In our Series featuring standout clients and their extraordinary design journeys, we’re thrilled to showcase projects that push the boundaries of interior design. As big fans of the Mid-Century style ourselves, we were particularly excited to work with a couple who transformed a classic house from 1967 into a mid-century-inspired haven filled with colour, pattern, and charm.
With a shared passion for Verner Panton’s philosophy and a fearless approach to design, Josh and Emma turned each room into a visual experience, using wallpaper to set the mood and bring each space to life. The result? A home that celebrates vibrant colours, from a purple-speakeasy bar to a cosy, monochrome TV nook.
Could you tell us a bit about yourselves and the story behind Chroma House?
I’m a small business owner in the sports ticketing industry, and my fiancée, Emma, is a singer-songwriter. While neither of us has a formal background in architecture or design, I’ve always had a passion for collecting Mid-Century furniture. Last year, when we decided to buy a home together, we chose a 1967 house on a quiet, wood-lined street as the ideal canvas for our ideas. After spending 18 years in a downtown loft, where my style became quite specific but was limited by the industrial, compact space, the concept of having an entire house to design felt exhilarating. Over the course of eight months, we poured ourselves into renovating and bringing our vision for Chroma House to life.
Colour plays a big role in Chroma House. What was the design inspiration behind it?
The biggest inspiration for Chroma House is the famous architect and designer Verner Panton. Two years ago, we visited Denmark to see the incredible Panton exhibition at the Trapholt Museum for Modern Art and Design in Kolding. Up until then, Emma had been politely indulging my preferred style, but at the museum, she was captivated by Panton’s early '80s 'design manifesto' displayed at the entrance. After that, we both embraced the idea of using bold '60s and '70s colours as a cohesive, unifying design approach. We decided each room would feature a distinct monochromatic scheme: we have a purple room, a pink room, along with blue, orange, red, yellow, and green. Everything - furniture, carpets, walls, ceilings, and window treatments - adheres to each room's single colour.
How did wallpaper factor in your design vision for Chroma House? What made you choose wallpaper over paint for certain rooms or spaces?
Our TV nook is a small room, so we decided to embrace its cosy feel rather than try to make it seem larger. We added oversized purple furniture, including a Panton Living Tower, and high-pile, thick purple shag carpet to create an inviting, snug atmosphere. Initially, we considered painting the room purple, but then decided on a purple grasscloth wallpaper instead to add texture and enhance the cosiness.
It’s our most subtle wallpaper choice; it might look like paint in photos, but in person, it achieves the exact vibe we wanted, and we often get compliments on it. It catches the light just enough to add even more depth to the room.In other spaces, we wanted the wallpaper to be the focal point and act as statement art. For example, in Emma’s pink bathroom, where she wanted a touch of glamour and femininity, I found a pink Walter Burgess print and she fell in love with it right away.
Did you design around the wallpaper, or did you choose models to complement your vision? How did you manage to use bold patterns without overwhelming the space?
A little bit of both! We had a clear idea of each room’s colour, which gave us a foundation to work from. Designing around the wallpaper felt more fun and allowed for creative freedom. To keep the bold patterns from overwhelming the space, we used matching paint colours on the ceilings and trim. This made the rooms feel cohesive, even with daring choices. We also reserved bold wallpaper for smaller rooms, letting it fully take over the space without mixing in competing patterns or textures.
Did you face any challenges while installing the wallpaper, and how did you ensure that it harmonised with your furniture and décor, given your Mid-Century and Space Age influences?
We were lucky to work with a fantastic local installer who guided us from the start, measuring and vetting samples. One of the trickiest requests was our, rather unconventional, request to cover our IKEA cabinets in the pink bathroom with wallpaper so they would 'disappear' into the room’s design. It took time, but the final effect was well worth it! Our installer Cathy was full of praise for the quality of the wallpapers we chose. To ensure the wallpaper styles blended seamlessly with our décor, we relied heavily on samples, ordering them for every choice to make sure they would fit. Our monochrome theme also made things easier; the furniture is mostly solid colours, which allows the wallpaper to really take centre stage in each room.
Which room in Chroma House features your favourite wallpaper, and why does it reflect the personality of the space? What feedback have you received from guests?
Our favourite wallpaper is definitely in the bar, a speakeasy-style room hidden behind heavy purple Panton 'Geometri' curtains. It’s a bit of a secret spot, and guests are always amazed when they find it. We wanted this room to stand out, which is no small feat in a house full of bold choices! The Tropical Dream Violett wallpaper instantly captured our imagination because it has a versatile vibe: it can feel moody or take on a playful, tiki-inspired energy, depending on the lighting and the mood of the evening.
To tie everything together, we matched our countertops to one of the wallpaper’s secondary colours and added purple linoleum and shag carpet accents. Our guests have been incredibly positive. Everyone wants to touch the grasscloth wallpaper (though we gently urge them not to!) and they often rave about the more daring choices. Many even leave with a new excitement to try wallpaper in their own homes.
Any tips for those seeking to replicate your stunning design in their own homes?
Don’t be afraid to commit to a bold design, especially in smaller rooms! Most people may not be ready to transform an entire home, but starting with a single room can be incredibly rewarding. So many interior designs just reflect what’s 'in style' according to magazines, designers, or Instagram influencers. Instead, we believe your home should feel fun and beautiful to you. After all, you only live once, right? As Panton said, 'One sits more comfortably on a colour that one likes.'
