dream design
How one London couple took the risk of building their new home from the ground up
After eight years of living in their Sixties pebbledash bungalow, Anya and Robin Nuttall felt it was time for a change. With a growing family that includes four children, Mark, now 13, Elliot, nine, Daniel, three, and Alexander, one, they craved space. The couple were reluctant to move as the location of their house was ideal, being close to work and the boys’ schools, but it needed a lot of work.
Their initial plan to extend was discarded when their neighbour, an architect, suggested the idea of a new build. ‘He explained that our plot would provide scope to create a spacious house with a more logical layout,’ says Anya. ‘The thought of demolishing our family home was quite terrifying, but it’s always been a dream of mine to build a house from scratch.’ Based on a recommendation, the couple hired Facit Homes, a company that specialises in designing bespoke homes. ‘We were impressed with their ethos and fresh approach to design,’ says Anya. She began by sketching a layout to help the architect envisage their needs. ‘I’m keen on symmetry, so I started with a central hall from which the rooms would flow,’ she says. ‘We then wanted each bedroom to have an en suite, and a dressing room next to the main bedroom, as Robin is often first up.
‘Robin was enthusiastic about the project, but his only must-have was a place to store his wine,’ continues Anya, who was much more hands-on. She wanted to ensure the open-plan spaces could be segregated when required, so discreet pocket doors have been fitted between the dining and sitting room, and an oak-framed frosted glass sliding door allows for privacy between the sitting room and kitchen. ‘The process of furnishing the house was my focus while the build was underway,’ says Anya. ‘I spent hours looking for accessories and furniture, so once the house was finished, it was simply a case of bringing everything in.’
Her use of materials in the formal sitting room delivers a sense of urban elegance. The chrome and wood alongside the abstract art creates an interesting mix of lines and angles. ‘We needed large artwork in here as anything smaller would be lost,’ says Anya. ‘These are from Etsy and were shipped over from China. Their hints of blue and yellow prompted the accent tones for the rest of this space.’
Anya’s attention to detail is reflected throughout the house. ‘ We’ve been fortunate to have been involved in creating it,’ she says, ‘and we’ve managed to come up with a unique layout that caters for the whole family.’
decorating tip ‘Team different materials for a chic look – wood and chrome work especially well’