‘Every room needed a floor-to-ceiling overhaul’

Ready to take on a project property, Gemma and Henry John got to work modernising a 1930s gem with a mix of investment buys and creative upcycles

Having finished a renovation of their previous property, a Victorian semi, Gemma and Henry John were keen to find a new project in the same north London area. Gemma, an Interior Designer, was desperate to get her hands on something with more room for entertaining and a bigger garden. ‘We’d been in our previous house for seven years and we’d basically outgrown it. We weren’t afraid of another renovation.’ However, when they started looking in spring 2018, there wasn’t much available and anything they liked was up for more than they wanted to pay. ‘Things were being snapped up by developers for over the asking price, so we

‘All the windows needed replacing and every room needed changing, but it was ripe for renovation’

kept being disappointed. But then we heard about a house in a cul-de-sac nearby that needed major work. We hadn’t considered a 1930s property, but we were over the moon that it was detached. We never thought we would be able to afford a detached property.’ The state of the house would have put some people off, and a modernisation in the 1980s hadn’t helped. ‘It had a small galley kitchen with a brown sink edged in grubby silicone, but we saw you could extend right out the back, plus convert the large loft.’

BUILDING A HOME

The couple moved in in May 2019. ‘We were thrilled, but knew we had a lot of work in front of us. All the windows needed replacing and every room needed changing, but it was ripe for renovation.’ After the basic plans were approved, the builders started on the project in September, with the family staying put while the initial phase was carried out. ‘We’d already planned to move out for a while in February 2020, while they did the messy stuff that we couldn’t be here for. Luckily, my parents, Robert and Terry, live up the road and invited us to stay with them en masse, so we weren’t paying rent.’

What no-one could know was that Britain was about to go into lockdown, which meant they ended up living with Gemma’s parents for five months, rather than the few weeks they had originally planned. ‘We got into the spirit, hunkering down together. It was a special time and my parents really enjoyed spending all that time so close to their grandchildren. Luckily, the weather was amazing so we could be outside a lot.’

Because the house was empty, it meant the builders could push ahead, keeping Gemma and Henry up to date with phone calls and videos. ‘I’d chosen most of the interior stuff while we’d been living in the house before the build started, so I knew what I wanted for the new kitchen and two new bathrooms, which really helped.’ The lockdown only added around a month to the build.

‘I’m happy to invest in certain things, but I also like to reuse and recycle, buying from Facebook Marketplace’

KITCHEN This large open-plan space is a far cry from the galley kitchen that Gemma first encountered. The couple chose laminate flooring, which provides a practical solution to heavy traffic in and out OUR MUST HAVES Kitchen units, £5,500, Novus Bespoke. For similar flooring try Patina Classic oak grey laminate, £28.49 per sq m, Quick Step. Liv bubble glass pendant shade, £12.50 each, Habitat

Knowing it would give them an abundance of space, Gemma and Henry saw the potential of this 1930s property and have given it a fresh and modern makeover

A large dining area has been created in the new extension next to the bi-fold doors, making a wonderful space for family meals and entertaining. Gemma found her dining solution with a table and benches from Mudd & Co, and lights from 171 Retro

The larder is concealed behind a kitchen door, which Gemma has upcycled with some spare Royal Fernery wallpaper from Cole & Son, to mirror the wall opposite. Wall-mounted plates add touches of blue and green

The island also doubles as a breakfast bar; Gemma sprayed the wooden stools, from MADE.com, in Shaded White by Farrow & Ball to match the cupboards. A ladder bookcase by Cox & Cox keeps her recipe books in order

Rather than go for bulky wall cupboards over the sink area, Gemma has chosen open, pantry-style shelving to put her collection of china on show

LIVING ROOM A pair of comfortable sofas provide the base colours of yellow and soft grey, creating a warm and welcoming feel in this light-filled room. The coffee table has plenty of space for books, magazines and, on top, a yellow tray from West Elm OUR MUST HAVES Afaw rug, from £95, La Redoute. Patterdale Joules cuddler sofa in Tumeric, £749; Zinc 3 seater sofa in Light Grey weave, £979, both DFS. For a similar table try Renton Industrial reclaimed elm oval coffee table, £507, CFS

A retro metal cabinet keeps drinks tucked away ready for when Gemma and Henry are entertaining friends. The sunny lampshade ties in with the yellow sofa

CLOAKROOM Gemma splashed out on wallpaper for the downstairs cloakroom. The design features mischievous monkeys and bright pomegranates OUR MUST HAVES Frutto Proibito wallpaper, £175 per roll, Cole & Son. Astrea tiles, £79 per sq m, Topps Tiles. Woodwork painted in estate eggshell in Inchyra Blue, £70 per 2.5L, Farrow & Ball