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Inspired by their global travels, French-born Charlotte and her South African husband, Charlie, infused their London terrace with sunshine brights and exotic patterns

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A palm pendant is not the first thing you’d expect to see behind the ordinary façade of this classic west-London terrace. But architect Charlotte Lilford and her husband Charlie don’t really do ordinary. Their home is packed with playful design ideas, from the cabana-style banquette in the kitchen-diner – whose oomph comes in the form of that oversized pendant and palm-laden wallpaper that frames it – to the turquoise cabin bed in son Gaston’s bedroom.

‘Traditional French style might usually be more subdued, but creating a home with a fun, welcoming feel is important to us. And I think the hit of tropical touches are a reflection of Charlie’s Cape Town roots,’ says Charlotte, whose childhood was spent in France, Sweden and London. A quick inventory of this family’s inspiring items reads like a checklist of global influences. There are fabrics by Missoni and Pierre Frey, and design classics such as Serge Mouille lighting and furniture by Le Corbusier. ‘Relaxed eclectic with a touch of grown-up glamour is what we like to call our style,’ Charlotte adds.