Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

House Tours Open Door with Interior Designer, Julia Thompson

House Tours Open Door with Interior Designer, Julia Thompson

In our house tours series the interior designer walks us round her interesting and inviting art-filled home

Welcome to series 2 of House Tours Open Door. We've been busy filming gorgeous homes over the summer, filled with cool and clever ideas from their creative owners.

We plan to beam you into eight jaw-dropping homes, to hear from the owners and to get under the skin of exactly what makes a place special. Inspiration from the comfort of your living room? Sounds like a double win.

EPISODE 8 - AT HOME WITH JULIA THOMPSON


Interior designer, Julia Thompson has invited us in to the home she shares with her husband Paul and son Frank. The couple's home gives vintage a new twist, mixed with rock ’n’ roll photography, iconic movie poster prints and quirky collectables.

Julia has always had an eye for the uncommon beauty of vintage pieces and the home she shares with her husband Paul and their son Frank brings out the glamorous side of all things aged.

                                

For Julia, creating a look that’s fresh – and 100 per cent granny-free – is all about how she puts old and new pieces together. ‘The beauty of using vintage items is that it stirs you into being creative, as you’ve got to give them a different character,’ she says. ‘You have to add your own twist.’

                                

Julia worked as a fashion stylist for several years, so mixing, rearranging and what she calls ‘endlessly frou-frouing’ come naturally to her.

                                

The family has lived in this Georgian townhouse for 10 years, but reinventing its style and structure has been a slow-burner, rather than a rush-in-and-rip-out project.

The kitchen sits between the family and dining areas in this long, open-plan space.

                                

Three years ago, the couple finally bit the bullet and reworked the house’s layout. Robert Dye Architects created a double-height extension at the back, which added a study to the higher level and a large kitchen-diner at garden level. A set of roof lights and subtle vertical openings between levels allow a free flow of light, so the two floors feel connected.

                                

Previously, there was an Eighties-style conservatory at the back of the house.

Once the extension was complete, the pair complemented it with a garden redesign by Barbara Samitier, turning a stretch of wrecked lawn into a sequence of serene spaces full of lush greenery and linked by paved paths.

The garden design works especially well because Barbara looked at the house’s interior style before she undertook any work outside.

                                

Back inside, Julia's interesting finds range from mid-century sofas to iconic film and exhibition posters.

                                

A double-height void above this reading corner allows ample natural light to flow down into the lower-ground floor, while lush plants add to the indoor-outdoor mood.

                                

SHOP JULIA'S KEY PIECES


By mixing pieces that whisper of a glamorous past with a dash of modernity, Julia’s home feels contemporary. Lighting by Jasper Morrison, a De La Espada coffee table and a supersized Poliform bed all add polish to the weathered edges.

Bedroom

Shop now: The photograph is by Ellen von Unwerth

Shop now: The bed is by Poliform

                                

This space on the top floor is where Julia has styled an array of her favourite objects, books and art.

Landing

Shop now: The banister is painted in Railings estate eggshell by Farrow & Ball

Shop now: The collectable figures are by Frank Kozik for Toy2R

                                

This is Julia’s favourite spot to relax at the end of a long day. The bath came with the house, but the couple added a walk-in shower for a quicker wash-and-go in the morning.

Bathroom

Shop now: The floor tiles are by Mosaic del Sur

Shop now: Find a similar bath at The Albion Bath Company. The brassware is by Villeroy & Boch

                                

The cool mural in Frank's room was bought in Holland. It’s a collaborative work by a group of Rotterdam graffiti artists.

Child's room

Shop now: The bed is by The White Company

                                

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×