Creating a joyful place to live ranks highly on Amy Eld’s list of priorities. After a lengthy search for a central-London home that resonated with Amy, her husband Daniel and their three children, they settled on a four-storey terraced house in Pimlico. Built in the 1830s by the notable British master builder Thomas Cubitt, the family took ownership in March 2023.
‘We saw a lot of properties before this house came up and finding it was a bit like finding one’s future husband – you just know!’ laughs Amy, who owns vintage and antiques homeware business Rock the Heirloom. With the men in her family all being tall, and two still growing, they loved the sense of space that the high Georgian ceilings provided.
Situated in a peaceful spot, it has all the convenience of city life with little of the mayhem. ‘It’s sometimes hard to believe that we’re in the heart of London, although the chime of Big Ben is a good reminder,’ says Amy.
Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. - Tamsyn Morgans -
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The house was already fully renovated, leaving only cosmetic work. Her vision was to furnish the interior almost entirely using vintage and antique pieces. ‘The house was completely liveable, so ripping anything out would have gone against my core values,’ she says.
To bring her vision to life, she collaborated with Edward Bulmer Natural Paint for colour consultancy, and enlisted Sarah Davenport, owner of That Rebel House, for her expertise in selecting rugs and textiles.
‘I had some confidence with colour, but I felt this home deserved more. I wanted it to fully embrace and celebrate colour, while complementing my art and antiques,’ Amy says. Amy worked with Sarah to incorporate textiles, choosing UK-made lampshades, handmade suzanis and vintage rugs – used on the walls as well as floors. The aim was to create a layered, versatile style that’s also eco-friendly.
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When it came to furnishing, Amy wanted to pay homage to the building’s historic roots and create a warm, lived-in feel. She opted for natural, well-worn materials like cane, wood and bamboo. ‘I love Victorian furniture, particularly bobbin and tiger bamboo pieces, and I collect along these themes,’ says Amy, who often restores items she adores. One such example is a Regency-style faux-bamboo chair, which was reupholstered in luxury patterned velvet by House of Hackney. ‘To me, it’s now as much a piece of art as it is furniture.’ Similarly, a beloved Victorian sofa was reupholstered in deep-blue velvet and finished with pink fringing.
Raised in a creative, antiques-loving family – with her mother an art teacher, painter and restorer of pottery and ceramics, and her maternal grandparents both antiques dealers – Amy’s affinity for ‘old’ pieces seems innate.
‘I believe my love of vintage and antiques is in my genes. As a young person, I wasn’t impressed by being dragged around antiques fairs, but, ironically, I now do the same with my own children,’ she says. Though she always has an eye on sourcing for her business, primarily in France and Belgium, Amy makes time to visit her favourite UK fairs and her relationship with them is still evolving. ‘This home has taught me that antiques offer endless opportunities – from adding comfort to creating talking points,’ she says.