‘We’ve mixed OLD WITH NEW’
By reworking the layout and adding uplifting colours, Abi has brought this Edwardian semi back to life
This house is a masterclass in how to get the most out of a property’s square footage,’ laughs Abi. ‘I might be an interior designer, but it doesn’t mean that I instantly knew what to do with the space!
I had lots of pieces of paper, with different combinations of rear and side extensions, new doorways and knockeddown walls, before I pinned down the layout that would work for us.
Reworking the space
I find it helps to start by looking at a property’s existing floorplan with fresh eyes, so that you can rethink the purpose of each room and be brave about moving things around. When we moved in, we extended over a sludgy green exterior courtyard to make space for the kitchen, and then by removing the conservatory, we managed to triple the floor space. It’s now a large L-shaped kitchen-diner with a snug to the side, which has made it an ideal family space. And although the room is north-facing, we added a large skylight, which floods the place with light.
We also moved the main entrance, which was tucked around the side of the house and opened it into a tiny lobby. We put it on the front of the house instead, removing an awkward addition to the living room to create a front door and a proper hallway. In the living room, we didn’t do anything too major, but I did have the depth of the window bay lowered, which means the family can now enjoy a view of the garden from the sofa. You couldn’t even see out of the window before! And I also reinstalled the original picture rail as the room seemed disproportionately high. Now it feels much cosier with the walls below painted a soft cream. We were lucky that the fireplace was already here when we
‘Keep a north facing room light and bright with white walls and units, bringing in warmth with wooden furniture’
moved in. I love the look of it and I’ve tried to incorporate lots of old-meets-new touches around the house.
Making small changes
Upstairs didn’t require too much extra work, mainly just redecoration, although the bathroom tucked under the eaves was formerly a too-small bedroom. We thought it made better use of space to turn it into a bathroom with a bath and shower that tucks under the sloping ceiling. We used compact bathroom pieces so that it all fitted in without feeling too squashed. The upstairs landing is fairly spacious, so I’ve added a chair and small cupboard with a display of flowers and pictures, to make use of it.
From house to home
After all the hard work reorganising the living space, when it came
to the decor, I decided to start by painting all the rooms white, but I quickly realised that wasn’t right for this house – it needed colour and shade. An all-white scheme did nothing for it, the rooms felt too stark and bright. So I added lots of soft greys and warm creams on painted walls as well as some feature wallpapers, plus touches of stronger blue and yellow here and there throughout the house. I love colours that are bright and uplifting and that feel fresh, and I think the house now has just the right balance of flow and space, cosiness and comfort. Good interior design isn’t rocket science; sometimes it’s just a case of sitting back and seeing what makes sense.
Downstairs I wanted a colour scheme that would link the kitchen-diner with the snug, so I’ve gone for modern white kitchen units plus a grey panelled cupboard, and carried the grey on through into the snug. For the kitchen flooring, I’ve chosen oversized faux flagstone tiles to give it a slightly country feel, with underfloor heating to keep
‘Prevent a neutral scheme from looking stark by adding warming tones and Pops of colour and vibrant Pattern’
‘if you’re lucky to have a roomy hallway, give it a style statement – a table or sideboard with decorative touches works a treat!’
it cosy. Although this means the two rooms have different floors, I’ve used furniture and lamps to link them visually.
Rather than use traditional furniture in the original part of the house and modern pieces in the new extension, I chose to mix old and new pieces throughout all of the rooms to achieve a consistent look.
Now that it’s complete, I’m really happy with how it all works. The whole house has been reworked and reimagined, keeping the elements from the Edwardian structure that did work, but adding a few new contemporary design ideas that bring the whole look of the property right up to date, and make the spaces more functional. The house was tired and, frankly, a bit depressing when we bought it. But by carrying out this work, I like to think that we’ve brought it back to life for generations more to enjoy after us.’