HIDDEN OASIS
A former dairy building has become a dreamy home
HOME CV
WHO Beth Dadswell, an interior designer at imperfectinteriors.co.uk and former fashion stylist, lives in this converted Victorian dairy with her partner, Andrew, a graphic designer, and their son, Louis. WHAT A former Victorian dairy in East Dulwich, London. The building is set between terraced houses and, in its lifetime, has also been used as a warehouse. Beth spotted it from the street, peeked through a gap in the gates, saw a dilapidated building and gone-to-seed courtyard, and couldn’t resist taking it on. They turned the ground floor into an open-plan living room and kitchen-diner, plus a snug and office. Upstairs, there’s a master suite, their son Louis’s bedroom and a shower room. They resisted adding a loft extension as it would have spoiled the roof line and they wanted to retain the building’s character and textures. RENOVATION Beth and Andrew had the building entirely gutted and reworked, using the walled and very private courtyard as a focal point. They were inspired by Parisian courtyard entrances that are concealed from the street by heavy external doors and have the same element of surprise. All the surfaces, fittings and furniture were selected by Beth. Clever storage ideas, bespoke cabinets and sliding doors make the most of the space. Textures and patina are important to Beth, who chose a raw plaster finish in muted pink for the walls. The couple has had favourite pieces of furniture, such as the Robin Day chairs and sofa, for years. A tongue-and-groove finish was used on cabinets and walls to bring a rustic feel into the spaces, which have poured concrete floors.
‘WE SEE THE FOLIAGE FROM ALMOST EVERY ROOM’
EXTERIOR
A lush walled courtyard, once a loading bay for milk carts and, even before that, where cows were housed, now acts as a leafy buffer zone between the house and the street. ‘We see the foliage from almost every room in the house,’ says Beth. The original roof trusses above it were reconditioned. The courtyard functions as an extra room, with an outdoor pizza oven and dining and seating area. Andrew created the table using leftover scaffolding planks, once the build team had finally finished.
LIVING ROOM
The walls in the living room, kitchen and Beth’s office are finished in raw gypsum plaster and sealed with clear varnish so that the chalky texture still comes through. Modern steel-framed glazing divides the courtyard from the seating area, which includes vintage Robin Day seating and a chunky jute rug from Dunelm. Beth designed the storage with routed tongue-and-groove fronts to keep the space clutter-free. The floor lamp is by French Connection Home and the wall lights are by Tom Dixon.
KITCHEN
Zellige tiles from Mosaic Factory help to reflect light back into the kitchen, which is in the hub of the ground floor. All the cabinets are bespoke by Imperfect Interiors and painted in Mole’s Breath by Farrow & Ball. The floors are polished concrete by the Polished Concrete Co and the unobtrusive wall lights are by Tom Dixon.
‘I CONTINUED THE STYLE OF THE JOINERY THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE FOR CONSISTENCY’