REFURBISHED TERRACE
A passion for pieces with an interesting story and a talent for mixing old with new weave their way through this Victorian home
Quirky embellishments bring a note of decorative intrigue to this comfortable Victorian home.
Kylie Pentelow is no stranger to interior design projects. Over the years, the ITV newscaster has refurbished a number of properties, including a beach hut and a 1970 Carlight Casetta caravan. “I always need a project on the go,” she says.
The refurbishment of a six-bedroom Victorian terraced house in the heart of Clevedon, near Bristol, however, was a rather di≠erent proposition and one that Kylie recalls as being rather daunting. “The scale was quite intimidating. Structurally, the building was in excellent condition, but it required a lot of decorative adjustments to reflect my and my husband Brady’s personal style.”
Original features, such as marble fireplaces, stone floors and ornate cornicing, were among the many details that appealed to the couple when they were house hunting. “Capturing a sense of history and respecting the property’s heritage are hugely important to me,” says Kylie. “I would never alter a building’s structural integrity.”
With this in mind, Kylie chose a neutral palette for the lower floors of the house, to make the most of the light and to allow the historic embellishments to shine. In the basement, where the large kitchen and utility rooms are situated, the dark varnished stone floor was stripped back to reveal welcoming brown and yellow tones that infuse the space with warmth.
It is an e≠ect that is echoed on the ground floor, in the sitting room, where cream and grey fabrics have been teamed with antique and vintage pieces in rich chocolate browns to create a pleasing sense of flow. Textural details and eye-catching
accessories make this house so much more than a welcoming cream with white and chocolate colour scheme. The smooth leather of a Moroccan pou≠e sits on a textural sisal carpet; a fluffy sheepskin rug adorns the sofa; an intricately embroidered cushion is propped on an antique leather armchair. “It’s a comfortable space that appears very subtle at first,” says Kylie, “but the deeper you delve, the more intriguing it becomes.”
Indeed, the self-confessed Agatha Christie aficionado delights in weaving quirky embellishments into each room, conversation points that draw you in and make you want to linger and find out more. Behind the dining table – a family heirloom – a gira≠e table lamp from Dunelm sits playfully on a side table, and royal memorabilia, such as cups in the bathroom, provide a subtle yet kitsch counterpoint to more traditional elements of the scheme. “I’m always on the lookout for pieces at antiques fairs and flea markets, and when I spotted the lamp it made me smile,” says Kylie. “Most of the things I buy have a meaning, whether they make me feel happy, or remind me of a family member or even a place we’ve visited.”
There is, agrees Kylie, a story attached to most of the decorative decisions she has made. Bold yellow walls in the couple’s bedroom were inspired by a visit to a local stately home, yet it is her collection of various portraits that hang on the walls throughout the property that intrigues the most. A vicar from a local church presides over the dining area, while the a≠ectionately nicknamed “Edna” commands attention in Kylie’s dressing room. “There are pictures of people I don’t know all over the house, which I absolutely love,” she says. “The pleasure comes from imagining the story behind each one – embracing the unexpected and enjoying the mystery.”
The self-confessed Agatha Christie aficionado delights in weaving quirky embellishments into each room.”