COME TOGETHER
Collaboration was key to giving Peter Holmes’ house a space-enhancing update
When Peter Holmes moved into his mid-century house in north London, it soon became clear that the property would benefit from a facelift. ‘The aim was to create an interior that made the home a more practical and pleasant place to live,’ says Peter. ‘I knew that renovating it would also add to its value.’
Subsequently, plans were drawn up for structural changes that included widening the hallway and removing walls and ceilings to create a more open-plan living space. Reconfiguring the interior was a major task as virtually no area in the home remained untouched. Oner Avara of All Done Design points out there were challenges along the way. ‘We replaced all the doors and windows – installing the huge panes of glass at the top of the house was particularly tricky because of the sloping roof,’ he says.
After completion of the building work, which also included laying new flooring and adding a main en suite and cloakroom, plus a spiral staircase, attention turned to the interior. ‘The brief was to create a homely house that was modern with rustic elements,’ says designer Emine Muslu of IG Design Studio. ‘Peter wanted a home that felt like he’d always lived there and to achieve that, pieces were sourced from antiques markets and reclaimed-furniture shops.’
Decor-wise, white walls accentuate the open spaces and natural light, with swathes of colour supplied courtesy of fabrics, such as curtains and rugs, as well as accents of differing hues, as seen in the furniture and bed linen. In the kitchen, red bar stools provide a vibrant contrast to the blue cabinetry. Pattern also plays its part in this house’s sense of style and it comes into its own with the geometric selection of tiling in the spa room and bathrooms.
But most of all, this is a home designed to reflect the owner’s tastes and sociable lifestyle and this can be seen everywhere, from the cosy sitting room with a woodburner at its heart to the bespoke wine cellar and the mezzanine floor, which Peter tellingly refers to as the ‘party hall’.
The overall success of this project is down to good teamwork, according to Oner Avara of All Done Design. ‘Having an effective relationship with the owner and the designers is an essential part of the job,’ he says. ‘That collaboration is key to delivering a perfect end result.’