Savoir bed designs amongst inspired sculptures at Dorich House Museum

Designed by the artist herself, the house was completed in 1936 and was the couple’s main home throughout their marriage. In 1994, 3 years after Gordine’s death, Dorich House was gifted to Kingston University. The building was then fully renovated and opened for public use as a museum. Dorich House is not only architecturally significant but is also notable as one of only a few museums dedicated to the life and work of a female artist. Its beautiful rooms, filled with Gordine’s art and sculptures made Dorich House the perfect location to photograph our designs.

And so, at the end of August, we brought two of our bed designs – the soft pink Amelia and Renaissance-inspired Felix, and watched them come to life amongst the graceful pieces of art.

Through the arched door of the Gallery Room on the first floor, we found the perfect place for the Amelia bed. Its juxtaposition of soft curves and bold lines sat elegantly against a backdrop of Gordine’s sculptures exploring the beauty of female bodies. As one of our most unique designs, the Amelia is hand-upholstered in a directionless fabric by Kvadrat, which further complements its dynamic shape. The pastel pink hue of the fabric brings in an unexpectedly female element, making it the perfect pairing for Gordine’s sculptures.

Dressed in our best-selling Sateen collection, the design exudes pared-back elegance with a contemporary flair. The addition of bold cushions and throws then ties the design together, creating an unexpectedly bold, yet calming setting.

On the right side of the Amelia rests a bronze sculpture, Pagan, placed in the gallery’s semi-circular bay windows. The grand sculpture of a seated nude female with a downward gaze was created in clay during Gordine’s time in Southeast Asia, then shipped to cast in Paris. Its aged green hue is a result of a chemical process, something that Gordine paid a great deal of attention to. The artist often used colour to represent the importance of the person she was sculpting. Purple, allegedly, was the colour she saved for those she deemed most important. And perhaps that is why she sculpted her self-portrait in that colour.

The Modelling Studio on the northern side of this floor lent itself as the backdrop for our Felix design. The airy, light-filled ambience of this studio created an inspired setting, one worthy of an artist. The Felix is upholstered in a bespoke digital print from Zardi & Zardi’s ‘The Procession of Bacchus’ and finished with old gold speckle nailing. This one-of-a-kind headboard pairs particularly well with a slim profile, photographed here with a Nº2 Savoir slim base. Because of its distinctive design, Felix is the perfect canvas for a work of art. Its rolled edge filled with hair acts as a frame, draped in detailed paintings or eye-catching prints, it instantly becomes the focal point of the room.

As the photographer began capturing the bed design, we watched the late summer light dance against the crisp, white bed linens. Creating an alluring and theatrical scene, impeccably suited to a Renaissance-inspired bed.

Above the Modelling Studio sits a penthouse apartment, where Gordine and her husband lived and entertained their guests. With moon-shaped windows looking out to treetops of their private garden and Richmond Park, it conveys a fairy tale backdrop. Extending the space of the apartment, the roof terrace provided a place of relaxation for the couple. The covered loggia allowed them to sleep outside during warm summer nights.

Located in Southwest London, the Dorich House Museum is no stranger to glamour and grandeur. The museum is open to the public and available for private hire. Find out more about this hidden gem here.