Welcome to my home
Nick and Emma had been living in a small Victorian terrace in Battersea, London, with their two girls, Minnie and Alberta. ‘We were working hard and saving up for a bigger property in a more family-friendly area,’ says Emma. ‘When I became pregnant with Federico, the need for extra space became an absolute priority, so we focussed on finding the right home.
‘We fell in love with this house the minute we saw it. In the leafy suburbs of Watford, it had once been part of a big manor house and its grounds. It had been divided into two properties in the 1930s. It’s a grand, elegant building covered in wisteria, with an incredible stained-glass window above the front door. The interior didn’t disappoint, either. It had such character and the feeling of space was wonderful. It had strikingly high ceilings, complete with “cake icing” coving, original fireplaces, beautiful double doors opening out to the garden from the living room and lots of other features.
‘We moved in early 2018 and Federico was born soon afterwards. Since then, we haven’t stopped, decorating the house around our jobs and looking after the children. The decor wasn’t to our taste, but the house had been well kept and, as we’d stretched ourselves financially to buy it, we couldn’t take on any structural work, so a bit of redecorating was all it needed to make it our own. Lack of budget meant we’ve worked with what we had. By complementing its traditional elements, an eclectic and colourful home has emerged. While I tend to have more ideas of how
I’d like things to look, Nick is very practical, teaching himself the skills needed to bring our ideas to life.
‘Living in and getting the feel of a property before you make any big changes is a good thing to do. My kitchen ideas have completely changed since we moved in and will probably change again! We’d love to knock through from the dining room into the kitchen to open up that space. We spend so much time in both, it makes sense to combine them. That will come in time. Until then, we are perfectly content living here. Finding and creating a warm and spacious home for our family was important and now we’ve done it, this house is a joy to live in.’
Living room
Dark-painted panelling around the fireplace draws depth, drama and cosiness to the space. The deep grey is a versatile backdrop for hits of accent colour.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Afaw Berber-style rug, £399, La Redoute. Burgundy pouffe, £49, Homesense. Large porthole mirror, £170, Graham and Green
A bit of redecorating was all the house needed to make it our own. Lack of budget meant we’ve worked with what we had”
Kitchen
‘We breathed new life into this room by painting the existing cabinetry a beautiful dark blue and the walls in a pretty, contrasting pink,’ says Emma.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Walls painted in Calamine estate emulsion, £46.50 for 2.5ltr; cabinetry painted in Hague Blue estate eggshell, £62 for 2.5ltr, both Farrow & Ball. Broadway plate rack is similar, from £265, The Plate Rack Co. Eneryda brass cup handles, £9 for two; Bergshult black wall shelf, £24; Granhult wall brackets, £12 for two, all Ikea
“By complementing this house’s traditional elements, an eclectic and colourful home has emerged”
Dining room
The eight-seater table holds this large space. ‘We bought it from the previous owners and it’s become the hub of our home, from a place to do arts and crafts with the children to entertaining friends.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Walls painted in Cornforth White and Down Pipe estate emulsions, £46.50 for 2.5ltr, both Farrow & Ball
Dining room
‘We made the office area feel like a stand-alone space by painting the wall a different colour to the rest of the room and putting picture ledges above the desk with interesting prints and curios.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Jackson desk, £495, Graham and Green is similar. Let’s Stay Home wall light, £345, Bag & Bones
Family bathroom
‘Repainting the panelling and bath transformed this beige room. And with the wallpaper, it’s unrecognisable!’ says Emma.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Artemis wallpaper, £180 a roll,
House of Hackney. Panelling painted in Railings estate eggshell, £62 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Bath painted in Candy Pink Painter’s Touch, £36 for 1ltr, Rust-oleum. Leopard-print chair, £150, Homesense
Main bedroom
An art deco-inspired wallpaper is the hero of this room, which blends traditional, contemporary, glam and rustic elements.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Lotus wallpaper, £118 a roll, Farrow & Ball. Sienna super king bed, £3,395, Feather & Black, is similar. Little Trixie bedside table, £245, Loaf. Mulberry gold leaf lounger chair, £295, Graham and Green. Magnifique print, £24, Gayne Mansfield Design
WHAT I’VE LEARNT
“I didn’t realise the power of wallpaper until we used it in our home. It really adds personality and I’m a complete convert. An amazing feature wallpaper can change a space”