As the mural climbs the walls, the space feels larger than its physical dimensions, enhanced by strategic lighting and reflective surfaces. A full-length mirror on the landing further amplifies light and depth, making the circulation area feel expansive despite its compact footprint.
This attention to spatial perception is particularly important in London homes, where thoughtful design can transform modest proportions into generous, welcoming environments.
Room-by-Room Design and Bespoke Furniture
Living Room Layering and Space
The main living room retained its original wall colour, but spatial adjustments dramatically improved its feel. Floor-to-ceiling cupboards were removed to open the room, and curtains were replaced with blinds to enhance height and light.
A new fireplace reintroduced a traditional focal point, grounding the room in classic English style. Joinery was refreshed with paint, while deep purple tones behind cabinetry softened the presence of the television - preventing it from dominating the space.
One of the most impactful additions is a full-length antique mirror on the back wall. Unlike modern high-gloss mirrors, the aged finish reflects light gently, expanding the room visually without feeling clinical.
Bespoke furniture further optimises the layout. A custom dining table and bench fit precisely within the space, while swivel dining chairs double as additional living room seating. This flexible approach demonstrates how furniture design can maximise functionality in compact urban properties.
Teenage Bedroom and Flexible Storage
The daughters’ bedroom retains its original wall colour and joinery, illustrating how styling can refresh a space without extensive renovation. Ottoman bed bases provide hidden storage - an essential feature in London homes - while velvet-wrapped mirrors and upholstered stools introduce softness and texture.
A custom rug draws colour cues from the mural downstairs, linking rooms through subtle visual references. The result is a bedroom that feels youthful yet adaptable, designed to evolve as the children grow.
Storage solutions were prioritised throughout the property. Integrated cabinetry and ottoman beds ensure clutter is concealed, allowing living spaces to remain calm and organised, a key consideration in family homes.
Principle Suite and Finishing Touches
The top-floor principle suite embraces a bolder design language. Richly patterned wallpaper introduces personality without overwhelming the room, while decorative beading frames the design and adds architectural interest.
Wood bedside tables reintroduce natural materials after extensive painted finishes elsewhere in the home, grounding the space in classic English warmth. A statement upholstered headboard references the woodland theme subtly, creating continuity with the mural while maintaining sophistication.
In the ensuite, sheer voiles provide privacy without sacrificing light. The balcony view across Notting Hill enhances the sense of openness, ensuring the top floor feels airy and connected to its surroundings.
These finishing touches exemplify the project’s ethos: thoughtful design that balances aesthetics, functionality and family living.
A Colourful London Family Home with Lasting Character
This Notting Hill maisonette demonstrates how interior design can transform a rental-style property into a layered, characterful home. By combining bespoke craftsmanship with confident use of colour and spatial planning, Kelling Designs created a space that feels personal and enduring.
From the rhubarb front door to the sky-inspired mural at the top of the stairwell, the home tells a visual story of movement and growth. Each room contributes to the overall narrative, balancing individuality with cohesion.
The project illustrates that great design is not solely about aesthetics, it is about enhancing everyday living. Through careful attention to detail, intelligent furniture solutions and a celebration of colour, this London family home achieves both style and substance.
Project Credits
Interior Designed by Kelling Designs
Wall Art by Imogen Orr
Filmed & Produced by HomeInspire
Photography by InspireMedia
Written by Dan Burge | Founder of HomeInspire
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