@thunderwingstudio
DREAMERS & SCHEMERS FT. THUNDERWING
Part ‘70s California cabin, part Mid-Century atrium, with a touch of Art Deco, join us for a dream transformation of a creative couple’s Los Angeles home.
“Each room for us tells a completely different story. The studio is like a Bloomsbury painting on ayahuasca, and the bedroom is our soft-focus 1970s Spanish Baroque sanctuary.”
Shop the Image
Meet Nic and J.B. Taylor, the couple behind creative studio Thunderwing. They formed the studio as they fell in love in the mid 2000’s, and create otherworldly designs for some of the coolest names in music, including Florence and the Machine and Nick Cave, as well as Taschen’s The Library of Esoterica series.
Part ‘70s Big Sur cabin, part Mid-Century atrium, with a hint of Art Deco, the couple wanted to create a nourishing, tactile space that was cohesive, but where each room could tell its own story, honouring the home’s eclectic character.
Combining their love of history, philosophy, art and consciousness, we worked with the pair to conjure up dream schemes for two of the most important rooms of the house; their studio and bedroom.
THE SPACE
THE SPACE
Nestled within California’s San Fernando Valley, J.B. and Nic fell in love with the mix of architectural styles and quirks of their 1937 home. From the outside, the house gives the impression of a 1970s’ Big Sur wood cabin, but once you open the door, you step inside the Art Deco period. Throughout the space, you can sense the evolution of time and design, with the Mid-Century A-frame extension, high ceilings and atrium.
“We fell in love with our home at first sight…It’s like a visual patchwork of decades and design choices.”
THE DREAM
In our House, a dream scheme always starts with a conversation with our Design Consultants, to understand the big picture, and also the practical needs of a space, like who uses it, and what for? Enter Maggie. From their initial meeting, it was clear that for Nic and J.B., the goal was to create something deeply personal, liveable and functional while working in harmony with the home’s historic architecture. It was important to the couple to honour the different eras of their home, with each room embodying its own character and feeling. The bedroom needed to naturally evoke calm and tranquility, while they needed the studio space to be inspiring and energising.
Inspired by the iconic Vogue editor Diana Vreeland’s description of her infamous red living room as, “a garden in Hell”, they sought to give each space a different story. Taking style notes from their favourite designers - Jean Cocteau, Luis Barragán, Barbara Hulanicki - they conjured up a narrative for the two rooms that were to get some House of Hackney magic. Working with Maggie, they took inspiration from Plant Magick, leaning into the symbolism of botanicals and the way certain plants can set a mood or tell a story. Together they crafted a vision for their home, with patterns, textiles, and colour pairings that felt both enchanting and rooted in Nature, allowing the space to feel alive but not overwhelming.
They pictured their office as a Bloomsbury painting on ayahuasca, and for the bedroom? A soft-focus 1970s Spanish Baroque sanctuary.
“Maggie seemed to have an almost psychic ability to anticipate what would work perfectly, based on our inspirational images. For our studio, we sent photos of Jean Cocteau’s romantic, leopard wallpapered home in Milly-la-Forêt; but that we’d also like things a bit spare and simple, like an old English farmhouse for the studio; and for the bedroom, we wanted it minimal like a Spanish Mission, but with rich glamorous textures; and voila! Maggie totally got the mix of references and curated the perfect elements to make our dream-rooms come true.” - Nic
THE SCHEME
THE STUDIO
For creatives Nic and J.B., the studio is where all the magic happens. And to create a magical space? It all started with a print. When Maggie builds schemes, she likes to begin with one hero element, and in this case, it was our moss green Jacobean wallpaper, MAJORELLE, reminiscent of Vreeland’s “Garden in Hell” room, that the couple admired. It was important that the print didn’t overpower the room, but instead enhance the architectural details and add depth, and so they played with scale and placement until it felt just right. And that was on the ceiling. The florals were paired with a Mid-Century soft green on the walls. Colour doesn’t have to be loud to be impactful - muted greens, warm neutrals, and soft florals can be just as transportive as bold prints, and the considered placement of each element in the studio certainly has impact, but is balanced, allowing the space to feel dynamic, giving room for creativity and imagination to flow.
Carefully clashing prints were introduced in the WILD CARD leopard print curtains, matching window seat, and antique rug, imbuing the space with a sense of rock ‘n’ roll nonchalance. Nic and J.B.'s treasured pieces were then layered into the space; a protest poster hangs proudly on the wall, a handpainted cabinet of curiosities holds memorabilia, art supplies and their burgeoning collection of books. And in pride of place, the all important, antique oak desk, where our couple do what they do best.
THE BEDROOM
THE BEDROOM
Nic and J.B’s dream for their bedroom was a ‘70s inspired, soft-focus, Baroque sanctuary. Working with the architecture of the room - think oversized fireplace and carved mahogany door - as well as the couple’s niche references, Maggie created a scheme that was a harmonious balance between Spanish Mission style minimalism and rich, antique print and texture.
The limewashed walls in soft, earthy beige imbued the space with a sense of warmth and serenity that is so important in a bedroom, and this formed the basis of the scheme. Sumptuous carpet prints were then layered in, creating juxtaposition with the natural backdrop.
The couple created a comforter from Persian rug inspired ZANJAN velvet, and accented with MEY MEH pillows to add to the bohemian vibe, and WILD CARD leopard print jacquard was used to make a roman blind and cushions, creating a little red thread, connecting the studio to the bedroom.
A beautifully dishevelled, (and very much loved) antique dressing table chair was re-upholstered with ZANJAN, matching the bedspread, and placed with the turn-of-the-century vanity; the mix of different wooden tones adding another layer of richness to the space.
Behind the heavy carved door, the drab closet was transformed into a jewel box. Wonderfully kitsch but still very chic, the small space was swathed in leopard print WILD CARD wallpaper, and the space crowned with a vintage brass and crystal chandelier, the cherry on top of Nic and J.B’s baroque sanctuary.
Two spaces, two stories, and one couple’s interior dreams made a reality.
GET THE LOOK
A Design Consultation helps turn a vision into something tangible. It’s not just about choosing a wallpaper, it’s about understanding how your home works, how you live in it, and how to create a space that reflects who you are.
Ready to create your dream scheme?
Whether you’re starting with a blank canvas or looking to build on what you already have, a Design Consultation with us gives you that guidance and confidence to bring it all together with intention and ease.
