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A North London Renovation: Ruth Corbett's Home Transformation

Stepping into Ruth Corbett’s period home, you immediately sense a balance of timeless elegance and individual personality. Each room tells its own story, styled with rich heritage shades that celebrate the building’s history. With a confident eye for colour and a carefully curated approach, Ruth has created a home that feels sophisticated, elegant, and entirely her own.

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_ Living Room and Dining Room_Maugham White No.2 (Walls and Ceilings)_ Long Acre No.102 (Woodwork, Skirting, Door, Door Frames, and Pediments) - Newsletter an (2).jpg__PID:93d74925-fd40-4c01-ae58-9deb348882ce

Walls in Maugham White™ No.2 and Woodwork in Long Acre™ No.102

When interiors editor and journalist Ruth Corbett began renovating her Edwardian mansion flat in North London, she knew one thing for certain: colour would be at the heart of its transformation.

With over 25 years of experience, exploring Britain’s most stylish homes, Ruth had a clear vision. The aim, to create an elegant “European apartment” with light, space, and strong use of colour. But achieving her vision required a complete refurbishment. 

The apartment’s generous proportions, soaring ceilings, expansive windows, and rare access to a private garden provided a stunning canvas for Ruth to create a space that feels both grand and deeply personal. A home that celebrates colour and timeless design.

Reviving Character and Craft

Ruth first discovered our paints six years ago, through her work as an interiors editor. As such, she was drawn in by our cinematic heritage and range of colours showcased in the homes she wrote about. 

Inspired by the company's story and from the flat's unique past (previously bought by an 80 year old French actress who lived there until she was 102), she, with the help of Dominc Myland, curated a palette that moves harmoniously from room to room. The warm-toned, soft colour composition provides a distinct mood for each room and space; exuding historic elegance and a timeless allure. 

“The paints are highly pigmented and deliver a lustrous, easy-to-apply finish that goes a long way, so my decorators were very pleased,” she explains.

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_Bathroom and Ensuite_Maugham White No.2 (Walls, Ceilings, and Woodwork) - Newsletter and web.jpg__PID:43881b2f-69fe-4d13-b8a1-e962d8f86101

Walls and Ceilings in Maugham White™ No.2 

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_ Living Room and Dining Room_Maugham White No.2 (Walls and Ceilings)_ Long Acre No.102 (Woodwork, Skirting, Door, Door Frames, and Pediments) - Newsletter an (3).jpg__PID:ec6351a3-02f4-4b99-80e0-eb9eae20e37f

Walls in Maugham White™ No.2 and Woodwork in Long Acre™ No.102

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_Main Bedroom_Lemon Salts No.43 (Walls)_Maugham White No.2 (Ceiling, Woodwork)_ Mint Green No.95 (Wardrobes) - Newsletter and web landscape.jpg__PID:db97b842-7aea-4f66-9bbb-82883f711ad6

Walls in Lemon Salts™ No.43, Ceiling and Woodwork in Maugham White™ No.2, Wardrobes in Mint Street™ No.95

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_Entrance Hallway_Chester SquareNo.21 (Walls)__Mint Street No.45 (Ceiling) - Newsletter and web.jpg__PID:4afd5a24-1ed2-4e5f-8068-cc152f8f4b9e

Walls in Chester Square ™ No.199, ceilings and woodwork in Mint Street™ No.95

A Symphony of Colour

The mixing of earth toned colours is weaved throughout the aparament. The hallway features Chester Square™ No.199 on the walls and Mint Street™ No.95 on the ceiling; a pairing that feels both classic and unexpected. 

In the guest bedroom, Egerton Place™ No.297, a soft mushroom-pink, shifts elegantly with the light, while the main bedroom glows with Lemon Salts™ No.43, a cheerful pale yellow that Ruth and her husband call their favourite hue in the home.

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_Kitchen_ Rose Theatre No.249(Walls and Ceilings)_Huguenot No.49 (Cabinetry)_Brompton Road No.205 (Interior Lardner Cabinet)_Millbank No.254(Woodwork) - Newsl (7).jpg__PID:05b4505f-7668-4cb2-a643-676b2ecb2f8c

Walls and ceilings in Rose Theatre™ No.249, Cabinetry in Huguenot™ No.49, Woodwork in Millbank™ No.254

In the kitchen, Huguenot™ No.49, a bold red, anchors the cabinetry, contrasted against black granite worktops and blue Zellige tiles. The walls, painted in Rose Theatre™ No.249, and the woodwork, finished in Millbank™ No.254, create a warm, enveloping atmosphere.

These tones imbue the kitchen with a sense of depth and character, balancing familair warmth and culinary structure. The interplay of such commanding shades along with the terracotta tiles, grounds the space and truley aligns to Ruth's 'European' inspiration.

Ruth says, “The opportunity to use colour in this renovation through Mylands was a huge influence on the design. Our previous house’s colour palette was muted, so I’ve loved bringing bolder shades to this place. Dominic Myland carries on the family tradition of perfection in paint, still creating colours that are lustrous, flawless and with guaranteed quality. I love the romance of the story behind this paint!”

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_Kitchen_ Rose Theatre No.249(Walls and Ceilings)_Huguenot No.49 (Cabinetry)_Brompton Road No.205 (Interior Lardner Cabinet)_Millbank No.254(Woodwork) - Newsletter and web.jpg__PID:bd085976-cc0c-4d5a-b8f7-b9b1da3cff1d

Walls and ceilings in Rose Theatre™ No.249, Cabinetry in Huguenot™ No.49, Woodwork in Millbank™ No.254

Southwood Mansions_Ruth Corbett_Highgate_Beth Davis_Kitchen_ Rose Theatre No.249(Walls and Ceilings)_Huguenot No.49 (Cabinetry)_Brompton Road No.205 (Interior Lardner Cabinet)_Millbank No.254(Woodwork) - Newsletter and web1.jpg__PID:3256c2d8-9954-4d29-8569-f1bd44a4a401

Walls and ceilings in Rose Theatre™ No.249, Cabinetry in Huguenot™ No.49, Woodwork in Millbank™ No.254

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