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Rishi Sunak’s wife decks out Downing Street flat with velvet sofas

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty with their pet dog Nova in No 10 - Simon Walker/No 10 Downing Street
Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty with their pet dog Nova in No 10 - Simon Walker/No 10 Downing Street

Rishi Sunak’s wife has decked out their Downing Street flat with velvet sofas as part of a design makeover bankrolled by the couple.

Akshata Murty oversaw a “far less glitzy” refurbishment than that carried out by Boris and Carrie Johnson when they lived next-door.

She used an upholsterer from the Prime Minister’s constituency of Richmond, Yorkshire, to put in "opulent curtains" and window seats.

Details of the couple’s overhaul of the flat, above No 10, were revealed in a new profile of Ms Murty featured in Tatler magazine.

'The cushions became a work of art'

The couple moved into the apartment with their two daughters when Mr Sunak was made chancellor in Feb 2020.

They then left in July of this year when he resigned at the start of the rebellion that ended his former boss’ premiership.

But after Mr Sunak became Prime Minister they decided to return to the No 10 apartment, rather than moving to the bigger No 11 flat where Mr Johnson had lived.

Mr Sunak’s spokesman explained that the couple had been “very happy” at the apartment and considered it as a family home.

They had already footed the “substantial” cost of refurbishing the “very tired” interior they inherited.

John Challis carried out the overhaul of the No 10 living quarters, having also revamped the family’s £1.5 million Yorkshire home.

He said that Ms Murty had been “very involved” in the redecoration and was “not afraid of getting stuck in and helping”.

Mr Challis revealed that after the refurbishment “most of the sofas were velvet, in jewel colours, and the cushions also became a work of art”.

“There are window seats in most of the rooms in a complementary colour,” he added.

The upholsterer made five pairs of curtains which were “hand-pleated and held back with heavy coordinating tassels in red, gold and the ivory of the damask”.

He said: “The ornate cornicing was hand-gilded, as it would have been originally, and a rug was commissioned to almost fill the room.”

'Far less glitz' than the Johnsons' makeover

The flat is said to be decked with “textured” wallpaper, rather than the famous “gold” pattern that was used in Mr Johnson’s flat.

Mr Challis said the apartment featured “far less glitz” than the No 11 living quarters, which was full of furnishings by London designer Lulu Lytle.

Friends said Ms Murty plans to use the No 10 building to promote British history and homegrown products, particularly from Yorkshire.

“Akshata is putting her stamp on that and is rolling out plans for more events and meetings,” one told the magazine.

“She wants to open up the state rooms as much as possible, so that the public gets to understand the building’s history and its significance.”