EDWARDIAN REDESIGN
An exuberant mix of colourful motifs and collected treasures brings rich personality to this artfully conceived family home
Colourful motifs and characterful pieces are the backbone of this revamped property’s distinctive interiors.
Rug designer Jennifer Manners and her husband bought this five-bedroom Edwardian house in Barnes in south London when she was expecting their second child and they were looking for a family home. We asked Jennifer to tell us more.
Why were you drawn to this area? We originally concentrated our search on Brook Green, where we were living, and Chiswick, not Barnes, as it is on the other side of the Thames. But it is, as we discovered, very special, a village in the heart of London, with a real sense of community. It feels like a secret haven; people who move here never want to leave.
What attracted you to this property? Our previous home was a typical Victorian terraced house, quite narrow and dark. Here, there is so much lateral space and light. There are also lots of original features, including the parquet flooring in the hall. A large part of the property’s appeal, however, was the big garden and the river nearby; the area is quite wooded and makes us feel close to nature.
Was the house in good condition? The previous owners had loved and cared for it, and kept things up to date while retaining its character. Our most significant change was replacing and reconfiguring the bathrooms. We kept the kitchen as it is a timeless Poggenpohl design, and we liked the warmth of the worktops; they are like a giant breadboard.
What was your vision for the decoration? In the course of my work, I see a lot of houses that look as
though nobody lives in them. I wanted to create a welcoming family home, not a museum. The decoration is more modern than in our previous house, although that was not our original plan; it was just that contemporary pieces seemed to suit the house, as well as our lifestyle, better. Also, the juxtaposition of these items with the Edwardian features created interest and made the rooms feel more relaxed and informal, which we felt was right for our young family.
Do your room schemes always begin with
choosing a rug? Rugs can completely transform a space, but a scheme can start anywhere. The colour palette for the ground-floor rooms was inspired by a photograph that I took on a trip to Rwanda and the Congo. It was a very significant trip because I went with my father, who was recovering from cancer at the time, so the photograph, which now hangs in the dining room, has emotional meaning. But I think it is also a great picture; I am not always that lucky with my photographs.
Do you think it is important to incorporate
personal pieces when decorating? I believe that surrounding yourself with things that mean something to you affects what you do every day. I have items that I collected in Africa and Asia, where I worked as a news journalist, and we have also incorporated family pieces into the decoration, such as the table currently in our bedroom, which the children inherited from their great-grandfather. All these things tell a story and are responsible for giving our home character.