Stelly selway founder's home is a bold, artistic space

The Edwardian red-brick house in Chiswick that serves as the personal residence of Tanya Selway, co-founder of interior design studio Stelly Selway, offers a glimpse into the creative world of her firm. But without a client brief to work to, it also reveals a particular kind of creative freedom.

Telling stories through design

It's not uncommon for a designer's own home to be a kind of artistic laboratory, and Tanya's is no exception. Indeed, you'll find many borrowed and repurposed ideas in her house that didn't make it into a client's brief. But for Tanya and her co-founder Benjamin Stelly, this is all part of the design process.

′If a client isn't bold enough to do something, we try it in our own spaces,′ she explains.

The juxtaposition of stainless-steel units and a cherry-red jasper stone splashback creates a striking scheme. Material contrasts do a lot of the heavy lifting in defining the room's atmosphere.

Stainless-steel units, countertops and a custom-made steel island create a distinctly industrial feel, yet the kitchen doesn't feel harsh and cold. This is largely due to the addition of the cherry-red splashback and terracotta floor tiles, which help to warm things up.

The studio's ability to play with materials in a way that feels natural - a defining characteristic of their work - is on full display here.

A bespoke shelving unit has been panelled with scrap leather and suede, framing a banquette-style seating area and helping to zone an otherwise open-plan room while also providing additional storage.

Lighting also plays a crucial role in the scheme's success, with a pair of ceramic pendant lights by artist Annelie Fawke suspended over the island punctuating the center of the room, and echoed by a third that illuminates the dining area.

Another example of Stelly Selway's love for playful details can be found in the downstairs loo, tucked under the stairs just off the kitchen. A vibrant mural by friend and artist Annelie Fawke brings the tiny room to life, featuring gestural forms painted in playful shades of peach, indigo and red.

Thanks to clever spatial planning, the kitchen extension also includes a new downstairs loo, making the most of every nook and cranny of the 1,600-square-foot home.

This living, breathing example of Stelly Selway's design ethos - creating 'durable, artful and built to endure' spaces - serves as a testament to the studio's innovative approach to interior design.