Having just moved into Kensington Palace with her son and husband, the Duchess of Cambridge has been hard at work for the past 18 months renovating and decorating her family's luxurious new home, Apartment 1A.
"Their home is beautiful. This is a very exciting time for them," a palace insider told US Weekly.
During her pregnancy with Prince George, the insider claims that Kate Middleton kept busy on her phone scrolling through photos of antiques from the Royal Collection that could potentially serve as home decor as well as "fabric swatches and potential furniture."
The former home of Princess Margaret took quite a while to be completely renovated, as the residence needed asbestos removal, new heating and hot water systems, the addition of central air conditioning and new plumbing, all paid for by British taxpayers. The royal couple, however, funded their own interior decorations, having stayed in their summer cottage in North Anglesey, Wales and at the Middleton manor in Bucklebury, Berkshire until they were able to move in last month.
In addition to the basics, Apartment 1A now has encrypted WiFi capabilities, his and her bathrooms, three kitchens and a panic room, as top-notch safety is of the utmost importance to the Duke and Duchess. For decorations, Middleton (with the help of her mother Carole) settled on "two 19th century Corinthian lamps for their entrance hall, and an ornate Persian rug worth $50,000." The frugal Duchess also went shopping out on her own for home décor, selecting two 6 1/2-foot faux-fur throws from the Peter Jones department store for just $129.
As for the interior, Middleton has settled on earthy, beige and cream tones and palettes, having worked extensively with her mother's interior designer, Anne Allen, and has kept many of the residence's original details such as the crown moldings.
"The baby's going to grow up running in the same gardens and hiding places William and Harry played in," Princess Diana's chef, Darren McGrady, told US Weekly of the prince's new day and night nursery, the former of which will become a playroom as he grows and develops.
Click here to see a photo of the massive Kensington Palace residence, Apartment 1A.
