Time for another edition of Steal the Room! We’re back in England, but with a whole new vibe. Sherlock’s study from BBC’s Sherlock was, for a time, iconic, airing back when those Keep Calm and Carry On posters were all of the rage and the world was about to enter full Anglophile mode with the 2011 wedding of Will and Kate, the 2012 Olympics, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
BBC’s Sherlock gained a lot of acclaim for taking the Victorian detective into the 21st century (those on-screen text messages were revolutionary), and I think this room won over viewers for the same reason. It’s a beautifully modern twist on an old English study and so gorgeously atmospheric.
BBC
Walls
Sherlock’s study is dark and moody, and it’s hard to truly get a handle on just how much is going on with these walls. For starters, there are two different dramatic wallpapers: a red and gold damask and a slightly more modern black floral pattern. The wallpapers are on opposite walls, with solid green walls in-between. The red damask wall has the most going on, with stripes of green wall and backless (built-in?) bookcases on either side of a central fireplace, pulling the room out of the Victorian age and helping it feel more modern.
Paint: Farrow & Ball Green Smoke
Wallpapers: Red Damask, Red and Gold Damask, Black and Silver Damask, Black and white (exact match)
Fireplace: Electric Fireplace
BBC
Furniture
Sherlock’s furniture does even more to take Sherlock out of the Victorian era, with a large selection of mid-century walnut furniture and leather seating, mixed with only a few older pieces: a couple of antique-look chairs, and an old trunk that holds a printer. The Sparknotes of a Sherlock study: dramatic Victorian walls with worn-in mid-century furniture will do the trick.
Leather Armchairs: Chesterfield, Modern, Modern 2
Sofa: Robertson Leather, Hoxton Leather
Bookcase: Bloomquist, Modway
Desk/Dining Table: Seb Dining Set
Chest: Nayla Vintage Trunk
Coffee Table: Waterfall Coffee Table
End Table: Laurel
Armchair: Red Upholstered Arm Chair
Decor
The decor in this room does a lot to tie the room together and create a vibrant, cohesive space. There is so much of Sherlock’s personality in the little touches and so many objects that grab your eye and interest. Every new corner has a detail that reveals the personality of its inhabitant.
In replicating it, I tried to represent all of these various aspects. There’s some Victorian Gothic (the scientific bat study, the vertebrae in a cloche), more mid-century modern (the orange lollypop lamp), modern modern (the blue skull painting), and finally the classic English Gentleman Detective touches (the leather-bound books, the magnifying glass).
Wall Art: Etched Mirror, Bat Scientific Drawing, Abstract Art, Art Light, Map of Britain, Skull Art (1) (2), Resin Bison Skull
Tabletop Decor: Resin Skull, Abstract Dark Sculpture, Magnifying Glass, Spine in Cloche, Chess Board
Lamp: Orange Globe, Table Lamp
Textiles: Sophia Burgundy Rug, Gold Velvet Curtains, Union Jack Pillow, Tartan Throw
Leather-bound Books: B&N Classics
Tea cups: UK map tea cup (used in show), Blue Scale, William Morris Tea Mugs
To complete the room—or if you don’t want to decorate like this at all but still want to vibe—light a candle, pour a cup of tea, and curl up with a good mystery.
Best,
Julia
