MERRY, JOYFUL & LIGHT

The Georgian townhouse owned and restored by interior designer Laura Butler-Madden is the perfect setting for a sparkling Christmas

- MARY WEAVER

KITCHEN

‘Not only is banquette seating space-saving but here it adds lovely texture, too,’ says Laura. Banquette, bespoke in velvet from Designers Guild. Table by Laura Butler-Madden. Artwork by Kristin Gaudio Endsley. Wall lights, Bert Frank. Pink candlesticks; place mats, all Ollie & Co. Clear candlesticks, Issy Granger

Christmas is a time to relax for interior designer Laura ButlerMadden, husband Patrick and their three-year-old daughter Lily. ‘It can be hugely stressful if you put too much pressure on the day, so we allow ourselves to take it slowly with early morning stockings, followed by a leisurely breakfast then a sociable stroll with both families – Patrick’s visit from Madrid each year. Lunch comes late, around 4pm or 5pm, with an Anglo-Spanish meal combining traditional British turkey with Iberian delicacies like aged hams and piquant olives.

The couple had completed work on their Georgian townhouse in Bath just before last Christmas, so this year they’re more settled and able to fully enjoy it. ‘We fell for the house because of its architectural history and saw the scope to breathe new life into it without fundamentally changing its bones,’ says Laura. ‘No extensions, nor knocking down walls, just a considered update to enhance its beauty and make it comfortable and practical for modern living.’