One of a kind
Magnus Pettersen and Ella Jones gave a tired Victorian property a contemporary twist with a clever use of vibrant colours and natural materials
When Magnus Pettersen and Ella Jones upsized from a small modern townhouse to a larger London property, they were looking for a project. The couple, who met 10 years ago, had completed three renovations before buying this three-bedroom Victorian terrace. ‘Its converted loft, extended kitchen and big garden were huge draws for us,’ explains Ella. They also loved the location on a tree-lined road. ‘It’s very peaceful and close to lots of green space,’ she adds.
Used for shared occupancy for years, the house was severely neglected, with strippedout period features and a confused groundfloor layout. ‘There was a bathroom in the middle of the sitting room,’ Ella recalls.
Magnus is an award-winning product designer and Ella is a fashion designer working for global brands, so they brought a strong creative vision to reimagine the property. They lived on-site throughout the year-long renovation, acting as interior designers and project managers. Magnus and Ella worked alongside their builders, who were also able to complete all of the carpentry to a high standard.
Knocking down the internal walls at ground level turned small rooms into bright, open-plan living spaces. The couple were keen to lay concrete flooring, so they dropped the floor level at the front of the house to meet the kitchen, where there had been a step down. They also moved the kitchen units and added double doors out to the garden and a skylight window above.
To fit the supporting beam for the window, they had to move the staircase. ‘The old stairs were rickety and falling to
FAVOURITE ROOM ‘We love the open-plan area on the ground floor. It feels really spacious, but also cosy’