capital charm

Treasured artworks and pops of colour are the hallmarks of Catherine and Philip Kennard’s elegant city home

Moving to London for a shorter commute gave Catherine Kennard and her husband Philip a chance to make their mark on their dream home. ‘This was the first place we saw and we immediately put in an offer, but had to wait six months as the sellers lost their next house,’ says Catherine. ‘But it was worth the wait.’ The previous owners had already extended onto the side return and updated the rest of the house, so for the Kennards, the move involved no more than repainting, furnishing and finding beautiful paintings. ‘ We got to enjoy the fun bit,’ says Catherine. ‘My only sadness was that original features had been removed, like the fireplace in the sitting room, but for the most part, we appreciated the recent renovations.’ The former occupants had three boys, so practicality had been factored into the design. ‘it’s a great layout,’ says Catherine, ‘with a kitchen that overlooks an informal seating area and the garden beyond.’

From the sitting area, there is a view of the garden. ‘The architect did a wonderful job,’ adds Catherine. ‘i love the way the ceiling of the side return slopes downwards to the bifold doors, giving the space a feeling

favourite shop ‘I’m a real Oka fan – I identify with its calm, classically English look’

of intimacy. In addition, this part of the house is lovely and light, as there’s also a skylight directly above the breakfast bar.’

Catherine was keen on a stylish and functional kitchen. ‘Fortunately, this one features a wide island, which is perfect for cooking,’ she says. ‘I also sourced the most comfortable bar stools I could find.’

Paintings gave the couple valuable inspiration for their colour schemes. ‘ We both enjoy art and have built up quite an eclectic collection,’ says Catherine. ‘to anchor the pieces, we’ve opted for a limited decorative palette. the soft background colours that we’ve chosen are very calming. I love colour and pattern, but I avoided using multicoloured or heavily patterned textiles or rugs, because I find they can crowd a room and make it feel busy.’ to continue the theme of maximising light, Catherine also decided against hanging curtains in the informal sitting area.

With a passion for timeless furniture and statement lamps, Catherine put her furnishing schemes together in record time. ‘I enjoy quick decisions, which is just as well as we were starting from scratch,’ she says. ‘this house is compact, yet it feels spacious and is great for entertaining. It’s made our move to the city even more rewarding.’