We love our open house

With a love of modern living, the owners have transformed a gloomy Victorian dwelling into this light-filled family home

Transforming a dark space into a light-filled family home

Emma Paton, a fashion and lifestyle blogger, and her partner, Liam, a music composer, didn’t want to buy a dream home – they wanted a project that had the potential to evolve with their family. Their search led them to a double-fronted house in east London. Surrounded by independent stores, a park and a farmers’ market, the area was ideal for them and their young children, Finn, seven, and Violet, four.

Their plans were quite ambitious, and with Liam’s parents living in the same neighbourhood, they had a ready-made bolthole to retreat to with Finn, then a babe in arms, when their project began.

They planned with their architects to add drama and light to the property. With a love of modern, open-plan living, Emma wanted to streamline the space as much as possible. The plan was to level the once stepped ground floor and to add an extra bedroom, bathroom and downstairs toilet. Taking back some land from the garden gave them the potential to turn the house into a spacious family home.

The biggest and most transformative element of the renovation was to demolish the entire back wall of the house. It was a huge undertaking and didn’t go totally to plan. ‘When the huge 15-foot window for the stairwell broke, it was the lowest point of the project. Once the replacement was installed, things began to look up again,’ recalls Emma. The original staircase, now flooded with light, was turned around to create space beneath it for a downstairs loo.

High on Emma’s wish list was a well-designed, open-plan kitchen:

‘We managed to increase the space and extend the ground floor by filling in an awkward and dark L-shaped room,’ explains Emma. The increased footprint meant the couple could add an island, including striking lighting above to give the kitchen a focal point. ‘I had always loved Muuto’s yellow light bulbs so they

were a natural choice to hang above the island,’ recalls Emma. She budgeted for high-quality worktops that would stand the test of time. ‘We love cooking and wanted a hardworking surface, so we chose Corian worktops,’ says Emma. Spending money on the premium worktops meant they had to compromise on the cabinets, so they opted for basic MDF fronts. ‘However, we transformed the doors with Farrow & Ball paint in Down Pipe,’ says Emma. Extra flooring was needed for the kitchen extension, so they made a visit to Grand Designs Live to research the options. ‘We debated lots of ideas, but ultimately kept things simple and went for the widest floorboards that we could find,’ says Emma. Find similar at The Solid Wood Flooring Company.

The original bathroom, perched on a half-landing, felt unconnected from the bedrooms. ‘So we raised the original floor of the bathroom to create a first-floor space with a better flow,’ says Emma. A desire to carve out a luxurious master bedroom gave Emma the idea to steal some space from the second bedroom to create an ensuite. Throughout the build, Emma was careful to retain original features that she planned to contrast with contemporary styling.

For example, decorative Victorian shutters and a marble fireplace sit alongside the modern gallery-like windows in the kitchen to give the home a unique signature.

‘Two years after the renovations were over, I started to dream about creating a grown-up room in the loft,’ says Emma. The goal was to maximise the space, so they employed Morespace. Emma spent hours poring over Pinterest to define her loft style – sumptuous, dark and moody, combined with boho undertones.

Emma’s interest in interiors has grown through researching and writing for her blog, Finlay Fox. ‘I was inspired by a friend’s choice of Moroccan encaustic tiles, so had a great starting point for the loft bathroom,’ she says. To sit alongside the freestanding roll-top bath, Emma wanted to find a vintage cabinet for the sink. ‘I couldn’t find the perfect piece, so instead opted for a new dark-wood copy of a vintage sideboard.’

HUB OF THE HOME Emma invested in Corian worktops and opted for made-to-measure MDF doors on Ikea carcasses painted in Down Pipe by Farrow & Ball. The pendants are from Muuto.

DINING IN STYLE When the table isn’t being used for meals, it’s a crafting hub. It came from Unto This Last; the chairs are from Twentytwentyone. The apple print is Uno, La Mela by Enzo; the basket is from Olli Ella at Olive Loves Alfie and the pendants are from Muuto.

MODERN LIVING Emma wanted to create a streamlined living space

SOFT TOUCH Large windows allow more light to flood in the living room. Textiles from Emma’s travels adorn the sofa from Habitat. The coffee table was found on ebay, and the china dogs are from Donna Wilson.

LET THE LIGHT IN In the play area, floor-to-ceiling picture windows bring the outside in. An Astroturf lawn, visible through the glass, is a favourite place for the kids to play. The ‘house desk' came from Olive Loves Alfie and the rug is from La Redoute.➺

DARK AND DRAMATIC The master bedroom is painted in Railings by Farrow & Ball. Clever space-saving pendant lights from Oliver Bonas hang above the bedside tables, which are from West Elm. Vibrant textiles from the family’s travels punctuate the room with splashes of colour and texture. The bed and bed linen are from Eve Sleep. The cushion is from Edit58 and the rug came from a trip to Mexico.

CHILD’S PLAY Violet has a bed in her room by Rafa Kids, with a canopy from Beyond The Stork that she can wrap right around to create a hiding place. A Moroccan rug from Olli Ella adds colour and texture.

INTO THE LIGHT The staircase is flooded with sunlight from a large picture window

BATHING BELLE Floor tiles and a rug from Morocco set the scene for a loft bathroom with many influences. The roll-top bath is from The Cast Iron Bath Company, the bath mat and rustic stool are from House Curious. GARDEN ROOM The deck defines an outdoor living space that is positioned against an impressive backdrop of climbers. Emma takes cushions and a pouffe outside on dry and sunny days to create a cosy corner. The wool pouffe is from Donna Wilson at SCP.