Upsizing from a small flat to a five-bed townhouse, Rachel and Chris were excited about starting their married life in a new part of the city.
Their property search had covered a wide radius. They viewed and rejected 20 homes before finding this classic double-fronted Victorian terraced house in south London, with a small enclosed courtyard garden at the rear.
‘Besides wanting more space and a garden, one of our key requirements had been to find somewhere with character and a sense of history, and this was perfect in that respect,’ says Rachel.
‘Chris immediately loved it, but on our first viewing, I struggled to imagine us living there.’
‘After another look round the following day, however, I was completely won over, and we put in an offer there and then.’
Starting with essential repairs
Parts of the house were in desperate need of renovation.
Before considering decorative details, the original Victorian sash windows had to be replaced and – careful to choose traditional windows that would complement the property – the couple opted for heritage wooden double-glazed ones.
They also had the lean-to conservatory roof fixed. ‘It had sprung several leaks just days after we got the keys,’ says Rachel. ‘We had buckets everywhere.’
The pine cupboard was already here, and Rachel added antique garden furniture for this indoor/outdoor space.
Kitchen refit
The kitchen cabinets were warped, so fitting new bespoke cabinetry became their next concern.
‘We found a local carpenter to fit the units around the existing 30-year-old range cooker. It’s a bit temperamental, but I’ve become quite attached to it,’ says Rachel.
Open plan to the kitchen, the airy dining space houses a traditional-style dining table and chairs.
On their first viewing of the house, Chris and Rachel were taken with the long antique workbench, a lighter alternative to a sideboard and the wall cupboard above, so they bought them from the previous owner.
The space now has a timeless, unfitted freestanding kitchen look.
Elegant living room
‘We felt lucky to have so many rooms, but it was overwhelming, too, and we weren’t sure where to start or how to go about making it our own,’ admits Rachel.
Expert help wasn’t far away as Chris’s sister-in-law Olivia Clasper runs an interior design studio .
‘She came up with some invaluable suggestions to get us started,’ says Rachel.
One of the biggest drawbacks of moving to a larger house is having enough furniture to fit the space.
‘We did wonder how on earth we’d furnish the new house.’ Keeping some of the previous owner’s furniture helped, and Olivia sourced additional pieces and introduced the couple, who share a love of antique and vintage furniture, to the delights of Lots Road Auctions.
‘Whereas I’m not very creative and couldn’t really see how any of our old furniture from the flat would work here, Olivia showed us how to use it in different ways.’ Such as in the elegant neutral living room, furnished with a mix of antiques and new, where an antique marching drum makes a quirky coffee table.
‘Having the expertise of an interior designer is a luxury, but it provided us with invaluable advice and saved us money on making bad choices and expensive mistakes,’ says Rachel.
‘A key requirement had been to find a house with character and a sense of history’
Dressing room
The couple were keen to make sure the house reflected their own personalities.
‘We decided to lose two of the bedrooms and create a study and dressing room instead,’ says Rachel.
Pretty pink walls, fitted wardrobes and two chests of drawers provide ample storage in the dressing room, and a large wall mirror and an ottoman add a luxury element.
Serene bedroom
Rachel wanted the second guest bedroom to be a wash of soft whites and creams, creating a truly restful space that guests love.
In this white bedroom, even the original fireplace has been given the white treatment, and the painted floorboards complete the look.
Use of reclaimed and salvage
In another guest bedroom, the previous owner customised a fitted wardrobe with rustic doors, a unique way to incorporate reclaimed finds in an interior scheme, and which brings a lovely patina to the bedroom.
In the main bedroom, a carved wooden frieze takes pride of place above the bedhead.
Luxury bathroom
Deciding to transform one of the bedrooms into a luxury hotel-style bathroom was one of the biggest changes Rachel and Chris made to the house. ‘But despite the upheaval, we’re so glad we did it.’
There is plenty of space for a separate shower and custom-made double vanity basins.
The couple both prefer baths to showers, so the beautifully designed copper bath takes pride of place in this large green bathroom and contrasts wonderfully with the dark green walls and tiles.
‘It was all designed and chosen by Olivia’s expert eye.’
Outdoor oasis
The couple also enjoy their petite courtyard garden come spring and summer.
The French window from the living room leads to this sheltered spot, which includes a pretty summerhouse. The barrel sauna shed is the most recent addition; find similar at Finnmark Sauna.
‘Now it’s all come together I can’t believe we live here. I pinch myself that we live in this beautiful home,’ says Rachel.
‘It brings me joy, every day.’
This feature first appeared in Period Living Magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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