Houzz Tour: A 1930s Home Gains Midcentury Touches
This airy period house was designed for entertaining and relaxing, but with an eye on future family life, too
“We nicknamed this project the ‘Room to Grow House’,” says Sophie van Winden of Owl Design, who revamped this 1930s home for a couple who’d recently married and were planning a family. “They’d upsized from a flat and wanted a home that would work well as a family environment.”
The owners also wanted to incorporate some of their existing vintage furniture and accessories, as well as asking Sophie to add more. “They’re big fans of midcentury design, which works well in a house of this era,” Sophie says. She remains in touch with the couple, who still absolutely love their house and now have two small children. The Room to Grow House, you could say, has been well and truly grown into.
The owners also wanted to incorporate some of their existing vintage furniture and accessories, as well as asking Sophie to add more. “They’re big fans of midcentury design, which works well in a house of this era,” Sophie says. She remains in touch with the couple, who still absolutely love their house and now have two small children. The Room to Grow House, you could say, has been well and truly grown into.
The kitchen is largely made of oak veneered, FSC-certified plywood, with some cork detailing on the wall cupboard fronts, which slide to create flexible open shelving. The cabinets were designed and made by Uncommon Projects kitchen company, but Sophie chose the colour and the white quartz worktop, which is mounted onto plywood.
Midcentury pendant lights, vintage. Bar stools, Hay.
Midcentury pendant lights, vintage. Bar stools, Hay.
“Colourwise, [the owners] wanted something neutral for the kitchen – strong colours that went with their midcentury stuff and wouldn’t date quickly,” Sophie says. She opted for this warm grey that’s balanced beautifully by the natural wood.
“The couple are very sociable and wanted an island for sitting at, chatting to friends, making cocktails,” Sophie says. They also wanted to be able to cook on the island, so she chose a hob with a discreet, integrated extractor. “We didn’t want to mess with the view through the kitchen,” she says.
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“The couple are very sociable and wanted an island for sitting at, chatting to friends, making cocktails,” Sophie says. They also wanted to be able to cook on the island, so she chose a hob with a discreet, integrated extractor. “We didn’t want to mess with the view through the kitchen,” she says.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
The red dining table was painted bespoke. “We got it sprayed a special colour,” Sophie says. “The room was quite monochrome and we just wanted a bit of colour. It also worked well with the copper in the vintage lights.”
Astro extending table, Diotti.
Astro extending table, Diotti.
On the other side of the dining table, Sophie created a little seating area next to the fireplace and (out of shot) generous wall storage for the owners’ records.
Tiles, Bert & May. Walls painted in Flint, Little Greene. Print; chair, both homeowners’ own.
Tiles, Bert & May. Walls painted in Flint, Little Greene. Print; chair, both homeowners’ own.
Sophie created a snug in the room at the front of the house and painted it in rich, dark colours – a mid blue for the walls and charcoal for the chimney breast and ceiling, with black on the woodwork.
“[The couple] went a bit bolder in here than in the rest of the house,” she says. “It’s quite light everywhere else and they wanted somewhere cosy to chill in the evening.”
The engineered wood herringbone flooring feels appropriate to the era of the house, while a long, low shelf spanning the chimney breast wall adds a midcentury mood.
Bronzo Prime 70mm block flooring, Havwoods. Love seat in Romo fabric, Sofa.com. Mirror; ceiling light, both vintage.
“[The couple] went a bit bolder in here than in the rest of the house,” she says. “It’s quite light everywhere else and they wanted somewhere cosy to chill in the evening.”
The engineered wood herringbone flooring feels appropriate to the era of the house, while a long, low shelf spanning the chimney breast wall adds a midcentury mood.
Bronzo Prime 70mm block flooring, Havwoods. Love seat in Romo fabric, Sofa.com. Mirror; ceiling light, both vintage.
“The husband really loves geometric prints, so we went for these sheer curtains with a pattern,” Sophie says. To max the cosy feel in the evening, she also fitted dark Roman blinds. “They’re crisp and modern,” she says. “They didn’t want fussy or [heavy] curtains, partly because there’s a radiator under the window.”
In keeping with the bolder mood for this room, Sophie also chose a blue sofa and a yellow chaise longue.
Romo Pennant sheer curtain fabric, Kirkby Design. Sofa, Sofa.com.
In keeping with the bolder mood for this room, Sophie also chose a blue sofa and a yellow chaise longue.
Romo Pennant sheer curtain fabric, Kirkby Design. Sofa, Sofa.com.
Sophie commissioned a local metalworker to make the striking new balustrade. “It’s very midcentury,” she says. She added pop-out shoe storage beneath the stairs.
To the right of the shoe storage there’s a cloakroom. Sophie chose to keep the bare plaster finish for two of the walls, sealing it for protection. The ceiling and other two walls are painted black, and the tiny marble basin blends in smartly with the inky background.
1930s-style pendant light, Mullan Lighting.
1930s-style pendant light, Mullan Lighting.
Sophie had the stairs painted grey and topped with a geometric runner.
Runner, Tim Page Carpets. Pendant lights, vintage.
Runner, Tim Page Carpets. Pendant lights, vintage.
At the time, this was a spare bedroom and was furnished simply with existing pieces the couple already owned. “They had this lovely old sideboard in their old flat,” Sophie says. “And the rocking chair was a family heirloom.”
A new staircase goes up to the main suite on the top floor. “We had to think of a balustrade and this full-height design adds a bit of drama,” Sophie says.
The door you can see here leads into a home office. “We made it a pocket door, as it’s quite a small room. The doors in the rest of the house are all 1930s style.”
Print by Meesh Nah.
The door you can see here leads into a home office. “We made it a pocket door, as it’s quite a small room. The doors in the rest of the house are all 1930s style.”
Print by Meesh Nah.
The family bathroom features a vintage cupboard that Sophie turned into a vanity unit.
Thinking ahead to a room full of family bathing paraphernalia, the mirrored cupboard runs the full width of the vanity unit and has a niche beneath it.
Blue floor tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
Thinking ahead to a room full of family bathing paraphernalia, the mirrored cupboard runs the full width of the vanity unit and has a niche beneath it.
Blue floor tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
In the new loft conversion, Sophie installed an oak-veneered ply feature wall behind the couple’s bed, which echoes the flooring downstairs. The floating bedside tables are unobtrusive.
“The owners had stayed in a hotel that had a wooden ribbed or slatted back wall and they loved the look. We took the idea, but made it more geometric. It gives the room a slightly midcentury, hotel look,” Sophie says.
Timber wall, Cut Once Woodworks.
“The owners had stayed in a hotel that had a wooden ribbed or slatted back wall and they loved the look. We took the idea, but made it more geometric. It gives the room a slightly midcentury, hotel look,” Sophie says.
Timber wall, Cut Once Woodworks.
These are the only heavier curtains in the house and, along with the flatweave carpet, they give the room a luxury feel. “They’re recessed into the ceiling, so it looks really slick and smart,” Sophie says. “I think they look quite Mad Men.”
The walls are painted in a lime-based paint, which has a soft, plaster-like texture.
Sophie suggested a vintage dressing table and the owners sourced it. Along with the wood tones, the brass lamp adds warmth.
Wall paint, Kalklitir. Lola wall lamp, Gibas.
Sophie suggested a vintage dressing table and the owners sourced it. Along with the wood tones, the brass lamp adds warmth.
Wall paint, Kalklitir. Lola wall lamp, Gibas.
The master en suite has microcement walls and a soft, neutral palette. “[The owners] wanted a simple design, as the bedroom door is often open, meaning it’s on show,” Sophie says.
There are geometric black and white floor tiles (out of shot) and the owners have since added lots of plants to the room, which gets plenty of light.
There are geometric black and white floor tiles (out of shot) and the owners have since added lots of plants to the room, which gets plenty of light.
And how do the owners feel about their “grown-into” home? “They absolutely love it,” Sophie says. “In fact, they actually texted me during Covid to say how grateful they were to be in the new house for lockdown.”
Tell us…
What do you like most about this home? Let us know in the Comments – and tell us about your own 1930s house, too.
Tell us…
What do you like most about this home? Let us know in the Comments – and tell us about your own 1930s house, too.
Who lives here? A couple who were planning to start a family (and now have two young children)
Location Clapton, east London
Property A 1930s terraced house
Size Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Sophie van Winden of Owl Design
Kitchen designer Uncommon Projects
Project year 2018
Photos by Megan Taylor
The house had already been extended and had its loft converted when Sophie came in to give it the style the homeowners were after. “They’d come from a cool flat and are really into music,” she says. “They wanted to keep that sort of feeling, but make it work as a family environment.”
The storage-packed kitchen was designed to be the hub of the home and has plenty of floor space outside the main cooking area that could easily be converted into play areas. A bench in the window provides extra seating, as well as storage that could easily hide toys.