Inside Mary Charteris's 'Colour Palace': A Vibrant Family Home in London's Kensal Rise

Mary Charteris, the model, musician, and DJ, has transformed a dark mid-terrace in north-west London into what she calls her very own 'colour palace' — a vibrant sanctuary perfect for family life with her husband Robbie Furze, frontman of the band The Big Pink, and their young daughter. The three-storey house in Kensal Rise is a riot of personality, a far cry from the neutral-toned homes of her aristocratic upbringing.

From Renting to Rooted: Finding the Perfect Spot

After years of renting in High Street Kensington and Golborne Road, the couple finally decided to buy. 'It was a nice middle ground,' Charteris explains in the article documented in Screenshot (550).png. 'Both our families are west London-based, and this area gave us the chance to have a house but still be close to the people we love.'

Mary is a member of the fabled Guinness dynasty, the daughter of James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss, and Catherine Guinness. Growing up, she split her time between London and the Gloucestershire countryside — a childhood of grand but neutral interiors. When she finally found her own family home, it was a well-worn period property with Fifties-style orange-and-brown zigzag carpets and curtains. 'We saw many frogs before we found our prince,' she quips.

The Renovation: Guts, Glory, and a Whole Lot of Pink

The transformation was nothing short of total. Charteris and Furze completely gutted the house, knocking through internal walls to create an open-plan flow to the garden, digging down in the kitchen for higher ceilings, adding an extension, and a new dormer level on top. 'I always wanted open-plan, even though I grew up in the opposite,' she says. 'No little rooms. I just wanted everything to be open.'

While Furze handled the structural side, Charteris led the interiors — with crucial help from her father-in-law's construction team and her aunt, the renowned designer Camilla Guinness. 'Without the budget for an interior designer, I turned to my aunt,' Charteris reveals. 'She has this incredible house in Tuscany, full of rich, amazing fabrics. I was struggling with the bedroom and she told me to paint the floorboards purple — it looks really cool.'

That bedroom now features purple floorboards, a handmade Wendy Morrison rug, and a wall tapestry, creating a sumptuous boudoir. The house also flaunts a pink plaster bathroom crafted by Chrysalis Surface, and Charteris even jokes about painting the exterior pink. 'Luckily, my husband likes pink — he is in The Big Pink, after all.'

A Palette of Personality: Maximalism Meets Cosiness

Charteris's home aesthetic is as eclectic and expressive as her wardrobe. 'I brought colour in because I grew up in quite neutral houses,' she says. 'This was my chance to be more imaginative.'

Her design references are as glamorous as her lifestyle: The Bowery Hotel in New York (she has their sheets in her bedroom), the grandeur of the Ritz Paris, old-school downtown Manhattan lofts, and Diane von Furstenberg's print-heavy New York apartment. Lounge areas are kept light and white, offset by colourful furniture, while lesser-used rooms go full maximalist.

Colour confidence was boosted by Tash Bradley, director of interior design at paint brand Lick. 'She gave me the courage to do things like paint the ceilings, not just the walls, in a colour,' Charteris says. 'I did not even think about using two colours in one room — now we have baby blue cupboards with lighter blue walls. It works.' All the cupboards were built by Blockhouse Build.

Her daughter's room is a pink-hued fantasy with a distinctly fungal theme. 'I have a mushroom fixation, so there are mushrooms everywhere,' she grins. Every surface is layered with texture: crushed velvet sofas that hide kid spills, gold and brass fixtures, and statement lighting from sources like Anemone and 1st Dibs.

Heirlooms, Neon Signs, and Rock 'n' Roll Souvenirs

Pieces with personal significance are scattered throughout the home. In the kitchen, a giant neon sign spelling 'Mary' hangs proudly — a gift from her husband. 'Robbie once asked me to write my name on a bit of paper. I had no idea why — and then he came back with it tattooed on his arm,' she laughs. 'That was when we first got together. He then had a neon sign of it made. It was the first present he ever gave me.' Next to it hangs a giant canvas from their wedding day, covered in messages and doodles from friends and family.

Her dressing room is a leopard-print-carpeted dream with green lacquered cabinetry. 'It is full of pieces I have collected over the years and want to pass down to my daughter.' Fashion and music are woven into the interiors: 'I am inspired by people like Bowie and Prince — the way they dressed, the boldness. That filters into my home.' A guitar, a piano, and baby decks are proudly on display; Charteris and her daughter practice DJing together.

Hosting and Happily Ever After

Entertaining is a big part of home life. 'Lots of our friends are moving around here, and the area is getting nicer and nicer,' she says. Charteris loves hosting Sunday lunches in her open-plan kitchen. After years of moving around — including a stint in Los Angeles — this home feels firmly rooted. 'As much as I love going to Paris or New York Fashion Week, I always think, oh, I just prefer my bed,' she says. 'It is nice having all your stuff around you.'

The renovation took about three years to achieve peak cosy. 'I think it is important not to rush. You keep layering, keep adding things.' Something tells us this happy sanctuary will continue to evolve — in a glorious, Technicolor riot of family, art, and rock 'n' roll history.

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