home truths
The property Victorian townhouse Location South London rooms Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, office area, cloakroom, five bedrooms, two bathrooms purchased 2015 previous property ‘I moved here from a house in Wimbledon 18 months ago,’ says Swedish-born Pia.
Keeping things simple and light and letting beautiful materials speak for themselves is the ethos that Swedish-born artist and designer Pia Rosling kept in mind when decorating the south London home she shares with her partner and her daughter, Hanna. ‘I’m the design director for Sola Kitchens, so I work with design every day,’ says Pia. ‘I seem to find it so easy to make decisions on colours and style for clients, but when it came to my own project, it was different. That’s why it works so well to stick to a simple template.’
When Pia first viewed the property, she was impressed by the proportions and the splendour of its features. ‘It’s packed with original Victorian elements such as stainedglass windows and doors, seven fireplaces, light switches and doorplates,’ she says.
Despite the details having great appeal, the existing decor was not to Pia’s taste.‘the front room was painted a deep violet and there were four different types of flooring on the ground level,’ she says. ‘It made sense to keep the traditional floor tiles in the hall, so I had them polished, then I replaced the rest with a beautiful parquet, which creates a rustic warmth. I’ve also fitted timber flooring upstairs to open up the whole house and help the spaces flow.’
During the renovation, Pia stayed true to the period of the house, enhancing
and reinstating fittings and fixtures. ‘ We’re carefully trying to restore as much as we can, while creating a balance with modern living requirements,’ she explains.
‘I was a part-time artist for two years, and have sold many paintings and exhibited in several countries in Europe,’ continues Pia. ‘It was very important to me that my paintings had the best exposure in my own home.’ It is for this reason that the majority of the walls have been kept white, with the exception of the hall, which has been painted a dramatic battleship grey. ‘The staircase creates such wow factor, I wanted to complement the drama with a bold colour.’
Once the walls were painted throughout, Pia turned her attention to the kitchen. ‘It was a priority because we all love to cook,’ she enthuses. ‘As I’m constantly designing schemes, I had a really clear idea of what I needed. I wanted to maximise storage and surface space and create a clean area to work in that suits all our needs and dietary requirements. I also have two grown-up sons, Felix and Jordan, who visit often, and we all practically fight over whose turn it is to cook.’
With the kitchen complete, Pia is pleased with the overall result, although she says it’s an evolving project. ‘There are so many things that I like about this house, but I feel we still have a way to go yet,’ says Pia. ‘I plan to replace the bathrooms and excavate the basement, but I’ll keep it in mind that it has to be simple.’