ALL IN GOOD TIME
Sculptor Kim Thornton was prepared to wait when it came to the sensitive renovation of her Victorian house
Waiting to find the right antique pieces to suit this Victorian house’s classic proportions has paid off for this London couple
When Kim Thornton moved to this London house, her family’s furniture style was more Ikea than antiques. Gradually, this changed as she and her husband tuned into the property’s elegant architecture. Kim lives here with her husband Jon, who works in TV, and their children Nina, 21, and Sam, 16. Kim also works as a TV producer, combining this with a career as a sculptor, and her fascination with forms, materials and stories also fed into the process of bringing this home back to life.
Traces of the house’s original character were everywhere, from the curved shapes of old plastered-over gas pipes to delicately etched stained-glass windows. ‘You could really feel the history of the house, but it was crying out for a different kind of furniture,’ remembers Kim. ‘We took our time, partly because we wanted to find the right antiques and partly because if you rush in, you’re more likely to make mistakes. We let the house lead us,’ she says.
The couple also wanted to introduce some more modern elements, including a streamlined kitchen in the new basement extension, where Kim chose minimalist cabinetry that allows the rest of the space to shine through. ‘It’s the harder route to try and strike a balance between old and new, but it adds a further layer to a house’s history,’ she says.
As for the extension itself, Kim wanted to make a nod to history without it being a pastiche. The couple included
subtle details, such as authentic windows and hand-finished plastering around the windows, doorways and chimney breast. ‘The openings have a slightly rounded finish, rather than a hard, crisp edge, which feels more organic and echoes other plastered curves in the house,’ says Kim.
During the renovation, Kim visited lots of Georgian and Regency houses for research purposes. ‘Although our house was built slightly later, possibly around 1845, its style is more in keeping with the previous period,’ she explains. The generous arch above the front door, fireplaces and plaster mouldings prove her point.
Another handsome original detail is the red glass in the glazed doors in the sitting room, which once led out to a Victorian conservatory. ‘The conservatory itself was damaged by a bomb blast during World War Two, so it’s amazing that these decorative panes survived,’ says Kim.
Delving into the past comes naturally to Kim. ‘I studied history for my first degree and I have a great love of the past,’ she says. Even Kim’s sculptures of birds and animals have a link with the past, as they were initially inspired by the Victorian fascination with taxidermy. ‘I never use moulds so each sculpture takes a long time. It’s a painstaking process of adding layers of plaster,’ she explains. Conversely, revealing the character of this beautiful house has been a combination of peeling back some layers, while adding others. ‘It’s still a work in progress and probably always will be,’ she admits.