Houzz Tour: A Period Home With a Blend of Classic and Modern Styling
Mixing contemporary and traditional touches has given a designer’s Edwardian property a fresh lease of life
Kirsty Niven’s boys both burst into tears when she and her husband, Tony, first showed them Moidart, the Edwardian house they planned to make their home. “It was in a sorry state,” she says. “But all Tony and I could see was potential.”
Kirsty, who runs Kirstyelizabeth Interiors, set about working on a plan that would double the size of the property, with a triple-storey side extension and a single rear one. “Essentially,” she says, “we’ve completely transformed it.”
Kirsty, who runs Kirstyelizabeth Interiors, set about working on a plan that would double the size of the property, with a triple-storey side extension and a single rear one. “Essentially,” she says, “we’ve completely transformed it.”
The high ceiling allowed Kirsty to extend the cabinetry upwards to pack in more storage, and also to hang two large pendant lights over the island. “The pendants are bronze and I’ve gone for that all over the house – it contrasts nicely with all the tones,” she says.
Bar stools, Cox & Cox. Tap, Perrin & Rowe. Boiling-water tap, Quooker. Fridge-freezer, Neff. Pendant lights, Neptune. Engineered wood flooring, Elka Flooring.
Bar stools, Cox & Cox. Tap, Perrin & Rowe. Boiling-water tap, Quooker. Fridge-freezer, Neff. Pendant lights, Neptune. Engineered wood flooring, Elka Flooring.
At the other end of the rear extension, opposite the oven wall and open to the kitchen-diner, is the living room. To create a focal point in here, Kirsty added deep blue scallop tiles in the fireplace.
“My personal style is contemporary but timeless, so it won’t date, and neutral with accents of colour – I’m drawn to blues, greens, greys and greige. However, I’m conscious of the fact we bought a period property,” she says.
“One of my favourite pieces in the downstairs is this statement light – it’s a chandelier, but it’s not fuddy-duddy.”
Scallop tiles, Ca’ Pietra. Chandelier, Visual Comfort.
“My personal style is contemporary but timeless, so it won’t date, and neutral with accents of colour – I’m drawn to blues, greens, greys and greige. However, I’m conscious of the fact we bought a period property,” she says.
“One of my favourite pieces in the downstairs is this statement light – it’s a chandelier, but it’s not fuddy-duddy.”
Scallop tiles, Ca’ Pietra. Chandelier, Visual Comfort.
To maintain flow, Kirsty chose the same oatmeal paint she’d used on the kitchen cabinets for the room’s bespoke shelving. She went for comfortable furniture with an informal feel. “I’ve got two boys who climb over everything,” she says.
Bespoke shelving, Forest Designs. Wall lights, Industville. Armchairs, Sofa.com.
Bespoke shelving, Forest Designs. Wall lights, Industville. Armchairs, Sofa.com.
Blue chaise sofa, Sofa.com. Coffee table; mirror, both Neptune.
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The ground floor plan shows the single-storey rear extension containing the kitchen-diner and living room, plus a cinema room. The triple-storey extension on the left contains the pool room, cloakroom and utility, which has also has an external door – handy for when the boys arrive home with muddy sports gear.
In the original part of the house, Kirsty was keen to respect the property’s architectural heritage, although many original details, such as coving and ceiling roses, had to be restored or replaced.
She added half-height panelling to run through the hallway and up the stairs. “The high skirting boards are typical of an Edwardian property,” she says.
Window mirror, Maisons du Monde. Console table, Neptune. Table lamp, The White Company. Umbrella stand, Garden Trading.
She added half-height panelling to run through the hallway and up the stairs. “The high skirting boards are typical of an Edwardian property,” she says.
Window mirror, Maisons du Monde. Console table, Neptune. Table lamp, The White Company. Umbrella stand, Garden Trading.
When it came to the home office, which is also in the old house, Kirsty had the waterfall-style desk built to her own design. Made from raw oak, which was then varnished, it adds a warm contrast to the off-black cabinetry.
“My husband has been working from home and he loves it,” she laughs. “It’s as if he’s got his own mini boardroom!”
“My husband has been working from home and he loves it,” she laughs. “It’s as if he’s got his own mini boardroom!”
Some of the additional rooms the extensions have allowed for are functional, but this one is all about fun. While Kirsty was initially unsure about having a games room, it proved a godsend for the family during lockdown. The bespoke traditional pool table comes with a table tennis top, so they can ring the changes.
To introduce a contemporary touch, they opted for Crittall-style wooden glazed doors painted in the same off-black as the kitchen island.
Pool table, Luxury Pool Tables.
To introduce a contemporary touch, they opted for Crittall-style wooden glazed doors painted in the same off-black as the kitchen island.
Pool table, Luxury Pool Tables.
In the downstairs cloakroom, a generously sized washbasin takes centre stage while textured wallpaper adds a luxurious feel.
Wallpaper, Romo. Basin, Sanctuary Kitchens & Bathrooms. Taps, Lefroy Brooks. Mirror, Neptune.
Wallpaper, Romo. Basin, Sanctuary Kitchens & Bathrooms. Taps, Lefroy Brooks. Mirror, Neptune.
When planning the utility room, Kirsty was careful to go for hardwearing materials that are easy to clean, choosing gloss tiles on the walls and porcelain ones for the floor.
“This is a really hardworking room,” she says. “It’s where the boys dump all their muddy stuff when they come in from football, so that’s how we designed it.”
Floor tiles, Tile Mountain. Brick wall tiles, Porcelain Superstore. Tap, Perrin & Rowe.
“This is a really hardworking room,” she says. “It’s where the boys dump all their muddy stuff when they come in from football, so that’s how we designed it.”
Floor tiles, Tile Mountain. Brick wall tiles, Porcelain Superstore. Tap, Perrin & Rowe.
For her son Max’s room, Kirsty set about designing a semi-walk-in wardrobe with a false wall, but then had second thoughts.
“The run was too long to use just for a wardrobe, so I decided to cut it off to create a nook where we could make a desk area for him to do his homework,” she says. “I had a bit of fun with it and added some wallpaper featuring planes.”
Galerie Planes wallpaper, John Lewis & Partners. Walls painted in Green Smoke, Farrow & Ball. Desk lamp, Ikea.
“The run was too long to use just for a wardrobe, so I decided to cut it off to create a nook where we could make a desk area for him to do his homework,” she says. “I had a bit of fun with it and added some wallpaper featuring planes.”
Galerie Planes wallpaper, John Lewis & Partners. Walls painted in Green Smoke, Farrow & Ball. Desk lamp, Ikea.
Her youngest son, Ollie, loves his dinosaur wallpaper – and so does Kirsty. “It’s playful but tasteful,” she says.
D’ya-think-e-saurus wallpaper in Bone China Blue, PaperBoy Wallpaper. Side table, Dunelm. Bed, Marks & Spencer.
D’ya-think-e-saurus wallpaper in Bone China Blue, PaperBoy Wallpaper. Side table, Dunelm. Bed, Marks & Spencer.
In the master bedroom, Kirsty created a luxury hotel feel with a dark wall behind a crisp white bed. MDF mouldings were added to the wall to replicate panelling. “This space is a real sanctuary for us,” she says.
Walls painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball. Superking bed, Button & Sprung. Bedside tables, Cox & Cox.
Walls painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball. Superking bed, Button & Sprung. Bedside tables, Cox & Cox.
The master dressing room features a window seat and floor-to-ceiling built-in wardrobes. The joinery was painted a light colour to ensure it didn’t overwhelm the space.
Cupboards painted in Shingle, Neptune. Light fitting, Endon Collection.
Cupboards painted in Shingle, Neptune. Light fitting, Endon Collection.
“In the master en suite, I decided to go bold, as I think that works well in smaller spaces,” Kirsty says. “The teal colour doesn’t feel overbearing in here because of all the white elements, such as the bespoke vanity unit.”
Walls painted in Inchyra Blue, Farrow & Ball. Brick tiles, Porcelain Superstore. LVT flooring, Amtico. Bath, Burlington. Taps, Crosswater.
Walls painted in Inchyra Blue, Farrow & Ball. Brick tiles, Porcelain Superstore. LVT flooring, Amtico. Bath, Burlington. Taps, Crosswater.
The first floor plan.
Kirsty continued her high-contrast colour palette right up to the guest bedroom at the top of the house, with a navy feature wall beautifully framing the buttoned bedhead.
Walls painted in Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball. Navy wallpaper, Family Wallpapers. Bed, Loaf.
Walls painted in Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball. Navy wallpaper, Family Wallpapers. Bed, Loaf.
“I got so lucky with the bath in the guest bathroom,” Kirsty says. “It’s a small one – not massively expensive – and just fitted perfectly into that space. I love placing baths under big windows, because when you’re lying there looking out, it just feels so relaxing.”
Bath, Victoria Plum. Bespoke double vanity unit, Parker Howley & Co. Basin tap; bath mixer, both Crosswater.
Bath, Victoria Plum. Bespoke double vanity unit, Parker Howley & Co. Basin tap; bath mixer, both Crosswater.
Surprisingly, given the amount of work the couple ended up doing, and in spite of unforeseen challenges such as lockdown, which threatened to delay the build, the project only took a year to complete. “Creating a home is stressful,” Kirsty says, “but it’s such a satisfying thing to do.”
Mirror, Neptune. Seagrass baskets, H&M. Parquet flooring, Karndean.
Mirror, Neptune. Seagrass baskets, H&M. Parquet flooring, Karndean.
The second floor plan.
Tell us…
What do you like about this elegantly designed Edwardian home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you like about this elegantly designed Edwardian home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? Interior designer Kirsty Niven, her husband, Tony, and their two young sons, Max and Ollie
Location Oxted, Surrey
Property A detached Edwardian house
Size Five bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Kirsty Niven of Kirsty Elizabeth Interiors
Photos by Anna Stathaki
The kitchen, which is in the rear single-storey extension, is south-facing and flooded with natural light thanks to two rooflights and a wall of windows and glazed doors.
The colour scheme is a mix of pale tones and deeper hues, with an oatmeal shade on the wall cabinets and an off-black on the island. Kirsty decided to extend the light and dark palette throughout the property to create a connected feel.
Rooflights, Velux. Wall cabinets painted in Silver Birch; island painted in Charcoal, both Neptune.