UPSIDE DOWN
Kate and Seb Rawlinson were charmed by the topsyturvy style of their city mews
Art teacher Kate Rawlinson and her husband, Seb, love their little corner of southwest London. ‘The area’s got a real villagey feel,’ explains Kate, ‘with great pubs, lots of independent shops and a beautiful green at its heart – all winning factors for staying put in this location. It was only by chance that we spotted a row of three-storey townhouses had been built nearby.’
The couple, who recently had a child, Jake, now 6, felt they were beginning to outgrow their current home, so they booked a viewing straight away. The house ticked all their boxes: it was light and airy, with plenty of windows and, most importantly, a large open-plan family space. Another plus was that it is an ‘upside down’ house. Kate and Seb’s previous property had a similar configuration and they liked that style of living. ‘Funnily, my nephews, who
live in Manchester, thought all houses in London looked like this, because they had only ever seen inside ours,’ smiles Kate.
The house is split over three levels, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the ground floor, and an open-plan sitting room/ kitchen-diner on the middle level. The couple kept the elegant walnut flooring and white glossy kitchen units, but Kate has made the area more homely by adding earthy tones in the form of wooden shelves and a country-style dining table. On the top floor lies the master en suite.
‘Seb and I often work from home and really wanted office space, too,’ says Kate. ‘However, we needed all of the bedrooms after we had Posy, who’s now 2. We were at a bit of a loss, until I realised that we could turn the unused spaces on the landings into two miniature offices.’
All of the furniture came from their previous home. ‘I particularly like industrial pieces,’ says Kate, ‘and I combine them with handmade touches. I’m always making things with the children and like to display our crafts around the house, setting up little vignettes that we change frequently. Jake is getting to the age where he likes to have an input in the styling, too. He will often point out things that he likes and, I have to say, he has pretty good taste.’
After five years’ living here, the family feel very settled. ‘With its sleek lines and cosy touches, the house is very practical,’ says Kate. ‘It works brilliantly for our lifestyle.’