soft TOUCH

Bobi and James Carley introduced a modern industrial aesthetic into their home, adding relaxed furnishings for a lived-in family feel

design inspiration‘ I love anything from a junk yard, and it’s always so satisfying to be able to mix these pieces with something new from a high-street store’

Drawn to a warehouse aesthetic, Bobi and James Carley boldly renovated the ground floor of their Victorian semi, transforming it from a traditional space into a practical, contemporary open-plan living area. This dramatic alteration had a knock on effect on the style of the rest of their London home.

‘Over the last decade, we had taken down walls between the kitchen, dining and playroom, but that left us with awkward pillars and a disjointed living space,’ Bobi explains. ‘We wanted to be completely open-plan, and we love bare brickwork and industrial design, so painting the exposed steel beams and tweaking the space a little worked brilliantly.’

The Carleys’ house has evolved over the years to meet the needs of their daughters, Mia, now 13, Megan, 11, and Bodie, 8. At one point the couple considered moving, but were uninspired by the houses they saw. So in 2010, they converted their loft to create a master bedroom with an en suite, allowing the girls to each have a bedroom of their own.

‘ We like the light and glass in New York loft apartments, and wanted to create a warm, relaxed feeling by varying the materials and adding colour,’ says Bobi. ‘That’s what kickstarted us to do something different with the ground floor.’

A curved glazed wall makes a dramatic welcome in the hall, revealing exposed brick inside the sitting room and glimpses of vivid colour. Layering a neutral backdrop with the natural textures of leather and wood alongside upholstery and textiles in eye-catching colours has brought an eclectic warmth to the steel and glass-framed rooms.

The design is all Bobi and James’s own: James is a yacht designer and was brimming with ideas for the house, drawing

decorating advice‘ It’ s really worth waiting for the sales if you can–we had our eye on a few things and were lucky enough to get some amazing bargains’

plans for all the changes, including a bespoke design for the kitchen seating. However, the couple’s chief concern was striking the right balance between the loft-apartment style they favoured and the original features of their Victorian home. ‘Some ideas felt too contrived so we took time making sure our choices worked,’ explains Bobi. ‘I spent ages looking for kitchen handles and eventually found a style that complements the overall feel of the house.’

Key pieces, such as the kitchen units, needed to feel different but still be affordable, so a friend recommended Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch. The company supplied the unit carcasses to James’s design, and the Carleys’ builder fitted and painted the cupboards in a cool concrete grey. Sourcing the right kind of wood for the floor and island worktop proved tricky, but a chance conversation with a cab driver encouraged James to seek out a sawmill. ‘The floor is James’s baby,’ says Bobi. ‘ We’ve got inch-thick oak planks in three widths, which were laid by cabinetmakers.’

Making use of the furniture and furnishings the couple already owned fast-tracked the interiors to a lived-in feel. Alcove library cupboards in the living area were painted to match the kitchen, and colourful statement artwork features throughout the house – finds from trips to Morocco and Thailand, and even a purchase made on the Tube – all embellishing the family’s distinctive and individual interiors.

The sitting room was the last project to be finished, with the curved glass wall pulling the industrial look together. ‘Our home works really well for us now,’ explains Bobi. ‘It’s lovely when friends visit and compliment what we’ve done – it makes us appreciate its new look all over again.’

Kitchen having removed walls to create a practical, open space several years ago, Bobi and James tweaked the design and painted the beams for a warehouse feel. shaker kitchen, £13,000, Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch. Dining table, £750, the Old Cinema. Chapel chairs, £ 42 each, Church Antiques, are a close match

Sitting room Vivid splashes of colour enliven this room. ‘i always wanted a velvet sofa that i could curl up on,’ says Bobi. pavlova sofa in bumblebee Clever velvet, £1,565, Loaf. tala gold marble shelves, £115 each, Graham and Green

hall ‘We love that the curved glass wall is the first thing you see when you walk in,’ says Bobi. Glass wall, around £10,000, Clement Windows

Sitting room the combination of glass and brickwork brings an industrial edge to this space. Vintage leather Chesterfield, £1,490, Old boot sofas, is similar. blue throw, £55, Design Vintage

Master bedroom ‘our loft is a real sanctuary,’ says bobi. ‘I insisted on the exposed brick wall and a freestanding bath.’ try heritage madeira freestanding cast-iron bath, £3,750, Qs supplies. patterned rug, from £1,045, Designers guild, has a similar look

Master bedroom ‘I bought the painting in thailand 13 years ago,’ says bobi. ‘I had it framed, and l still love it.’ Charcoal knitted throw, £75; blush velvet cushion, £55, both Design Vintage

Mia’s bedroom built-in window seating is practical and makes a good place for the sisters to sit and chat. For a similar light, try shamley compact ceiling chandelier, £195, Laura Ashley

en suite a slim vanity unit provides valuable storage while the large ornate mirror creates the illusion of space. For a similar vanity unit, try New polo, £629, bathstore. Forecast Forth tiles, £89sq m, Fired earth, would work here