All in the detail
After several years of decorating, Katerina and Richard Simmons have created a welcoming family home rich in personality, colour and style
The past five years have been a whirlwind for Katerina Simmons and her husband, Richard, as they have been decorating their first home, while at the same time starting a family. The couple had been renting in west London and were saving up to buy their first place together. ‘ We love the location, as we can hop on the underground to London but the area is also peaceful,’ says Katerina. ‘ We wanted to find a house, as we had outgrown our flat.’
The couple looked at over 15 properties until they found this one, which ticked all the boxes. ‘We thought we wanted a period property but after looking, we knew we wouldn’t have time for the upkeep,’ says Katerina. ‘And we were not keen on new builds as they felt too small. We found this house, which dates from the Forties, and the rooms were perfectly proportioned.’
Decorated in several shades of beige, the house also had laminate flooring downstairs and upstairs featured tatty, worn carpet. After years of living in rented properties painted in magnolia, the couple were keen to make their mark.
Within weeks of moving in, Katerina found out she was expecting her first child. This gave the pair a tight time frame in which to complete the work. During the first six months, they replaced all the windows, installed a new boiler and put down oak-effect flooring throughout.
By the time their daughter, Anna, now three, was born, the bathroom renovation was well underway. ‘Before we started work, it was a separate toilet and bathroom,’ says Katerina. ‘We knocked through to make room for a large bath with a shower.’ The couple moved in with very little furniture. ‘I started shopping for bargains on the high street, and then spent money on little details like the light fittings and accessories.’
Last year, the family decided to call in a decorator to help them strip off wallpaper. ‘As soon as we moved in, we painted the sitting room green because I was desperate to banish the beige but I quickly regretted it,’ says Katerina. ‘ We wanted to change the scheme to fresher shades, so we added subtle colour to the dining room with a soft blush tone.’ The sitting room, with its pale walls and sleek styling, is now the family’s favourite space.
Over time, Katerina has moved pieces around her home, adding art, changing light fittings and buying country-style furniture to create a pulled-together look. ‘I like to celebrate the seasons by making things,’ she says. ‘So I design wreaths for our door and decorate with fresh flowers.’ Throughout, she has documented her home’s changes on her Instagram account, @brightandairly. ‘I find lots of inspiration and ideas for my home on there, too.’
The family, which now includes Henry, one, couldn’t be more pleased with the results of their work. ‘ We feel so lucky to live in the perfect spot, I can’t see us moving any time soon,’ says Katerina. ‘ We plan to stay put and ring the changes.’