Earlier this month we gave you a tour of the House of Walpole residence, a collaboration between Walpole, the non-for-profit membership organisation championing British luxury craftsmanship, and Northacre with a mission to bring together the best British brands within one ultra-luxurious space.
In this post we explore the story of the 3m tall bespoke master bedroom headboard created by Helen Amy Murray, a globally recognised artist and designer. The inspiration for the extraordinary artwork came from the quintessential London Plane tree. The setting of the apartment at No.1 Palace Street offers a unique glimpse of Buckingham Palace Gardens, and the artwork is a tribute to a particular pair of Plane trees named Victoria and Albert, after Queen Victoria and her Prince Consort. They were personally planted by the couple on Horse Chestnut Avenue, within the gardens, in the 1850s.
The hand sculpted textile artwork features the trees statuesque, shading either side of the bed. The leaves create a delicately arched canopy and the branches reach out beyond the walls and ceiling, evoking the monumental proportion of the famous trees.
To create a gracefully organic outline, Helen Amy Murray decided to counter balance the distribution of outer branches and leaves, but with enough space to allow the artwork to breath and not impose on the tranquil setting. Falling leaves conjure the feeling of a breeze passing through the gardens and bringing the outside in.
Helen chose soft faux suede in subtle grey green in combination with embroidered silk crepe satin appliqué as the two main materials. From distance the colours appear the same, but the satin sheen contrasted with the napped suede reflects the light and creates new tones within the artwork.
The marriage of light and shadow is the result of Helen’s exceptional artistry whereby the artwork emerges from the wall in varying degrees of relief, much like the appearance of a bas-relief but in textiles that merge during the meticulous process.
About Helen Amy Murray
A globally recognised artist and designer Helen Amy Murray Studio was founded in 2002. Her delicate artistry has gained Helen a reputation for its beauty and originality. Helen has spent many years developing and refining the structural aesthetic of her craft.
Experimenting extensively with texture, colour, depth and light, she takes a thoughtful and considered approach to her creative process, working methodically to create complex and exquisitely detailed hand-sculptured works of art for leading interior architects, art consultants and private collectors around the world. Her work has been shown at The Royal Academy of Arts, Victoria & Albert Museum and Somerset House in London. Clients include Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Christian Dior, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Longchamp, The Peninsula Hotels and Mandarin Oriental.
Website: helenamymurray.com
About Northacre
Northacre was founded over 30 years ago with the single-minded vision to preserve and celebrate some of London’s most treasured addresses. Through an intrinsic understanding of luxury, where passionate attention to detail, knowledge and sensitivity is combined with an appreciation for craftsmanship, heritage and innovation; Northacre leads the way in creating exceptional living experiences in the most sought-after locations in London. Northacre celebrates its successful 30-year history in preparation for the next 30, creating beautiful spaces that will be cherished by generations to come.
Website: northacreproperties.com
About No. 1 Palace Street, The St. Regis Residences
No. 1 Palace Street, The St. Regis Residences is where world-class facilities and impeccable service are encapsulated in an impressive 300,000 sq ft. island site overlooking Buckingham Palace. This extraordinary heritage revival is unique in London for its seamless integration of five architectural styles – Italian Renaissance, Beaux-Arts, French Renaissance, Queen Anne, and 21st-century Contemporary.
The latter, a new modern component that forms the main Palace Street entrance, is a bespoke collaboration between Northacre and celebrated architects, Squire + Partners. Behind the five distinct façades, 72 generously proportioned private residences are equipped with state-of- the-art luxuries and carefully curated interiors.
No.1 Palace Street, The St. Regis Residences is the epitome of luxury modern living.
Website: numberonepalacestreet.com
About Walpole
Walpole is the UK’s only business association for luxury brands, it speaks on behalf of more than 250 of Britain’s finest brands across a wide range of sectors, which collectively are worth £48 billion to the UK economy and contribute 2.4% of the UK’s GDP. A not-for-profit organisation, Walpole members include Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Claridge’s, Farfetch, Glenfiddich, Harrods, McLaren, Rolls Royce and Wedgwood and is recognised in both Westminster and Brussels.
With a mission to protect, promote and develop the business of luxury in the UK, Walpole brings its members together to collaborate and connect both digitally and in-person. Key events include the annual British Luxury Summit and the Walpole British Luxury Awards. It also provides a collective voice for luxury on key topics, commissions industry-leading research and works with government on issues affecting the sector.
Walpole runs the flagship ‘Brands of Tomorrow’ programme to develop new British luxury brands – alumni include Orlebar Brown, Nyetimber, Bremont and Emilia Wickstead, and works with the London Business School MBA programme to help develop the talent of the future with ‘Luxury Leaders of Tomorrow’. Walpole also spearheads the British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto, with the vision of making British luxury the global benchmark for luxury sustainability.
Website: walpole.co.uk
About Oliver Burns
Oliver Burns is a luxury architectural interior design studio that thoughtfully designs the world’s finest homes. Working across an exclusive portfolio of international turnkey projects, the team has a world-class reputation for bespoke commissions, super-prime developments and elegant spaces that are synonymous with a luxury lifestyle. Their exceptional credentials together with the highest levels of personal service, enable them to act as trusted advisors to some of the world’s most affluent families, super-prime developers and luxury brands.
Sharon Lillywhite has worked on UK and International projects that have a combined value of over £1 billion and is one of Walpole’s 50 most influential people in luxury – ‘The Walpole Power 50’ 2022
Website: oliverburns.com
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