@gretabellamacina
HOUSE OF GRETA
Every home tells a story, this is Greta Bellamacina’s
Greta Bellamacina is a poet, actress and filmmaker. An acclaimed talent, her poetry permeates the pages of two celebrated collections - ‘Tomorrow’s Woman’ and ‘SMEAR’ - while her acclaimed work on the silver screen, both in front of and behind the camera celebrates her rising star. Greta lives in the South of England with her husband, conceptual artist, Robert Montgomery.
The couple’s creativity is evident in their breathtaking country home in Kent. From the moment you step through the door you are transported into a whimsical wonderland. Greta’s love for colour is clear. Walls are adorned with vibrant prints; a rainbow of ribbons hang from the ceiling and her husband’s creations take pride of place.
“Think of the rooms as a dance,
they are ever-evolving and growing,
like a sort of living memoir.
These rooms are all a part of the story.”
- Greta
For Greta and Robert, there is no divide between their creative lives and their house. ‘A House Is A Dance’ is the name of the book they have been making about their home. The rooms are not just rooms but extensions of a mood and a place they want to hold onto, much like the melodic poems Greta is known for.
Inspired by the seasons, painterly pattern and bohemian theatrics, discover how Greta used House of Hackney to tell the story of her family, and her home.
NEVERMIND THE HOLLYHOCKS
The Guest Room
When designing the guest bedroom, Greta wanted to create a space inspired by Spring, the season of hope. She was immediately drawn to our beloved HOLLYHOCKS print, inspired by the wildflowers of Gustave Klimt’s paintings. To create real impact, and the feeling of being cocooned in a meadow of Spring flowers, the room is swathed in the riotous floral, across the walls, the ceiling and furnishings.
“Everything connects and nothing connects,
as if the flowers are all blowing in the wind.”
The traditional wood panelling was painted a sugary pop of pink in playful subversion of the home’s history. A luxurious bed drapery, upholstered headboard and vintage-style curved pelmets were added in matching HOLLYHOCKS fabric to create a full-on flower immersion. The final look is a room full of wonder and whimsy, where guests can retreat to and fall asleep amongst the wildflowers.
GET THE LOOK
LET THE SHOW BEGIN
The Kid’s Room
As artists, both Greta and Robert play with words and language, experimenting with what they represent, and upon decorating their home, found they approached design in much the same way. They envisioned their son’s room as a place to create stories; filled with imagination, adventure and feeling.
Inspired by the theatrical pink Victorian drapes that came with the house, Greta lent into the story the swags and tails were telling, conjuring up the image of old stage curtains, draped within a traveling show or nomadic tent, and from there, the room came to life.
For the walls, she chose our EMANIA border wallpaper, a soft iteration of a classic Art Nouveau motif.
“The wallpaper seems to hold a certain amount of mysticism to it. I knew it would be perfect in my son’s room, a way to create a sense of adventure, a magical tent where he could create stories and go on mad adventures.”
Following a dream, Greta made a rainbow canopy on the ceiling from multicoloured ribbons, bringing the room together, creating that mythical tent-like effect. She then added a vintage red and white tent bought from a theatre set maker to add to the sense of adventure.
And, true to form, the room is finished with a poem on the fireplace that says, “Blown here by the wind…”
GET THE LOOK
Want more Greta? Discover her…
On Social: @gretabellamacina
On-Screen: As Sally in Jamie Adams’ ‘Venice At Dawn’.
As Cleo Watson in Micheal Winterbottom’s ‘This Sceptred Isle’.
As Irene in Riccardo Vanuccini’s ‘Commedia’.
On Paper: ‘Biography Of The Wind’, a new poetry collection.
And ‘Tomorrow’s Woman’.
