At Home in London With Artist Tamasyn Gambell

Textile guru Tamasyn Gambell has become a prominent player in the world of art and design, and today Homeworthy discovers how she’s brought that mastery into her family’s London home. With a keen eye for detail, a commitment to sustainable practices, and a “more is more” approach, her home is a haven of eclectic discoveries.

HOMEWORTHY: Tell us the story behind your home.

TAMASYN GAMBELL: My family and I moved into our home in 2018. It’s a 3 bedroom Victorian house in East London with a beautiful long garden. It was built in the 1880s and had been neglected so was tired and crumbling, but had all the original features and charm that we were looking for. As soon as we walked into it we got “the feeling,” and the fact that there were holes in the windows and blown plaster didn’t put us off!

We were moving from a small flat above a shop on a busy road and had two children. We’d been looking for somewhere a bit quieter, with a garden, and that had original features which we could put our stamp on.

It’s taken us 5 years and we have done the renovation work bit by bit. It’s been hard work but a lot of fun breathing new life into our home. We love it here.

HOMEWORTHY: How would you describe your home decor style?

TAMASYN GAMBELL: Eclectic, playful and colorful.

HOMEWORTHY: What are three of your favorite items in your home and why?

TAMASYN GAMBELL: This German mid century red ball pendant lamp is one. This hangs in my bedroom and I could spend hours looking at it. It’s a piece of art and I love the way it changes depending on the time of day. Plus it’s red! Which is my favorite color. 

Malcolm the Magpie! My oldest friend makes “vegetarian taxidermy” from vintage fabrics and sewing accessories such as buttons and zips. She gave me my magpie for my 30th birthday and he lives in a glass display box in my bedroom. We dress him up for Christmas and give him a party hat. He is so beautifully made and reminds me of my friend in Yorkshire who I don’t see as often as I’d like.

This tin star and moon mobile. I bought this for my partner from France for Christmas years ago and it hangs in our hallway. It’s very serene and catches the light in beautiful ways.

HOMEWORTHY: What is your approach to layering and mixing patterns?

TAMASYN GAMBELL: I am of the “more is more” approach. I love mixing colors and patterns in my home. I’m aware it’s not to everyone’s taste, but I like to put unexpected color combinations together that sometimes clash and surprise the eye. I like playing with textures and different scales of pattern and breaking them up with flat color or space in between. The key to layering patterns is to have something that links them together, be it a color or a tone. Have fun with it and if you love it, then that’s all that matters!

HOMEWORTHY: Are there any patterns or prints in particular that you find yourself using time and time again?

TAMASYN GAMBELL: I love Marimekko and always love to use their prints. We’ve also used a lot of my Kasbar design in our house as it’s pretty timeless and bold, so you can pair it with lots of other colors and patterns. It works really well on our oversized lampshades in the hallway.

HOMEWORTHY: What do you love most about your home?

TAMASYN GAMBELL: Our home reflects who we are as a family. We’ve made our own nest that didn’t follow trends and was all about what makes us happy, incorporating our vintage finds and my textiles. I’ve always loved homes that tell a story, filled with personal objects. As a family of collectors our home tells our story. We love beautifully designed objects, books, prints and textiles and our home is full of all of these. 

The bright colors always elevate my mood, and the light in the lean-to is so good and forms the perfect link to our garden where we spend most of our time in the summer. 

We live on an amazing street, with so many characters and friends. I am also very lucky that our home is opposite to my studio, which is my second favorite place!

HOMEWORTHY: What do you think makes a house homeworthy?

TAMASYN GAMBELL: A home is somewhere where you are happy and feel safe. Ours is a very joyful space with lots of color, pattern, and light. We have made it our own with every room having its unique personality while linking back to the other rooms in the house. It is filled with the kids’ collections of stones and feathers, vintage flea market finds, and graphic prints from artists and friends on the walls. 

We have made a fun and inviting space that we can enjoy and share with our friends and family. There is a lot of love and stories in these walls and we are so happy to have this house. 

HOMEWORTHY: What can we expect from your textile line in the year ahead?!

TAMASYN GAMBELL: I am currently collaborating with a yoga teacher and we are upcycling denim that is deconstructed and overprinted and then made into yoga props. The aim is to use fabric that is already in existence and create products that are good for the planet, as well as being good for you. 

I am also working on a new collection of prints that will be launched in the winter. 

Aside from that there will be a range of accessories made from my patterned backing cloths and lots more color, upholstered pieces, and patterns! 

I am also really excited to be running a side project with a friend called Seaglass, where we source vintage homeware pieces from coastal towns in France and England. We are doing a range of pop up events this year!