A bushy spruce dripping in angel hair tinsel is the kitschy take on festive decor shimmering from many a Victorian terrace’s bay window around the capital right now.
But there’s no doubting that this retro choice looks most authentic in the home of Sunny and Camilla Williams.
Nestled in a tranquil mews in Camden, theirs is a mid-century modern gem built in the late Sixties, complete with the exposed brick walls and wood-clad ceilings typical of the era.
On the tree are silk-spun baubles (found on eBay and in second-hand shops), giant love hearts emblazoned with ‘love forever’ from Liberty, and of course, lashings of angel hair.
“We’ve always kept it quite simple, with classic colours like red and silver,” says Camilla, 30, managing director of House of Sunny, the cult fashion brand founded by her husband in 2011.
She headed to Columbia Road to make garlands for the walls and sideboard, which are decked in lights and cute toadstools.
In the mix are pedestal bowls piled high with citrus fruits, and 3D trees on the coffee table that remind Camilla of the paper lanterns her grandmother would hang from the ceiling.
While everybody else is embracing cottage-core style gingham and velvet bows, the couple are resolute in their Seventies aesthetic — as the record player attests.
The Williams’ were long-standing Hackney natives until this summer, but being gazumped on another mid-century property in Haggerston pushed them over to NW1.
They are looking forward to continuing traditions in their new neighbourhood, though.
“The first time London really shone for me at Christmas was spending time in pubs like the Spurstowe Arms and The Prince George,” recalls Sunny, 36, who grew up in Surrey.
“Everyone leaves town, the jukebox is free, and it’s just the locals going to the pub on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day morning. I got this real sense of community, and because it had snowed a little bit that year, that real gooey feeling.”
This year might involve a tipple at The Lord Stanley nearby, followed by lunch at The Booking Office down the road in King’s Cross.
Joining in the festivities will be their two pomeranians, Bear and Snoop.
While turkey and trimmings could in theory be rustled up in the first-floor kitchen, it is one the many areas of the Tardis-like home ready for a cosmetic upgrade after being lived in by its architect who had been sole owner for almost 60 years.
The upside-down house is joined by other architecturally-intriguing properties on this unassuming backstreet; tired-looking and modest in its appeal from the outside, inside it is a revelation.
Entry is via a small garage-come-porch which will be turned into a utility area, while up a few steps, the largest of the four bedrooms features an en-suite bathroom and a lightwell patio, which the couple plan to fill with tropical plants.
Sunny has taken over the smallest room with his extensive collection of trainers and clothes, and there is a compact guest room too.
With sleep taken care of in the darker crevices, the crescendo is upstairs, where an arrestingly luminous, split-level living, dining and office area could turn even the most die-hard period architecture devotee.
There are also two private roof terraces that the Williams’ hope to one day link together with steps.
Since getting the keys, the carpets have been ripped up, the floorboards sanded, and the kitchen will soon be minimally made over with terrazzo tiles, dark wood cabinets, and a mix of stainless steel and marble worktops.
The plan isn’t to strip the already minimalist property back, but to enhance existing features, such as swapping sliding cupboard doors for vertical wood panels to add height, and installing underfloor heating for cosy feet.
Will there be any correlation between House of Sunny’s fearless embrace of colour and the paint choices for the house?
“Fashion and architecture are both design, but they serve different needs,” muses Sunny, who started out by making every garment in his studio himself and disrupted the retail industry by inviting followers to shop directly from the rails.
He explains: “Even though people might think of House of Sunny for the Hockney-inspired Lilypad Dress, which was worn by Kendall Jenner, and then lusted-after by every Gen-Zedder, or our big varsity-style jackets, pieces which are full of energy, I actually come from a fairly disciplined aesthetic.
"So with a house I don’t want to change the colour every season, I want it to be a timeless thing.”
Sunny fanatically scoured Rightmove for months until he landed on this place.
So singular was he in his search, he even considered outer pockets of Kent.
“I’d go through 40 pages of listings, and only find about three mid-century properties within that.”
Why the obsession?
“We just love the idea of something that has a little bit of nostalgia to it, which feels a little bit retro,” he says.
“It’s really the simplicity of the design,” adds Camilla. “We’re fascinated by the lifestyles captured by Slim Aarons and the Sixties, and are both drawn to the same style of architecture and furniture.”
If the cult estate agency The Modern House didn’t already exist, the Williams could have been the ones to capitalize on the demand for design-led homes.
However, what they plan to establish alongside their wildly popular fashion brand is a portfolio of modernist location houses available to rent for photoshoots, adverts and films (House of Sunny’s Christmas campaign was shot in the mews house, naturally).
Already in their ownership is a striking detached house in Highgate designed by Stout and Litchfield in the Seventies, which they plan to gently restore after completing this place.
The idea is that the revenue generated will help each property sustain itself, and attract like-minded architecture enthusiasts.
In the meantime, playing around with furniture is providing a fun outlet.
There is a holy trinity of iconic seating in the lounge: a vintage, chocolate-brown camaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini is joined by a delightful Frank Gehry wiggle chair in corrugated cardboard, and a togo sofa and chair.
Ligne Roset, the maker of the latter, partnered with House of Sunny to furnish some of its pop-up shops with togos, and a love affair was ignited.
The couple enjoy scouring Béton Brut in Hackney Wick for rare pieces, but their all-time favourite spot is 2 & 4 Vintage by the canal, where they picked up several original Louis Poulsen pendant lamps.
“It’s enormous, and full to the brim with very well looked-after furniture. It makes a great day out,” laughs Mr Williams.
Working, living and renovating together… it’s a relentless mix that wouldn’t suit all couples. What’s their secret?
“It’s definitely unusual,” acknowledges Mr Williams, “but it works, because we bring out the best in each other.”
Mrs Williams has a rule they live by: “when we’re at home, if one of us doesn’t want to talk about work then that needs to be respected.”
Here’s hoping they manage to switch off for the most wonderful time of the year…
Follow @flippingmidcenturymodern on Instagram for Mr and Mrs Williams’s renovation progress
