Dara Huang's London home undergoes incredible Christmas transformation fit for a royal palace

The space oozes luxury with its grandiose light fitting, marble tabletop, and gilded gold walls and ceilings. The space also feels aptly architectural with its clean lines and symmetrical arrangement of furniture and ornamental pieces, making the space feel calm when hosting a large number of guests.

Dara's blend of gold and marble taps into the ongoing New Deco trend, which softens the austerity of minimalist architecture with luxurious, 1920s-inspired materials.

Where the dining room has a cool moodiness to it, the living room is light and airy with the floor-to-ceiling windows and enormous white sofa. The Christmas decorations, which have been added to the sprawling entryway, show the ability to transform a space with a neutral colour scheme into a festive haven with plenty of foliage and fairy lights.  

Dara's home represents modern luxury with its airy feel, which many argue is grander in a contemporary sense than the drafty corridors of the 16th-century palace where Beatrice and Edoardo used to live.

The decor, which exudes opulence from every feature, has caught the eye of HELLO!'s Homes Editor, Rachel Avery.

"Dara's London property has been a labour of love for her, as she has transformed it room by room," Rachel says. "Highlights include a large marble dining table, a glamorous chandelier and an Instagram-worthy boucle sofa."

Dara strikes the often tricky balance of blending timeless elegance with pieces that feel en vogue with ease. "Dara's styling is always bang on trend and her choice of floor in the lounge proves it," Rachel reveals. "She's opted for a large statement rug, and in 2026 we'll see more and more bold rugs featuring in style-led homes."

We also love adding a big rug to a space here on HELLO!'s Lifestyle desk because it's an effective technique called 'pooling,' where a generous rug visually expands the floor space while muffling the noise associated with open-plan flats like Dara's.

In an exclusive interview with HELLO! in July 2025, Dara, who holds a master's degree in Architecture from Harvard University, revealed how to transform a space using investment furniture – and her tips certainly help fans of her aesthetic to recreate the look at home.

"The most important thing is that your space feels like a beautiful memory, not just a Pinterest board. I always ask my clients: 'What does your dream home feel like?' Because that word, feel, holds everything from comfort, identity, aspiration, and the story you want your home to tell," Dara told us.

"A lot of people rush to buy what looks good in a showroom or on social media, but furniture isn't just about aesthetics, it’s about how it supports your life," she warned. "Does that armchair make you want to curl up with a book? Will that dining table host a hundred memories?" Dara encourages investing in pieces that will bring you joy, not just a wow factor. 

She also urges people to invest in pieces that feel timeless as trends come and go, and to go big. "A large piece of furniture can actually make a room feel bigger, not smaller, because it creates presence and intention," she explained. "Whether it's an oversized mirror, a bold sculptural light, or a generous curved sofa, anchor the space with confidence."