LABOUR OF LOVE

A change of heart was behind the transformation of this neglected Victorian house into a serene and artistic family home

How a neglected house became an artistic haven

WHO LIVES HERE

Textile designer Judith Archer lives in this Victorian home in Bristol with her husband Ian, who designs upholstered furniture, and their daughters, Jasmin and Amber. When they bought the house more than 10 years ago, it was dark and dated, but it’s now a stylish and comfortable family home full of local art and design pieces. ‘When we moved in, it didn’t have the heart that our old house did,’ says Judith. ‘But we saw its potential. Once you make somewhere your home, it becomes a place you love.’

OPEN SPACE

Judith and Ian transformed four dark basement rooms into a light, open-plan family space. Ian designed the area, and included bi-fold doors to open it up for dining and socialising. The kitchen was from In-toto in Bristol, and the dark grey walls are painted in Steel Smoke by Johnstone’s Paint. The chandelier is from Habitat, and the table is from Content by Terence Conran, surrounded by Eames DSW side chairs and a vintage Ercol carver chair. Judith made the dip-dyed felt vase covers on the table; they house glass jars for displaying floral arrangements.

MAKE AN ENTRANCE

Judith and Ian go out of their way to support small design businesses and local artists. Here they chose a light by New Zealander David Trubridge and wall art by Bristol artist Jimmy Galvin. The wall colour is Manhattan Grey by Johnstone’s Paint.

SHADES OF GREY

A sofa and chair designed by Ian overlook the garden, forming an informal space in which to gather. Judith made the yellow and grey geometric cushions. The walls are painted in French Grey Mid by Little Greene, which chimes with the rug and upholstery to create a soft, cohesive look. The lamp is from Habitat, with art by Anna Boss, MC Maidment and Egon Schiele.

GRAND DESIGN

The living room is Judith’s sanctuary, where she comes to unwind. Taking advantage of the high ceiling, Judith opted for a darker grey paint, which she finds ‘calming and tranquil’. Key to making the greys work was balancing them with natural wood flooring and sumptuous upholstered furniture. The green velvet sofa was designed for the room by Ian, with its clever curve shape allowing access to the windows so that the blinds can be pulled down. The other upholstered furniture is also by Ian. The walls are painted in Dark Lead by Little Greene, and the rug is from Jacaranda. The brass ceiling light is by Danish brand Norr11, which Judith and Ian discovered when they were fellow exhibitors at designjunction, a design trade fair. The tea glasses are a souvenir from Morocco.

ON DISPLAY

The west-facing living room is suffused with a soft, warm light in the evenings, illuminating Judith’s treasures on the mantelpiece. The wooden laser-cut, called ‘Three Sisters’, is an image of a group of trees on Bristol Downs by local artist Clare Cutts. The snow globes are by &K Amsterdam and the mirror is from Heal’s.

SPLASH OF COLOUR

Judith and Ian loved the Cole & Son Rajapur wallpaper that adorned the bedroom walls of their former home so much that they used it again here. The orange cushions from The Conran Shop provide a pop of brightness that livens up the colour scheme. The steel grey throw is from Habitat.

OASIS OF CALM

The grey theme continues into the spare room, lifted by accents of turquoise and green. The bed is an old Habitat model to which Judith and Ian gave a new lease of life. They covered it with an upholstery slip cover, made from Romo fabric, combining the illusion of an upholstered bed with the advantage of removable and washable covers. The walls are painted in French Grey by Little Greene, and the swimming-pool prints were bought at a local art fair.