Houzz Tour: A 1930s House Becomes a Light and Bright Family Space
A revamp of this 1930s ex-council house shows how open-plan living can be fun, warm and cosy
French interior designer Joséphine Lecouflé-Vinet redesigned her bright London home by opening up its previously small, dark rooms. The 1930s ex-council house has now become an open-plan living space for all the family to enjoy together.
Each area of the large room is zoned to break up the space. This dining area, for example, has a panel of aubergine along the bottom half of the wall. “It creates a cosy feel and reminds me of a French bistro,” says Lecouflé-Vinet.” The aubergine was picked to match the shade used on the seating side of the island.
An old French tabac sign, or ‘carotte’, hangs on the wall and was the inspiration for the orange chairs. “They really brighten up the room, and the plastic makes them easy to clean,” says Lecouflé-Vinet.
The children do their homework and drawing in this space, so Lecouflé-Vinet fixed a handy magazine rack on the wall to hold all their notebooks, as well as any other paperwork the family need to grab quickly.
Dining table, Habitat. Victoria Ghost chairs, Kartell. Ice chair, Calligaris. Magazine rack, Monoqi. Aubergine panel painted in Mulberry Burst, Dulux.
Discover how to make open-plan design work in any property
An old French tabac sign, or ‘carotte’, hangs on the wall and was the inspiration for the orange chairs. “They really brighten up the room, and the plastic makes them easy to clean,” says Lecouflé-Vinet.
The children do their homework and drawing in this space, so Lecouflé-Vinet fixed a handy magazine rack on the wall to hold all their notebooks, as well as any other paperwork the family need to grab quickly.
Dining table, Habitat. Victoria Ghost chairs, Kartell. Ice chair, Calligaris. Magazine rack, Monoqi. Aubergine panel painted in Mulberry Burst, Dulux.
Discover how to make open-plan design work in any property
“These house rules are a piece of family humour,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “I bought them online as transfers and carefully applied them to the wall. Some of the smaller letters were a bit tricky, so it was a two-person job!
“The children didn’t realise what the last line said until they learnt to read,” she adds with a laugh.
To give a finished edge to the aubergine panel, Lecouflé-Vinet topped it with a line of neon emerald washi tape.
“The children didn’t realise what the last line said until they learnt to read,” she adds with a laugh.
To give a finished edge to the aubergine panel, Lecouflé-Vinet topped it with a line of neon emerald washi tape.
A gallery of illustrations, which includes work by Lecouflé-Vinet’s illustrator husband, hangs on the wall and adds to the cosy feel of the dining area.
The kitchen units are sand grey to complement the walls. “We wanted them to disappear into the space,” Lecouflé-Vinet explains. The island is fitted with a hob and oven and is the perfect spot for convivial cooking. “There’s a lot of space for people to gather, so it’s a very nice place to be,” she says.
“We chose oak worktops, which are nice and tactile,” she adds. Her husband is tall, so they used a leftover piece of worktop to make a raised chopping board for him.
Behind the sink is a glass splashback. “It’s a simple Ikea hack,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “We used two glass noticeboards, which worked out much more cost-effective. We can also clip things like shopping lists to them.”
Above are some small pieces of artwork made from silkscreen-printed tea towels.
Kludd glass noticeboards, Ikea.
Find more fiendishly clever Ikea hacks
“We chose oak worktops, which are nice and tactile,” she adds. Her husband is tall, so they used a leftover piece of worktop to make a raised chopping board for him.
Behind the sink is a glass splashback. “It’s a simple Ikea hack,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “We used two glass noticeboards, which worked out much more cost-effective. We can also clip things like shopping lists to them.”
Above are some small pieces of artwork made from silkscreen-printed tea towels.
Kludd glass noticeboards, Ikea.
Find more fiendishly clever Ikea hacks
The library space at the front of the house is a spot where the family can spend quiet time. The colours were inspired by the striped rug and make the zone bright and cheerful.
“We created the bookshelf by buying shelf boxes and holding them together with bulldog clips,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “I painted them in bright colours and used a few interesting books as decorations.”
In the corner is a reproduction of a Louis XV occasional table. “My father is an antiques dealer and he gave us this as a wedding present,” says the designer. “The gold leaf adds a quirky feel. It’s the perfect spot for displaying artwork that doesn’t really fit with the rest of the space.”
Sofa; floor lamp, both Made.com. Shelving cubes, Muji and Ikea. Strib rug (discontinued), Ikea.
“We created the bookshelf by buying shelf boxes and holding them together with bulldog clips,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “I painted them in bright colours and used a few interesting books as decorations.”
In the corner is a reproduction of a Louis XV occasional table. “My father is an antiques dealer and he gave us this as a wedding present,” says the designer. “The gold leaf adds a quirky feel. It’s the perfect spot for displaying artwork that doesn’t really fit with the rest of the space.”
Sofa; floor lamp, both Made.com. Shelving cubes, Muji and Ikea. Strib rug (discontinued), Ikea.
The flooring throughout the property is a natural oak with a wax finish. “I love oak and have used it everywhere,” says Lecouflé-Vinet.
At the rear of the ground floor is the living room area. The couple chose a grey sofa, which goes with everything and blends into the space.
Oak flooring, Wood and Beyond. Sofa, Adventures in Furniture.
At the rear of the ground floor is the living room area. The couple chose a grey sofa, which goes with everything and blends into the space.
Oak flooring, Wood and Beyond. Sofa, Adventures in Furniture.
“This chair was a lucky find,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “I found two of them in the street.” The chairs were painted in a dark colour and didn’t have any cushions on them. “I spent the summer sanding the frames and had some cushions made. I’m really pleased with the result.”
To give a snug feel to the large expanse of wall behind, Lecouflé-Vinet painted a dark grey stripe up the corner and along the ceiling. Together with the dark curtain, it reduces the wall and creates a cosy corner.
To give a snug feel to the large expanse of wall behind, Lecouflé-Vinet painted a dark grey stripe up the corner and along the ceiling. Together with the dark curtain, it reduces the wall and creates a cosy corner.
Lecouflé-Vinet’s desk space is situated behind the grey sofa and was created by attaching a pine worktop to table legs. This pegboard was made from a piece of plywood. “My husband drilled holes into it and I attached some little shelves,” she says. “I also hung a bulb from a copper house to create a desk lamp.”
Bulb and wire, Heal’s. Copper house, Tiger.
Bulb and wire, Heal’s. Copper house, Tiger.
Next to the desk is a cabinet of curiosities that displays some of Lecouflé-Vinet’s collection of bell jars and an anatomical drawing. “It’s a fun corner,” she says.
The hallway provided an opportunity for Lecouflé-Vinet to stray from the pale scheme of the rest of the ground floor. She chose an inky shade for the walls, which contrasts well with the white woodwork. She used the narrow space along the staircase to hang her collection of mirrors, Victorian profiles and old photos.
The master bedroom is a large space, so the couple decided to partition it with a headboard wall and create a small bathroom behind. “The room is south-facing and bright, so we could afford to go for a dark blue around the bed,” the designer says. “It creates a cosy sleep area.” The rest of the room is painted in a pearly grey, which reflects the light.
Two pale blue desk lamps sit on mismatched bedside tables, while the bed linen is neutral. “I like plain bedding,” Lecouflé-Vinet adds. “It goes with everything, it feels calm and you don’t get tired of it. You can then throw on a blanket to add interest.”
Walls painted in Monsoon Night Matt Finish, Valspar; Lavender Grey Silk, Colour Courage. Lamps, Made.com.
Two pale blue desk lamps sit on mismatched bedside tables, while the bed linen is neutral. “I like plain bedding,” Lecouflé-Vinet adds. “It goes with everything, it feels calm and you don’t get tired of it. You can then throw on a blanket to add interest.”
Walls painted in Monsoon Night Matt Finish, Valspar; Lavender Grey Silk, Colour Courage. Lamps, Made.com.
The en suite consists of a compact basin and vanity unit, as well as a shower behind the partition wall.
“We found this vanity unit at Ikea,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “We removed the legs to make it easy to keep the area beneath clean.”
Hexagonal stone tiles on the floor give a textured look. “They’re lovely and soft to walk on,” she adds.
Vanity unit, Ikea. Lantau Grey Mosaic Hexagonal tiles, Topps Tiles.
“We found this vanity unit at Ikea,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “We removed the legs to make it easy to keep the area beneath clean.”
Hexagonal stone tiles on the floor give a textured look. “They’re lovely and soft to walk on,” she adds.
Vanity unit, Ikea. Lantau Grey Mosaic Hexagonal tiles, Topps Tiles.
At the foot of the bed is a wall that hides the staircase. The couple called in a joiner to make a fitted wardrobe and drawers on one side.
Lecouflé-Vinet swapped all the upstairs hinged doors for pocket sliding models. “We couldn’t get a bed into one of the rooms, so that prompted us to change the doors,” she says. “We gained a lot more space.”
Two of the framed pictures in the selection of artworks are actually scarves. “They’re so beautiful I decided to frame them,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “I also hang the Chanel jacket on the wall hooks. It’s a shame to put it away, and it’s almost like another piece of art.”
Lecouflé-Vinet swapped all the upstairs hinged doors for pocket sliding models. “We couldn’t get a bed into one of the rooms, so that prompted us to change the doors,” she says. “We gained a lot more space.”
Two of the framed pictures in the selection of artworks are actually scarves. “They’re so beautiful I decided to frame them,” says Lecouflé-Vinet. “I also hang the Chanel jacket on the wall hooks. It’s a shame to put it away, and it’s almost like another piece of art.”
The family bathroom is a small room, so Lecouflé-Vinet left it white and bright. “Everything is compact in here and has its own spot,” she says.
The couple also saved space by taking out the bath and replacing it with a shower.
Bathroom suite, Chris Stevens. Mosaic tiles, Topps Tiles.
The couple also saved space by taking out the bath and replacing it with a shower.
Bathroom suite, Chris Stevens. Mosaic tiles, Topps Tiles.
In her eldest son, Alexis’, room, Lecouflé-Vinet chose a palette of blues and greys and created a geometric design on the walls. “It’s fun to add pattern to children’s rooms,” she says, “and the scheme will last him for a few years.”
A small shelf behind the bed provides enough surface for knick-knacks and a lamp, while the bed frame has three drawers and a spare bed underneath.
Alexis’ collection of wooden animal heads add an organic feel to the geometric space.
Bed, House Additions. Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux; Eau du Nil and Barbados Blue, Colours; Vintage Blue,Valspar.
A small shelf behind the bed provides enough surface for knick-knacks and a lamp, while the bed frame has three drawers and a spare bed underneath.
Alexis’ collection of wooden animal heads add an organic feel to the geometric space.
Bed, House Additions. Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux; Eau du Nil and Barbados Blue, Colours; Vintage Blue,Valspar.
“This room is very small,” says Lecouflé-Vinet of her youngest son, Oscar’s, bedroom, “so we put storage high on the wall.” The designer found various cupboards and shelves, which she arranged on the wall in an attractive, Mondrian-style design.
The table at the head of the bed maximises the space, and Oscar now has enough room to fit in a spare bed for sleepovers.
Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux. Bed, House Additions. Storage, Ikea.
What do you think of this bright, open-plan family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
The table at the head of the bed maximises the space, and Oscar now has enough room to fit in a spare bed for sleepovers.
Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux. Bed, House Additions. Storage, Ikea.
What do you think of this bright, open-plan family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Designer Joséphine Lecouflé-Vinet with her husband and two sons, Alexis and Oscar
Location Muswell Hill, London
Property A 1930s ex-council house
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Designer Joséphine Lecouflé-Vinet of JLV Design
Photos by David Giles
When interior designer Joséphine Lecouflé-Vinet and her family moved into their 1930s home, the ground floor consisted of a succession of small, dark rooms. “We wanted to create a family space where we could communicate and live together in harmony,” she says.
They achieved this by removing the internal walls to turn the whole area into an open-plan space. The starting point for the design was the kitchen. “We wanted the hub of the house to be the kitchen, so we placed it right in the middle, not next to the bifold doors,” Lecouflé-Vinet explains. “I like to cook and wanted to be able to communicate with the rest of the family while they were in the other areas.”
Kitchen units and worktops, Wren Kitchens. Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux.