Leading Lights
The Bergers found a tired house that was ripe for renovation, adding bold colour, witty touches and striking lighting for a characterful look
After years of living in the same flat in the capital, Sacha and Spencer Berger decided to move somewhere more spacious. Their home may well have been a fabulous place for a party, but with a growing family – daughter Amber is now 10 and son Zac eight – they knew they needed a house with a garden.
So the couple posted notes through the doors in their preferred north London neighbourhood. ‘We canvassed several streets in the area hoping to find a seller who didn’t want to pay an estate agent to sell their home,’ explains Sacha. They were in luck, as an elderly man called them up and agreed to sell. ‘The house hadn’t been decorated in years and was very old-fashioned,’ says Sacha. ‘It had a small galley kitchen with an adjacent bathroom at the rear, but we knew it had potential.
‘The ground floor needed to be opened up and we wanted to convert the loft to give us more room upstairs,’ she continues. With a limited budget to extend and renovate, the family camped at Spencer’s parent’s house nearby while the builders moved in.
They began by demolishing the galley kitchen and ground-floor bathroom and extending out into the side return. At the front, the two
sitting rooms had their arched opening widened, creating a single living area. The loft conversion also went ahead as planned.
Once the structural work was complete, Sacha began dressing her new home. A key piece was her magenta love seat, seen in the sitting room. ‘It came with us from our flat and its vivid colour means it always takes centre stage,’ she says. ‘I like strong looks, big, contrasting palettes and a modern-vintage style.’
When it came to sourcing fixtures and fittings, Sacha’s eye for detail resulted in her love for interiors turning from a passion into a fully-fledged business. ‘I wanted some vintage chandeliers for the house but I couldn’t find any I really liked,’ she explains. ‘It made me realise there was a gap in the market, so I decided to set up The Vintage Chandelier Company, selling old pieces that have been redesigned to suit contemporary homes.’ The business quickly grew and clients coming to Sacha’s home to collect their lights started admiring her home, too. ‘I’d be asked to design a room and then whole houses, so I decided to set up another company,’ she explains. ‘Honey Bee Interiors began from there and I’ve been really lucky with how it has developed.
‘It’s great having such fun with interior design,’ sacha concludes. ‘To keep things looking fresh, I love rearranging our artwork, which always gives a house its unique personality. We love this place and our hard work has been so worthwhile – and the finishing touches have made all the difference.’
DESIGN TIP ‘To express your personality, find pieces for your home that you absolutely love – and invest in artwork, as it really finishes things off’