Rock’n'roll meets romantic in Guy Berryman’s Cool Britannia home

[busybeeburns]

Another boo-boo from the Daily Mail... haven't they split up

Coldplay's bass player loves street style. His fashionista wife is an old romantic. So what happened when they set up home together?

A dream home doesn't materialise overnight, as Jo and Guy Berryman know. It took them two years to find an Edwardian mansion, then a year to bring it back to its former glory.

Yet now they're living there, it feels as though they've been there for ever.

Despite their 13-month-old daughter Nico, this is a grown-up house with a groovy rock 'n' roll edge. Former fashion stylist Jo, co-owner of chic boutique Jezebell in London's Marylebone, oozes cool (from her Jonathan Saunders dress to the Cole & Son wallpaper she's chosen for the living room) and is the perfect foil to Guy's hip street style as bass player with Coldplay.

They met at university - 'We swirled in the same social circles, but were only friends,' says Jo - and got together later, long before Coldplay hit the big time.

They married in September 2004, found their London house in April 2005, and moved in the following year. 'The house wasn't derelict, but it needed a lot of updating,' says Jo. 'When the surveyors found dry rot, we decided not to do things by halves. So we started from scratch.' They gutted everything, opening out the rooms to let in light and create a sense of space and serenity.

'We've turned a six-bedroom house into a three-bedroom one,' says Jo.

They decided against using an interior decorator. 'It was important for us to marry our tastes, as we have different aesthetic sensibilities. Guy studied architecture and is design-led, while I'm nostalgic and feminine. It results in a nice balance,' she says.

'We wanted to create a family home where we can bring up our children, but also an easy living and working space that suits us both.' It's the finishing touches that make this home so fabulous, from American oak floors stained grey (inspired by New York's Mercer Hotel) to new architraves, original doors and staircases that have been stripped and repainted.

They enlarged the basement to create a utility room and storage space, and opened out the kitchen, expanding a skylight, to create a comfortable hub. 'We needed a good kitchen because we love to cook. Guy's in charge and I'm his sous chef — we whip up simple, rustic trattoria fare.'

The mood of the house is effortless yet striking, particularly the dark paint hues and bold wallpapers. 'This house can cope with murky colours,' says Jo.

'They work with its space and proportions.'

Keeping the hall and landings neutral creates a calming, unified space around bursts of detail and colour in the rooms.

'It's easy to add detail to a room using a vivid wallpaper without feeling as if we're cluttering the space,' says Jo.

The house is the perfect backdrop for their growing contemporary art collection - there are pieces by Damien Hirst, Peter Saville, graffiti artist Julia Chiang and former A-ha keyboard player Magne Furuholmen.

It was vital for Jo and Guy to create a house where they could entertain.

'It's always filled with people, and music is an obvious part.' Yet, despite its elegance, it's a work in progress. 'To make a house a home, it needs memories,' says Jo. 'So, it needs more pictures and a few scuffs on the walls.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1879

[flav]

didn't they break up?

[Romy_arg]

^^

SQ,,, ..
what happened with the whole "split out thing"?

[autumnal_dawn]

That's exactly the question that came into my mind when I read that.

[Denise]

Better for them both if it wasn't true then =)

[Sienna]

HUH? So they are still married and didnt break up....me is so confused.:s

[yellow_fever]

yeah... i swear they broke up..and her shop was closed or something...hmm

[cpfan50]

That comes from an old article ( pre-break up) from Livingetc magazine. They did a feature on their house ages ago. It is the same quotations, word for word. They seem to have stolen them from the magazine article!

It's totally bizarre. Why would they publish that knowing that they broke up. Didn't the Daily Mail publish the break up first? The break up must have happened, as I remember Guy's representatives releasing an official statement confirming that they had split amicably...

And the shop has definately closed. I saw it months ago and all the signage was gone and it was empty.

The article is just weird, and a bit cruel. Poor Guy

[Leire]

*confused fan*

[Terry C]

They split.

In fact, Guy was seen out on the town with Chris and Gwyneth a few months back.

Helena Christiansen was on his arm....and she's about 10 his senior....and still gorgeous as ever.

[Darlene_Ihnfsa]

another thing that is against the press news, i mean you say Terry C that he has been seen with GWYN and CHRIS... press is speaking aboyt G&C divorce saying that they hadnt been seen together the last year...

thanks for the info Terry C.

btw i don't know who Helena Christiansen is :embarassed:

sometimes press do "mistakes" like that, re-publishing and old new and they end confusing people doing it.

[Leire]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Terry C;2176610
They split.

In fact, Guy was seen out on the town with Chris and Gwyneth a few months back.

Helena Christiansen was on his arm....and she's about 10 his senior....and still gorgeous as ever.

---

SHe (helena) said they were just friends (as far as i know...maybe im wrong)......i dont know ...i dont see anything to prove they are together.