Sabine Getty, a descendant of the famed oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty, isn’t afraid of a little color. In fact, she embraces it with open arms, transforming her 19th-century London townhouse into a vibrant and eclectic masterpiece. Stepping into her home is like stepping into a happy meal of a hallway, where retina-searing yellow walls and a ketchup-colored Sinclair Till carpet welcome you. A red and yellow Getty Oil sign, a gift from her husband Joseph, who picked it up at a gas station while studying at Brown University, adds a touch of family history to the space. The vibrant yellow walls, however, are not without controversy. “I was worried the hall might look too McDonald’s or In-N-Out Burger,” Getty says with a smile, taking a sip of her Diet Coke. “But I love it.”
Getty’s love for color is evident throughout the house. The living and library space is a cacophony of color, print, and texture. Two vibrant side tables by Memphis group designer Michele De Lucchi flank a color-blocked cotton sofa, while reupholstered family heirlooms and French antique chandeliers add a touch of elegance. Contemporary canvases in abstract blues by Victoria de Lesseps and Paul Evans’s patchwork cabinetry complete the look. Getty cites David Hicks, the daring British interior designer, as a major influence on her style. “He was very elegant and chic but unafraid of clashing things,” she explains. The family’s move into the townhouse sparked a Hicksification, with the installation of smoky mirrors, paneled walls, a “hardcore black” front room, and an emerald velvet hangout room.
The bold color choices continue downstairs in the open-plan kitchen and dining room conservatory, where Getty has created a world of spring-like green and white. “I was thinking of old American homes, where socialite Lee Radziwill would have lived,” Getty says, referencing her plans to spend more time in New York, specifically at The Plaza Hotel, her home away from home. A cabana-stripe Thibaut wallpaper and handcrafted chequerboard Emery & Cie tiles add a touch of vintage charm to the space. Getty’s attention to detail is evident in the bold two-tone paint scheme on the kitchen cupboards, radiator covers, and conservatory doors, a nod to Hicks’s “lipstick edging” technique.
On the first floor, Getty has created a Parisian hotel-inspired suite for herself and her husband, Joseph. The light-filled bedroom, en suite, and sizable dressing room are designed to be “super peaceful” in contrast to the vibrant color scheme downstairs. A tactile diamond-motif carpet tessellated with flowers and gilded wood paneling add a touch of French elegance to the space. The same Pierre Frey fabric used for the bedspread is repeated in the wall lamps, bathroom curtains, and a circular ottoman, creating a cohesive and luxurious feel.
The third floor is dedicated to Getty’s children, Gene and Jupiter, where Willy Wonka hues abound. “I couldn’t help myself,” Getty says, smiling at the Papers & Paints lipstick border in “more yellow!” across each room, and the matching curtains and lounge chairs in an abstract John Stefanidis Jaisalmer fabric, pink in her daughter’s room and blue in her son’s.
Throughout the house, Getty’s passion for art and design is evident in every detail. From the vintage furniture and family heirlooms to the contemporary artwork, each piece tells a story and reflects Getty’s unique aesthetic. The result is a home that is both vibrant and inviting, a testament to Getty’s bold vision and love of color.
