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, and with a confident eye for colour and a carefully curated approach, Ruth has created a home that feels sophisticated, elegant and entirely her own.

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 exploring Britain's most stylish homes, Ruth had a clear vision, to create an elegant 'European apartment' with light, space and strong use of colour, though achieving it 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 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, drawn in by our cinematic heritage and the range of colours she saw in the homes she wrote about. Inspired by the company's story and by the flat's unique past (previously bought by an 80-year-old French actress who lived there until she was 102), she curated, with the help of Dominic Myland, a palette that moves harmoniously from room to room.

The warm-toned, soft composition gives each room its own distinct mood, exuding historic elegance and 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.

A symphony of colour

Earth-toned colours are woven throughout the apartment. 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 in the home.

In the kitchen, Huguenot™ No.49, a bold red, anchors the cabinetry, contrasted against black granite worktops and blue Zellige tiles, while the walls in Rose Theatre™ No.249 and woodwork in Millbank™ No.254 create a warm, enveloping atmosphere. These tones give the kitchen depth and character, balancing familiar warmth with culinary structure, and the interplay of such commanding shades with terracotta tiles grounds the space and truly aligns with 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 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 of guaranteed quality. I love the romance of the story behind this paint!"