‘I brought the Cotswolds to my renovated London flat’
Emily revamped the tired décor in her city flat to re-create the soothing feel of the rambling countryside
When Emily Champion bought her twobedroom, south-west London mansion flat in 2019, she fell for its size, character and quirks, but knew that it required extensive renovation. It had rotten wooden window frames, dodgy wiring, a leaking shower and lacked storage. ‘The flat was liveable and I loved all of its quirks. But it had become dated and a little unsafe, so a lot of work was done to remedy that,’ she says.
Her inspiration was the Cotswolds. ‘Lots of London flats are super modern and that’s gorgeous, but it’s just not me. I’m all about the Shaker kitchen cupboards and stripped-back, exposed woodwork,’ says Emily. She gutted the flat and decamped to her family’s home while it was being updated. The old kitchen was replaced with chic farmhouse-style painted units, an island, a pantry, a Belfast sink, a range, integrated appliances and rustic stone flooring. ‘A classic Cotswolds home always has a farmhouse sink, a beautiful AGA and muddy boots by the door, but you don’t really see that in London,’ Emma says.
‘I’ve got flagstone flooring that you don’t usually find at the top of a mansion block, which makes me love it even more!‘
One bathroom was given a complete rustic revamp, while the other went black and white. A teal media unit streamlines storage in the living room, but Emily is particularly proud of the tongue-andgroove wall behind her bed and her new bedroom wardrobe, which was inspired by one she saw in a Provencal château.
The building work and decoration were finished in five months. Although the kitchen and woodwork are bespoke, Emily kept within budget by reusing some of the original elements, including exposed wooden doors and shutters, and shopping for vintage, pre-loved furniture and accessories. ‘When you do a refurb, not everything has to be new,’ she says. ‘I wanted to keep the original quirkiness of the flat where possible. I tend to delve into vintage and charity shops – I love the sustainability of giving something old a new home. If you want to resell, you probably don’t want to go crazy as it will limit your buyer. Go room by room, do some DIY, be creative, have fun!’
Find out more about Emily’s home renovation at @championinteriors on Instagram.