WE GAVE a small glimpse into the London home of designer Rose Uniacke in November of last year, as well as a look at some of her work the following month. This month, coinciding with the recent release of her latest book, Wallpaper magazine featured more of the designer’s Warwick Square home. Situated in Pimlico, a neighbourhood filled with historic Grade II listed buildings, the home itself was a “rather eccentric” Victorian building completed in 1860 as the home of a Scottish portraitist, James Rannie Swinton. After Swinton, it became the Grosvenor School of Modern Art in 1925. In the space as it stands today, we see Uniacke’s refined, thoughtful approach to classicism, one that is centred around artisanship, comfort, and understated beauty. It’s this approach that gives the designer’s serene spaces both a grand and liveable appeal. Uniacke’s designs have a timeless, refined elegance rooted in classical principles, with the use of symmetry, proportion, and fine materials to craft interiors with a polished yet inviting sensibility.
There is an emphasis on craftsmanship, detailing, and materials with a focus on traditional techniques, hand-selected antiques, and custom-made furnishings. Colour schemes tend to be neutral and muted, with creams and taupes creating a calming backdrop. Punctuations of colour come through artwork and accessories, with Uniacke’s always careful editing and restraint placing the focus of each interior on unity, proportion, and things of beauty, eliminating clutter in favour of curated pieces. With an eye for updating traditional forms, the designer’s style contains touches of contemporary and transitional flair, with clean lines, sparse ornamentation, and fluid spaces denoting a simplified take on classicism.
