laid-back luxe
By remodelling a large Georgian terrace, claire and simon created the cool, sophisticated home they craved
Home profile
The Owners Claire read, an art historian, her husband simon, a media consultant, and their sons Finn, four, and Magnus, three.
The property A six-storey Georgian terraced house in southwest London. The basement has a family media room, utility room, wc, wine room and gym. On the lower-ground floor, there is a large kitchen-diner. The ground floor has a reception room, study and wc. The first floor contains the master bedroom, bathroom and dressing room. Above are the two boys’ bedrooms, a guest bedroom, bathroom and laundry room.
The top floor is a guest suite with kitchen, living space, bedroom, bathroom and roof terrace.
moving out
while your home is being renovated is a great way to avoid the mess and stress, but moving to the South of France while the builders are in? Zut alors! That’s the dream, isn’t it? Well, that’s exactly what Claire and Simon Read and their sons Finn and Magnus did – with fabulous results. ‘We took a sabbatical as a family,’ explains Simon. ‘We realised this was a unique chance to have time together, before Finn started school, and we’d always fancied a “year in Provence”!’ Nodding, Claire says: ‘It made sense to find a project that could be completed while we were abroad.’
The project was a tired, five-storey home in southwest London, which the couple planned to radically redesign, through a series of rear and side extensions, clever glazing and the addition of an extra floor in the basement. ‘It was a major endeavour; not for the faint-hearted!’ says Simon. ‘They had to dig down six metres to create the basement. It was like an open-cast mine here!’
While many homeowners prefer to pop in daily on a job of this scale, Claire and Simon relished the hands-off approach. Being so far away from the site helped: ‘I think we could be more creative and adventurous as a result,’ Claire says. ‘Being at a distance allows you perspective. You’re not freaking out when things run late or go wrong.’ In fact, compared to previous projects the pair had tackled, this was a breeze. ‘We could fly back to Nice, get off the plane and it was all palm trees and sunshine!’ says Claire, laughing.
The family returned in September 2015 after a year away with the house almost completed. ‘We wanted to be here for the finishing stuff, such as choosing sockets and paint shades, which I couldn’t have done from France,’ says Claire.
While living abroad, Simon would fly home regularly to check in with architect Jo Cowen and the build team. To achieve the kind of open, flowing space the family craved, Jo recommended the floors be levelled and to lose the returns and half-staircases typically found in properties of this age. ‘In the end, it proved too complicated to keep the original joists,’ says Simon. ‘The entire back of the house had to come down. That was a hard-to-swallow moment!’ Now, though, the house is Tardis-like – its contemporary interior a glorious surprise hiding behind a period façade. ‘The levelling out made a massive difference to how it all looks,’ says Simon. ‘There isn’t an old bit at the front and a new bit at the back – the house is a whole.’
It isn’t the architecture alone that helps six storeys function as one flowing home. It’s the décor too. ‘Finding the right flooring was key,’ says Claire. ‘Once we decided on the pale wood, the whole space came together.’ In addition, a monochrome palette forms the backdrop and a tactile mix of natural materials, including linen, sisal and marble, features throughout.
‘I didn’t want a look that was complicated or distracting,’ Claire says. ‘This was a way to bring a very vertical house together.’
While this recipe may seem Scandi in flavour, the couple have seasoned it with French finds, many carried back in their hand luggage. ‘We’ve been in a lot of flight-boarding queues holding very odd-shaped packages,’ says Claire. There’s a mix of contemporary and antique furniture too and lots of art. Yet behind the gorgeous look runs a stream of practicality. ‘It was important that the house felt relaxed,’ says Simon. ‘We have young kids. You can’t be agonising about muddy shoes.’ Luckily, they don’t have to – those gorgeous floorboards can be mopped. Surely, though, the white Paola Navone sofa and armchairs are a practical nightmare? ‘They’re usually a no-no in a family with under-fives,’ says Simon, grinning, ‘but you can wash the covers and they don’t need ironing!’
The finished house is now well used, with each area meeting individual needs. ‘Claire has her yoga area, I have my wine room and the boys love racing their pedal cars around the kitchen!’ says Simon. Its flowing layout and light, uncluttered vibe make it a haven from busy city life. ‘London shouts at the top of its voice all the time. Here, everything is softly spoken,’ says Simon. ‘Apart from the children!’ Claire adds with a smile. So, it seems moving to France is the answer when it comes to a major redesign, but can the family add fluent French to their list of sabbatical achievements? Simon laughs. ‘I don’t know if I spoke better French by the end,’ he says, ‘but the village definitely spoke better English!’ dining area
‘The staircase to the lower floors changes direction,’ Claire explains. ‘Rather than following the pattern of the stairs on the upper floors, it travels towards the contemporary extension at the back.’
Get the look These are Douglas fir floorboards from Dinesen.
The pedal car is from Baghera.