‘We’ve found our happy place’
Transformed after years of neglect, this colourful, vibrant home was created by a couple who have given it character with vintage buys and treasured finds from travels
How one family transformed a student dive into a beautiful home
When Madeleine Tuinstra, 50, and her husband Ashley Ralston, 52, bought this terraced house in south-east London in 2013, they could see beyond the mess to its potential. The house had been a student let for 17 years and was in a poor state with fire damage, cracked windows and a leaky roof. The chipboard kitchen was turning to powder and in the second bedroom, a spiral staircase led to an illegal loft extension. On the other hand, it was in a quiet, tree-lined street where prices were affordable.
‘The rooms had high ceilings and big windows with lots of light and a good-sized garden,’ Madeleine says. The couple had undertaken renovation work on previous homes, so had enough experience not to be daunted by the prospect of getting their hands dirty. ‘We were prepared for a big job, but it’s always more work than you think,’ admits Madeleine, who works in public relations for the Government. While living in a rented house with Ashley, a graphic designer, and their two children, Max, 19, and Ivy, 10, they started ripping out walls and floors, but when they lifted the plywood floor in the
loft, they discovered an unsupported concrete slab from the long-removed chimney breast. ‘The whole ceiling collapsed, and we were so lucky that no one was hurt,’ says Madeleine.
To keep costs down, the couple did most of the work themselves with help from friends. They opened up the living room fireplace, stripped wallpaper, plastered, replaced skirting and decorated inside and out. They even fitted three new windows, bringing light into the kitchen and utility room. They brought in professionals for the plumbing and electrics, and employed a builder for major structural work, such as taking down the supporting wall between the front and middle reception rooms.
In the kitchen, to create a light, airy, vintage feel and keep the budget under control, the couple opted for freestanding Ikea cabinets and open shelving made by Ashley. They removed the spiral staircase and sealed up the loft conversion. On the ground floor, they added a toilet and restored the tiled floor in the utility room. ‘Utility rooms are great for family life and so underrated in the UK,’ Madeleine says.
The house came with a conservatory leading on to the garden, which was cream with yellow walls and had a big 1980s fireplace, fake leaded windows and cracked glass. ‘We asked ourselves: “Is this something we can use and does it add value?” If it had been plastic, it would have had to go but I could see potential,’ says Madeleine. They replaced the glass and took out the fireplace, then painted it in the same blue-grey used on the woodwork elsewhere.
‘We’d never have added a conservatory but the whole family uses it. It’s a nice place to sit, even on a rainy day,’ she says.
Madeleine has used a warm colour palette throughout the house, with blush pinks and soft reds against leaf greens, with accents of vivid yellow. She lived in Australia until five years ago and, perhaps inspired by its proximity to the Far East and her travels in Indonesia, there’s an Oriental motif through the house. ‘I’m very attracted to that style, particularly combined with a 1930sera feel. Wherever I go, I’m always drawn to Chinese shops,’ she says.
‘We were amazed at how much we’d kept from our travels,’ says Madeleine. Most of the furniture came with them from Sydney and they’ve added some items bought in local vintage shops, including the kitchen table and chairs, and the chaise longue in the conservatory.
It has been a lot of work but the couple have rescued this property and given it a new lease of life. Madeleine says, ‘I feel proud that, on a relatively modest budget, we’ve created a warm, relaxed home.’