BACK TO LIFE
Judy Stephenson rejuvenated her period home with bold tones and eclectic items, old and new
Bargain finds, bespoke cabinetry and bold colour have all helped invigorate this south London Victorian property
Looking to make a fresh start as a single mother, and on reduced finances, to boot, economic historian Judy Stephenson was on the hunt for a home for herself and her two children, Belle, now 16, and Arthur, 12. This interesting three-bedroom Victorian property was affordable, not too far from the children’s schools and friends, and had the potential for a loft conversion. The fact that the property had not been altered and the layout was still traditionally Victorian was also a draw.
Judy’s first move was to convert the loft to create two bedrooms and a bathroom, and in 2015, once she had the money to do so, Judy replaced the rotten windows with hardwood sashes. ‘The new windows just made the place feel more solid,’ she says.
The house dates from 1902 and was one of only three built by a developer on an empty plot at the end of an 1870s terrace. It was in a very bad state of repair, and previous owners had made it look appealing, but done little to improve it. ‘Someone had carefully papered over the cracks by installing dangerous electrics and a leaking shower tray, not to mention putting a nice oak floor down onto a crooked substrate, and cutting through the wall for a huge cable to wall-mount a TV,’ says Judy. ‘I bought pretty light fittings and painted the hallway the woodwork and walls in interesting colours to disguise their very poor condition,’ she recalls. ‘And pictures placed on walls hid imperfections, while furniture was placed strategically in front of cracks.’
Taking her cue from the existing vibrant arsenic hue on the sitting room walls, Judy repainted the other rooms and tried to put her possessions in some sort of order. ‘I bought bright accessories in places like the Habitat sale when I needed pieces to bridge gaps or to distract,’ she says. Combining these with antique pieces, both heirlooms and items bought at auction, and canny finds from local junk shops mixed in with the odd item from Ikea, Judy put together an eclectic and highly colourful scheme.
In 2017, the leaking bathroom was replaced with two smaller versions, and in 2018 an exceptionally beautiful kitchen was installed and is now the home’s centrepiece. ‘Up until then, I’d done everything on a shoestring, though obviously everyone’s perception of a shoestring varies,’ smiles Judy. With herringbone flooring, traditional cabinetry, brass fittings and floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with vignettes of coloured glassware and ceramics, both priceless and everyday, the kitchen is the room she clearly has the greatest affection for. Judy’s home is a testament to her clever eye for antiques, tones, texture and a bargain, as well as her ability to imaginatively combine all four to great effect.