Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

Property type 1880s Victorian mansion
Space 5 floors (plus 2 mezzanine) covering 6,000 sq ft, including 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a large study, double reception, kitchen-diner leading onto conservatory, and basement (used as a utility room)

 1/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

It didn’t take stylist Marianne Cotterill long to decide that these 5 storeys of untouched Victoriana were the perfect place for her family. After one quick viewing with her husband, Terry, and their children, they simply had to have it.

2/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

After a few essential repairs and updates – no one fancied a winter without central heating – it was time to consider the look of the place. As a top stylist, Marianne wasn't short of ideas, but faced with such a plethora of original features, she needed an open mind, too. Much as we might all swoon over intricate cornicing and stained glass, it can be difficult to make it work with a contemporary aesthetic.

3/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

Vintage wallpapers complement the mint-condition 1920s chair, while an eye-popping wall print sits above and a modern floor lamp sits beside. It’s a style that’s both unpredictable and relaxed.

4/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

A friend found the tiled floor in a café that was closing down in Belgium, but because some tiles had been lost, Marianne had to make up a design using other tiles, too.

The chairs and table are 1960s copies of Eero Saarinen’s Tulip design and came from Kempton market. The bride picture was £10 from a car boot sale.

5/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

Marianne's daughter's icy-silver bedroom is both girlie and sophisticated at the same time.

The bed was found on the side of a road in France, but The French Bedroom Company sells similar.

6/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

The top bathroom is possibly the most modern room in the house. ‘I do appreciate some space being clean and white,’ says Marianne. ‘It’s a peaceful place to come to when you want to escape all the decoration.’

The bath is from Duravit and the black and white tiles are Spanish.

7/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

Marianne and a friend painted the flowers on this wall by hand.

The day bed is by Cappellini.

8/8 Take a tour around a quirky and eclectic mansion

The master bedroom has been kept its original ‘Germolene pink’. Ointment by Farrow & Ball is a good match. The bed was snapped up for £10 on the Portobello Road – Marianne had it re-covered in green Chinese silk for a striking update.

The pyramid lamp is Murano from the late 1960s. The curtain silk was from Pongees.

Looking for more modern decorating inspiration? Check out our House Tours section for everything from a Melbourne cottage to a London fashion designer's pad