Houzz Tour: A Dated Flat Regains Period Elegance and Light
A space- and light-boosting design creates a bright, functional and storage-packed home for a growing family
This period flat in a central London conservation area was dated and needed, as interior designer Lisette Voute explains, “a big refurbishment”. Along with fitting two new bathrooms and a new kitchen, windows and flooring, Lisette’s aim was to bring some of the flat’s period character back, boost light and give the couple who live here a calming and comfortable home with room for a baby.
“The flat felt much darker before,” designer Lisette Voûte explains. “It also didn’t have good storage and the dated kitchen didn’t work for the owners.”
Very few original details had been retained over the years, too, so Lisette took every opportunity to reinstate period character to the flat.
Beige sofa, Love Your Home; upholstered in Keddrick fabric, Hodsoll McKenzie. Blue sofa, clients’ own; reupholstered in Foss fabric in Petrol, Colefax and Fowler.
Very few original details had been retained over the years, too, so Lisette took every opportunity to reinstate period character to the flat.
Beige sofa, Love Your Home; upholstered in Keddrick fabric, Hodsoll McKenzie. Blue sofa, clients’ own; reupholstered in Foss fabric in Petrol, Colefax and Fowler.
The surround to the original, working fireplace had previously been raw brick, so Lisette had limestone slabs installed as the inserts and designed a bespoke mantelpiece.
The alcove bookcases were existing, but Lisette enhanced them. “They were much plainer before,” she says. “We added nice moulding and cornicing and new doors, so they’d look more elegant and more in keeping with the building.”
The owners already had the blue armchair and it was the starting point for the flat’s palette.
Weathered grey oak coffee table, bespoke. Mirror, clients’ own.
The alcove bookcases were existing, but Lisette enhanced them. “They were much plainer before,” she says. “We added nice moulding and cornicing and new doors, so they’d look more elegant and more in keeping with the building.”
The owners already had the blue armchair and it was the starting point for the flat’s palette.
Weathered grey oak coffee table, bespoke. Mirror, clients’ own.
Another era-appropriate detail came in the form of these French doors, which lead from the living room into a courtyard. There had been doors here previously, but they were in plain glass.
“We added glazing bars to mimic the rest of the property and also lowered the bottom pane to let in more light,” Lisette says. “It adds so much to the room – the clear panes were just not as pretty.”
She also had them painted in a pale blue, with the walls in a neutral shade, rather than going for the more obvious neutral woodwork and colourful walls. “The room would have looked like a blueberry, because we had a lot of other blues in here,” Lisette says. “Doing it this way round, you get touches of blue without it being overwhelming.”
The patterned curtains are hung high to accentuate the tall ceiling. The new oak flooring has a limed finish for a fresh, light look.
Woodwork painted in Iced Slate; walls painted in Gray Mist, both Benjamin Moore. Curtain made from Blakewater fabric in Indigo, Jane Churchill.
“We added glazing bars to mimic the rest of the property and also lowered the bottom pane to let in more light,” Lisette says. “It adds so much to the room – the clear panes were just not as pretty.”
She also had them painted in a pale blue, with the walls in a neutral shade, rather than going for the more obvious neutral woodwork and colourful walls. “The room would have looked like a blueberry, because we had a lot of other blues in here,” Lisette says. “Doing it this way round, you get touches of blue without it being overwhelming.”
The patterned curtains are hung high to accentuate the tall ceiling. The new oak flooring has a limed finish for a fresh, light look.
Woodwork painted in Iced Slate; walls painted in Gray Mist, both Benjamin Moore. Curtain made from Blakewater fabric in Indigo, Jane Churchill.
The dining table and chairs were inherited by the owners and Lisette had the table French polished to revive it. The display cabinet was made bespoke to look like a piece of antique Swedish furniture.
Just beyond the dining table is a new, bespoke sliding glass door into the kitchen. Originally, the door had encroached into the kitchen, meaning you had to shut cupboard doors to open it.
Lisette transformed the kitchen dramatically by replacing a small single door and window with wide, wooden bifold doors. “Because it’s a galley kitchen, this helped to make more use of the garden and create an indoor/outdoor feel,” she says.
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She also had the kitchen custom-made to maximise every bit of space. “It was lacking in storage and worktop space before,” Lisette explains.
The new worktops are black granite, the fixtures are antique brass and the cabinetry has been painted. “We tried to be in keeping with the tradition of the property,” Lisette says. “We wanted a timeless style that would still look good in years to come.”
Kitchen, Dual Designs. Cabinets painted in Mizzle, Farrow & Ball. Belfast sink, Shaws of Darwen.
The new worktops are black granite, the fixtures are antique brass and the cabinetry has been painted. “We tried to be in keeping with the tradition of the property,” Lisette says. “We wanted a timeless style that would still look good in years to come.”
Kitchen, Dual Designs. Cabinets painted in Mizzle, Farrow & Ball. Belfast sink, Shaws of Darwen.
The main bedroom already had built-in wardrobes either side of the window, but Lisette replaced the doors to mimic the panelling she’d had fitted in the hallway.
She also had a blanket box made and added a chest of drawers, again with an antique Swedish look.
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She also had a blanket box made and added a chest of drawers, again with an antique Swedish look.
Find the perfect professional for your project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The woodwork is blue in here, too, with paler blue walls. “It gives a really nice serene feel,” Lisette says.
Curtains made from Cutouts fabric, Hodsoll McKenzie. Blanket box upholstered in Seabrook fabric in Blue Haze, Wemyss.
Curtains made from Cutouts fabric, Hodsoll McKenzie. Blanket box upholstered in Seabrook fabric in Blue Haze, Wemyss.
The bed, which has a rattan detail, is in a weathered oak finish to tie in with much of the other woodwork in the flat. The door on the right leads to the en suite.
Bedside tables, Oka. Lampshades, Fermoie.
Bedside tables, Oka. Lampshades, Fermoie.
“There was no space for a double vanity unit,” Lisette says, “but we did have this wide single unit made.”
The tiles are marble topped with a marble dado. “The idea was for it to resemble panelling,” she says.
Vanity unit, Dual Designs. Polished nickel tapware, Lefroy Brooks. Marble dado, Fired Earth. Walls painted in Stock, Little Greene.
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The tiles are marble topped with a marble dado. “The idea was for it to resemble panelling,” she says.
Vanity unit, Dual Designs. Polished nickel tapware, Lefroy Brooks. Marble dado, Fired Earth. Walls painted in Stock, Little Greene.
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There’s an enclosed wetroom-style shower on the other side of the room.
Wall and floor tiles, Mandarin Stone.
Wall and floor tiles, Mandarin Stone.
Lisette says the hallway had previously been very wide, so she made use of the space to add in bespoke storage, seen here on the right, designed to look like panelling and painted in brilliant white.
“The owners wanted loads of storage, but this way it looks seamless, and you don’t feel as if you walk in and hit a wall of cupboards,” she says.
The first door on the left leads to a guest bedroom. Next along is the bathroom and the open door leads to the main bedroom.
Walls painted in Cromarty, Farrow & Ball.
“The owners wanted loads of storage, but this way it looks seamless, and you don’t feel as if you walk in and hit a wall of cupboards,” she says.
The first door on the left leads to a guest bedroom. Next along is the bathroom and the open door leads to the main bedroom.
Walls painted in Cromarty, Farrow & Ball.
This shows the entry to the dining room from the hall, a little further down. An inherited antique bureau is tucked against the wall.
This coat-hanging area is right by the front door, just before the hallway cupboards start.
This is the guest room, which was designed to turn into a nursery when needed. As in the other bedroom, the floor is covered in a beige wool carpet.
The armchair was included as a nursing chair, the chest is wide enough to double as a changing table, and the bay provides space for a cot. The bedside lampshade fabric features an animal print. “We wanted it to work as a nursery as well as looking good in a guest room context,” Lisette explains.
Walls painted in Pale Powder, Farrow & Ball. Curtain fabric; Sanbona lampshade fabric, both Travers. Armchair upholstered in Organic Ticking, Ian Mankin.
The armchair was included as a nursing chair, the chest is wide enough to double as a changing table, and the bay provides space for a cot. The bedside lampshade fabric features an animal print. “We wanted it to work as a nursery as well as looking good in a guest room context,” Lisette explains.
Walls painted in Pale Powder, Farrow & Ball. Curtain fabric; Sanbona lampshade fabric, both Travers. Armchair upholstered in Organic Ticking, Ian Mankin.
The bathroom off the hallway features a handmade vanity unit with a marble top.
It also has a bath, ready for bathtimes with the new arrival.
Woodwork painted in Van Courtland Blue, Benjamin Moore. Tapware, Lefroy Brooks.
Tell us…
What do you like most about the renovation of this elegant flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Woodwork painted in Van Courtland Blue, Benjamin Moore. Tapware, Lefroy Brooks.
Tell us…
What do you like most about the renovation of this elegant flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A young couple who were expecting a baby as the project started
Location South Kensington, London
Property A large, lateral garden flat in a period building in a conservation area
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Lisette Voûte of Lisette Voûte Designs
Photos by Nick George
Side table, Oka. White lamp, Vaughan Designs. Lampshade, Fermoie.