Houzz Tour: A Period Semi with a Luxe Mix of Colours and Textures
A light-filled interior filled with rich materials and finishes creates understated opulence in this Victorian home
“It was one of those properties that just had so much potential,” says interior designer Ross McNally of the Victorian semi in Balham that he and his team from Scarinish Studio were brought in to revamp. The house was undergoing an ambitious renovation that involved adding an extension at the back and building up into the loft and down into the basement.
“Beforehand, it was just a traditional terraced house with your standard front and back rooms, but we were brought in right at the beginning, so were involved in key decisions with proposed plans,” he says. “Then we were given a blank canvas.”
“Beforehand, it was just a traditional terraced house with your standard front and back rooms, but we were brought in right at the beginning, so were involved in key decisions with proposed plans,” he says. “Then we were given a blank canvas.”
The team also removed the wall at the end of the living room and extended into the garden to expand the kitchen. This created extra space that flows right through and opens up the perspective.
“Now when you first come in, you see this airy space that’s flooded with natural light, and you get a visual all the way through to the garden,” Ross says.
But the biggest gain in terms of floor space was that they dug out the basement under the house. “You can now walk down from the living room and you’re in a gym/utility/basement space that runs almost the full footprint of the room above,” he says.
Sofa; chairs; coffee table, all Soho Home. Rug, Floor Story. Chandelier, InscapesDesign.
“Now when you first come in, you see this airy space that’s flooded with natural light, and you get a visual all the way through to the garden,” Ross says.
But the biggest gain in terms of floor space was that they dug out the basement under the house. “You can now walk down from the living room and you’re in a gym/utility/basement space that runs almost the full footprint of the room above,” he says.
Sofa; chairs; coffee table, all Soho Home. Rug, Floor Story. Chandelier, InscapesDesign.
Although many of the original features weren’t salvageable, the owners were keen to retain elements of the home’s heritage.
“They wanted little touches that hark back to the Victorian era, so we introduced cornicing throughout the rooms,” Ross says. “We also worked with a local stained glass artist to make them a new front door.”
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“They wanted little touches that hark back to the Victorian era, so we introduced cornicing throughout the rooms,” Ross says. “We also worked with a local stained glass artist to make them a new front door.”
Find reviewed interior designers in your area on Houzz.
The couple are art lovers and wanted to add to their collection, so Ross introduced them to some of his art school friends from Glasgow, including Roddy MacNeill, whose artworks (two of which can be seen here) they loved. This turned out to be an unexpected inspiration for much of the interior.
“We worked with the artists to create a lot of custom artwork and that started sparking an interest in materials,” Ross says. “So materiality was very much at the core of the concept, and every single design choice was led with the question of what the material should be.”
In the living room, Ross introduced punches of colour with midcentury modern furniture, while brass finishes and sustainably sourced wooden flooring add warmth and a feeling of restrained opulence.
“We worked with the artists to create a lot of custom artwork and that started sparking an interest in materials,” Ross says. “So materiality was very much at the core of the concept, and every single design choice was led with the question of what the material should be.”
In the living room, Ross introduced punches of colour with midcentury modern furniture, while brass finishes and sustainably sourced wooden flooring add warmth and a feeling of restrained opulence.
Keeping the walls pale throughout lets the artwork take centre stage and maximises natural light.
“We didn’t want to go too crazy with the base tone in the space,” Ross says. “As the art was very colourful and vibrant, we wanted to be quite understated.”
“We didn’t want to go too crazy with the base tone in the space,” Ross says. “As the art was very colourful and vibrant, we wanted to be quite understated.”
Plush upholstered barstools add a flash of colour next to the sleek, marble-look island.
Dining table, Tom Dixon.
Dining table, Tom Dixon.
A bar area by the door to the garden is perfectly positioned for when the couple entertain – either in the kitchen or outdoors – and features a custom-made gold mesh sliding door for an extra touch of glamour.
A terrazzo splashback with a white background and chips of minty green and black adds another layer of texture.
Tiles, Terrazzo Tiles. Handles, Dowsing & Reynolds.
Tiles, Terrazzo Tiles. Handles, Dowsing & Reynolds.
Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry maximises the storage space and gives a clean finish. A flash of glamorous brass for the plinths ties in with the other brass details around the room.
Pendant lights, InscapesDesign. Quartz worktops, Cosentino.
Pendant lights, InscapesDesign. Quartz worktops, Cosentino.
As the amount of structural work undertaken was costly, Ross was limited in the choices he could make, but focused on not letting it show in the end result.
“The extent of the work was huge, which meant there were budget constraints,” he says. “So we used standard units in the kitchen and then added doors with fluted MDF that are sprayed to create a premium-looking panel.”
More: 16 Ideas for Adding Gentle Texture With Fluted Surfaces
“The extent of the work was huge, which meant there were budget constraints,” he says. “So we used standard units in the kitchen and then added doors with fluted MDF that are sprayed to create a premium-looking panel.”
More: 16 Ideas for Adding Gentle Texture With Fluted Surfaces
In the previously overgrown garden, the couple wanted to create a secluded outdoor space primarily for entertaining. “The brief was to create a flow from the kitchen to the terrace, so we used the same big concrete tiles for both areas,” Ross says.
“We designed a very private area with a living wall on the left, and introduced a vertical slatted element at the back in iroko, so there’s a warm piece that draws your eye to it,” he says.
“We designed a very private area with a living wall on the left, and introduced a vertical slatted element at the back in iroko, so there’s a warm piece that draws your eye to it,” he says.
The garden now has a barbecue and a built-in fridge ready to create alfresco meals for friends. There’s also a relaxed seating area, plus a ping-pong table that doubles as a dining table when required.
You & Me outdoor ping-pong table, The Conran Shop. Mesh 3-seater sofa by Patricia Urquiola, Kettal. Floor tiles, Domus.
You & Me outdoor ping-pong table, The Conran Shop. Mesh 3-seater sofa by Patricia Urquiola, Kettal. Floor tiles, Domus.
The custom-made balustrade repeats the brass finish theme that runs throughout the house and also echoes the vertical flutes on the kitchen units.
Up in the main bedroom suite, Ross chose a different ambience, with glamorous dark walls and a boutique hotel feel. “I like the unexpected surprises that people get as they go through the house for the first time,” he says.
Dark, textured plaster on the walls, finished with beeswax to give it a sheen, creates a moody vibe at night and reflects the light during the day.
Bedside tables, Soho Home.
Dark, textured plaster on the walls, finished with beeswax to give it a sheen, creates a moody vibe at night and reflects the light during the day.
Bedside tables, Soho Home.
Midcentury-style brass lights with frosted globes are used throughout. Bespoke fluted glass doors create division between the bedroom, dressing room and bathroom.
“We had an abundance of tall spaces, which was great, so rather than putting in a 2m-high [solid] door, we decided to make it [transparent and] fluted,” Ross says.
Chandelier, InscapesDesign.
“We had an abundance of tall spaces, which was great, so rather than putting in a 2m-high [solid] door, we decided to make it [transparent and] fluted,” Ross says.
Chandelier, InscapesDesign.
Underfloor heating through the entire house was chosen with sustainability in mind as, typically, it uses up to 40% less energy, because it doesn’t need to be turned up as high as radiators to warm a room. The energy-saving Lutron system for the LED lights was picked for the same reasons and this can be controlled via an app.
Freestanding bath, Crosswater.
Freestanding bath, Crosswater.
At the top of the house, the new loft conversion features a guest bedroom and en suite, both deliberately offering up a completely different feel to the floor below, and an elegant hotel vibe with plenty of brass and marble.
In the en suite, the fluted glass shower screen combined with the fluted detailing on the door and drawer help to create a luxurious look.
Shower screen, Crosswater. Wall tiles, Mandarin Stone. Floor tiles, Domus.
In the en suite, the fluted glass shower screen combined with the fluted detailing on the door and drawer help to create a luxurious look.
Shower screen, Crosswater. Wall tiles, Mandarin Stone. Floor tiles, Domus.
In the basement cloakroom, the team went for a blush tone for contrast, an angled marble basin and another tall, fluted door.
Warm wood and crackle-glaze tiles add layers of texture and pick out the colours in the artwork.
Wall tiles, Mandarin Stone.
Wall tiles, Mandarin Stone.
Not only was the project extensive, it was also delayed by the pandemic, but, as part of their design service, Ross and his team were there to see it through from start to finish, which in the end took around two years.
When Ross visited the couple recently, he was delighted to find they’re still thrilled with their renovated home and in love with their kitchen and garden. But for him, the most successful element is the ‘wow’ factor when you enter. “It’s the sheer change of space you get,” he says, “the impact of that first huge visual as the stained-glass door swings open.”
Tell us…
Which ideas would you steal from this beautifully designed Victorian home? Let us know in the Comments.
When Ross visited the couple recently, he was delighted to find they’re still thrilled with their renovated home and in love with their kitchen and garden. But for him, the most successful element is the ‘wow’ factor when you enter. “It’s the sheer change of space you get,” he says, “the impact of that first huge visual as the stained-glass door swings open.”
Tell us…
Which ideas would you steal from this beautifully designed Victorian home? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? A professional couple and their French bulldog
Location Balham, south London
Property A semi-detached Victorian terraced house
Size Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Ross McNally of Scarinish Studio
Photos by David Cadzow
The owners spend much of their time travelling and wanted somewhere beautiful to come home to – a place where they could relax and entertain.
“Their biggest gripe was that it was all too compartmentalised,” Ross says. “The front door opened into a narrow hallway, so we took away that wall so now it’s all open plan.”