BEST of both WORLDS
The renovation of Juliet Elliott’s Victorian villa skilfully combines elegant interior design with family functionality
When Juliet Elliott first viewed her home in Epping Forest in Essex it was its character and sense of space that appealed most. ‘An added bonus was that it was conveniently sited for commuting into London,’ says Juliet, an interior designer who set up her business House of Elliott in 2019.
Juliet and her husband Chris recognised that with three boys, Sam, now 19, Archie, 17, and Alex, 13, they needed more space than their semi could offer them. ‘Both inside and out, this house has a generous footprint and is surrounded by farmer’s fields and beautiful countryside,’ says Juliet.
Once they’d moved in Juliet couldn’t wait to refigure the old-fashioned layout of the L-shaped kitchen and various utility rooms tacked on to the back. Opening up the space created a lightfilled kitchen stretching from the front to the back of the house with doors to the garden. ‘After admiring Martin Moore kitchens for years, I was finally able to have a handcrafted Shaker design in a subtle shade,’ says Juliet.
Juliet also had to solve the issue of where to put the second staircase, which was situated at the back of the house restricting access to the garden. ‘We boldly put it right in the middle of the kitchen as a feature,’ says Juliet. We chose something architecturally beautiful made of walnut with a glass balustrade and I’m pleased with how effortlessly the contemporary style sits with the age of the property.’ Juliet’s love
decorating tip ‘Consider upcycling existing furniture as sometimes a lick of paint is all that is needed to give a piece a new lease of life’
of old houses and original features is clearly evident in the way she’s sympathetically dressed the windows throughout her home. ‘They are so beautiful and I didn’t want to hide them beneath heavy blinds and curtains,’ she says. ‘It was a conscious decision not to overdress them and to retain their simplicity through thoughtful design.’
Navigating colour and texture is another passion for Juliet and decorating the house was a labour of love. ‘I enjoy pulling together unusual fabrics, colours and textures to create a very personal scheme,’ she enthuses. ‘I don’t like everything to match and I enjoy playing with clashing colours and patterns, as they bring personality.’
Filling her home with the right furniture is something Juliet won’t compromise on. ‘I spent ages hunting for the perfect vintage haberdashery cabinet,’ she says. ‘It’s the element of surprise that appeals to me and you’ll find those unique touches throughout the house.’ Upstairs, colours and textures flow effortlessly in familiar Juliet style with a generous main suite providing a sanctuary for the couple. ‘We renovated the upstairs to make better use of the space,’ she says. ‘Also, by reducing the number of bedrooms we were able to make the boys’ rooms bigger.’
The move has given the family the best of both worlds – they are just a stone’s throw from the Central Line into London while still being able to enjoy the benefits of a spacious family home in the countryside.