As the interior designer who runs Oliver Laws, Guy Oliver’s projects include the State Rooms at 10 Downing Street, the Connaught and Claridge’s. The former Royal Navy officer talks to Jessica Jonzen about how he created a home of his own
INTERIOR DESIGNER GUY OLIVER OUTSIDE HIS HOME IN KENSINGTON. IMAGE: COURTESY OF GUY OLIVER
Where do you live and why?
I live and work in Kensington. I used to kid myself that I could live in the country or by the sea or up a mountain somewhere, and although I love all of that, after a few days I find myself itching to get back to London again. It was the same when I spent extended periods of time in New York, I would often go upstate or to the Hamptons or Shelter Island but there was always the draw of Manhattan. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate peace and meditate every morning but I love the energy and the endless possibilities of international cities.
How would you describe your home?
Eclectic; it certainly is not an exercised study in design – more an accumulation of familiar things that remind me of people, places or experiences that I have had, this is all layered into my home over a period of time and I guess it ‘describes’ my personal journey.
What was the first thing you did when you moved into your home?
Changed the locks!
GUY OLIVER’S SITTING ROOM AT HIS KENSINGTON HOME IS FILLED WITH ANTIQUES COLLECTED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. THE PORTRAIT OVER THE FIREPLACE IS OF AN 18TH CENTURY LEVANTINE MERCHANT, WHICH HAD BELONGED TO A FRIEND. IMAGES: COURTESY OF GUY OLIVER
If the objects in your home could talk, which would have the best stories to tell?
My parents taught me to appreciate antiques and fine craftsmanship, the importance of the provenance of an object and if it can be authenticated. The seemingly commonplace can acquire enormous value if it is associated with a person or an event in history. I have the casing of an incendiary bomb that my grandfather defused during the Second World War, presumably preventing some horrific fire, and the George Medal that he was posthumously awarded after rescuing a train driver and fireman from a crash in a tunnel at Barnes. We never met, because he passed on before I was born, but I like to think of him rescuing others and perhaps keeping an eye on me.
I also spent a lot of time in Russia in my 20’s and collected Soviet memorabilia, mostly from Izmailovsky Market in Moscow. These things fascinated me because during my time as a young officer in the Navy, I studied Russian and we ‘kept an eye’ on the Soviets. Suddenly it all opened up and I was able to travel there freely and collect items from that period. I have a wonderful WW2 portrait of a Soviet Officer, a bust of Mayakovsky and numerous Soviet navy posters. I admire the confidence of the art and the ideal of equality but of course it was all an illusion.
Which part of your home makes you happiest?
I have a study with my books , a large desk and a day bed, I sit and draw or write here and often work quite late. If I need to I can recharge with a cat nap…
(LEFT) GUY BOUGHT THE JAPANESE TEMPLE MODEL IN HARAJUKU MARKET IN TOKYO WHILE WORKING ON A PROJECT; (RIGHT) A POND YACHT GIVEN TO GUY BY HIS GRANDFATHER. IMAGES: COURTESY OF GUY OLIVER
What’s on your bedside table?
Currently a navy blue Roberts Radio, a moleskin notebook and a pencil ,a copy of A Shropshire Lad by A.E. Housman and a small églomisé tray with a picture of a sailor given to me by an old friend.
What was your childhood home like?
Which one? That’s not to say we had lots of houses! We moved so much because of my father’s job that there was no real family home or base., My mother’s family were from Aberdeen and as I grew up, that city and the coast and county around it became the geographical constant of my childhood. I left home at 16 to join the Navy and when I first came back to see my parents on my first leave, they had moved again. I guess being deracinated on a regular basis made me more independent and in the inimitable words of Paul Young, ‘wherever I lay my hat (heart) that’s my home.’
(LEFT) GUY OLIVER’S KITCHEN IS PAINTED IN BRITISH NAVY BLUE IN A NOD TO HIS FORMER CAREER; (RIGHT) CARICATURES FROM A 1925 SERIES BY MIGUEL COVARRUBIAS CALLED ‘THE PRINCE OF WALES AND OTHER FAMOUS AMERICANS’ LINE THE INSIDE OF GUY’S FRONT DOOR. IMAGES: COURTESY OF GUY OLIVER
Do you have a domestic guilty secret or pet hate?
The navy taught me a trick, to iron clothes into squares / rectangles. Because I work long hours, I am lucky enough to have someone who comes in to iron for me and I have to confess I taught her to do the same. As a result I can pack a bag in less than five minutes, whether it’s for a work trip or a holiday.
What are some of the most memorable things which have happened in your home?
The performance artist Caroline Reid (AKA Pam Ann) , who is often described as a women who masquerades as a drag queen , turned up at a party I was hosting with the cast of La Cage Aux Folles, the gay rugby team and an Australian Rowing Squad, it was quite a colourful night…
What makes your house a home?
Me.
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