Creating order from chaos
It was tough to see past 14 tonnes of rubbish, but once it had been removed, Thea and Joel Ingram set about turning a scruffy and unloved house into an organised, smooth-running family home
A simple grey and white palette
Kitchen
‘The second reception room was corridor-like so we moved the kitchen to the middle of the house. Everything happens on the island, with a bank of tall units behind.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Medium Saucer pendant lamp by George Nelson for HAY, £519, Kin Home
Snug
A display of favourite coffeetable books and photos stands out against nearly-black walls. ‘The walls and doors are painted in the same dark colour that runs throughout the rest of the house.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Walls painted in Bowler Hat, £29.16 for 2.5ltr, Dulux. Perfect Beach poster, £67.46, Postery
Open-plan space
White walls and wooden flooring keep this busy space calm and simple. ‘Staining a herringbone block floor in situ proved too labour-intensive, so we bought a pre-finished one instead.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES For similar flooring, try oak aged parquet oiled, from £45sq m, The Natural Wood Floor Company
Dining area
‘The band of dark wood panelling frames this space and provides a ledge for propping pictures, candles and cards.’ The ledge is highlighted by an LED strip. BUY THE KEY PIECES Tate Fenix dining table, £1,781, Adventures in Furniture, is similar. Yellow Fauteuil Womb chair with ottoman, £1,231.90, My Faktory
Kitchen island
Painting the island black made it the heart of this complex space. ‘We chose Carrara marble worktops because we wanted a natural material, along with the timber floor, to soften the look.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Tall units, £30,000; GIO suspended lamp, £2,000, both Boffi. Base units, £5,000, Siloma. Plank Miura stools, £126.40 each, Nunido
“We initially wanted internal Crittall doors, but decided solid doors were better for security so you can’t see all the way through the house”
Master bedroom and en suite
The dividing wall between the sleeping area and the en suite and walk-in wardrobe stops short of the ceiling to let light move between the spaces.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Large Censored poster, £23.21, Postery. Border cushion cover, £19.99, Zara Home
“Everyone thought we were crazy taking on this house, but we’ve done up houses before, my dad’s an architect and we could see its potential”
Master bedroom
‘It feels like staying in a hotel suite up here. We picked the comfortable mattress and bed linen from Soho Home after a night in their White City House Hotel.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Andes Deco bed, £659, West Elm, is similar. Nissedal mirror, £45, Ikea
Bathing nook
‘Having the bath in the bedroom is a real luxury. We have a wall-mounted TV which swivels so I can watch it from the tub.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Marni freestanding bath, £1,495, Lusso Stone, would work. Mango wood round stool, £49.99, H&M Home
Guest bedroom
‘This room was designed for my parents, when they visit from Italy. The artwork is one of my favourites as I love the image of an open space.’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Try velvet cushion covers, £15 each, from La Redoute.
Prada Marfa poster, £23.95, Desenio. Vikhammer bedside tables, £50 each, Ikea
Luca’s bedroom
‘The bed is such a perfect design for a kid’s room. It has a cubbyhole under the step, so Luca can crawl in.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Kids Avenue Urban mid sleeper, £689, Children’s Funky Furniture, is similar.
Try Black and White stars single bedding set, £27.69, Kerrdress. Superhero and Batman posters, £19.95 each, both Desenio
WHAT I’VE LEARNED “Focus on the key surfaces before worrying about the décor. Getting a look right is all about textures and finishes rather than fabrics and prints”
Grey’s nursery
‘This room is monochrome to allow for all the colourful toys that are naturally acquired.’ BUY THE KEY PIECES Classic cot bed, £425, The White Company. Alex drawer unit, £55, Ikea, is similar. World map poster, £19.95, Desenio, is comparable. Try the Rayner lamp, £20, Argos