Houzz Tour: A Victorian Family Home That Exudes Relaxed Elegance
Going for a traditional look and a soft colour palette gave this house a stylish update that will stand the test of time
Although Beth Dadswell describes the large London property she was brought in to redecorate and furnish as simply “a little tired”, it wasn’t long before the brief grew and she and her team became indispensable to a much bigger project. The family had recently moved in with their little girl and, with another baby on the way, they’d been keen to complete the work as quickly as possible. However, once the builders discovered the kitchen extension was damp, the project began to spiral.
“As often happens once building work starts, they ended up renovating all of the bathrooms and rebuilding the kitchen extension,” Beth says. “We helped with the kitchen, the flooring and the rear garden, and put them in touch with the builder we use regularly.”
“As often happens once building work starts, they ended up renovating all of the bathrooms and rebuilding the kitchen extension,” Beth says. “We helped with the kitchen, the flooring and the rear garden, and put them in touch with the builder we use regularly.”
Beth decided to stick to a broadly traditional style, in keeping with the Victorian heritage of the building. For the living room, she chose a calm, neutral palette, with pale grey for the walls, then mixed in some colour and texture with the fabrics and furnishings.
The size of the living room and position of the door limited the scale of the furniture, so she opted for sofas and chairs that were comfortable but not too bulky.
“Although this room isn’t huge, [the owners] wanted it to feel grown-up and elegant, so we installed an oak parquet floor,” Beth says.
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The size of the living room and position of the door limited the scale of the furniture, so she opted for sofas and chairs that were comfortable but not too bulky.
“Although this room isn’t huge, [the owners] wanted it to feel grown-up and elegant, so we installed an oak parquet floor,” Beth says.
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To increase the feeling of grandeur and symmetry, Beth chose two chests of drawers and complementary mirrors to place either side of the chimney breast. She also fitted generous, full-length linen curtains.
Chests of drawers; mirrors, all Cox & Cox.
Chests of drawers; mirrors, all Cox & Cox.
“We then added some colour with contrasting patterned cushions and a large rug, which tied all the furniture together,” Beth says.
“This is the first room you see as you enter the house,” she adds, “so I felt it had to set the tone for the decoration throughout.”
“This is the first room you see as you enter the house,” she adds, “so I felt it had to set the tone for the decoration throughout.”
It was decided that the best way to address the damp problems in the kitchen extension was to remove the wall along the original side return and rebuild it.
The team added new steels and frameless skylights, along with new steel-framed glazing at the back overlooking the garden, as the family were keen for the room to be flooded with natural light.
Lockdown delayed delivery of the glazing, so a temporary wall had to be installed for several months to allow work to continue, and the family temporarily moved out.
You might also enjoy A Beginner’s Guide to Roof Windows, Rooflights and Skylights.
The team added new steels and frameless skylights, along with new steel-framed glazing at the back overlooking the garden, as the family were keen for the room to be flooded with natural light.
Lockdown delayed delivery of the glazing, so a temporary wall had to be installed for several months to allow work to continue, and the family temporarily moved out.
You might also enjoy A Beginner’s Guide to Roof Windows, Rooflights and Skylights.
High on the couple’s ‘kitchen wish list’ was a generously sized island, and Beth managed to position it so there was still space next to the French windows for a dining table and built-in bench.
“[The owners] were really keen for the kitchen-diner to be somewhere their friends and family could join them for relaxed dinners, and they also needed somewhere practical for feeding two small children,” she says.
Kitchen, Tom Howley.
“[The owners] were really keen for the kitchen-diner to be somewhere their friends and family could join them for relaxed dinners, and they also needed somewhere practical for feeding two small children,” she says.
Kitchen, Tom Howley.
While the kitchen is a blend of contemporary and traditional touches, making sure the extension felt like a natural continuation of the original property was key.
“The couple wanted to continue the calm, elegant feel planned for the rest of the house in here,” Beth says.
“The couple wanted to continue the calm, elegant feel planned for the rest of the house in here,” Beth says.
Off-white walls with a hint of warmth help to keep the room feeling bright and fresh, and maximise the natural light.
Walls painted in Slaked Lime, Little Greene. Wall lights, Pooky. Dining table and chairs, Neptune.
Walls painted in Slaked Lime, Little Greene. Wall lights, Pooky. Dining table and chairs, Neptune.
The downstairs cloakroom was added during the renovation. As the ceiling was so high, Beth visually divided the space with tongue-and-groove panelling on the lower section.
“We also put in pretty patterned porcelain floor tiles, which add warmth and colour, and are practical for a space that’s inevitably going to be used by lots of small children,” she says.
“We also put in pretty patterned porcelain floor tiles, which add warmth and colour, and are practical for a space that’s inevitably going to be used by lots of small children,” she says.
Next to the kitchen is an additional space that serves as both a snug and a playroom. Beth decided to elevate it with some sumptuous sofas in a bold blue velvet.
“I love how elegant this room looks, with its dramatic corner sofa and big cushions,” she says.
“I love how elegant this room looks, with its dramatic corner sofa and big cushions,” she says.
A matching footstool doubles as a coffee table, as well as a place for some handy extra storage.
Sofas, sofa.com.
Sofas, sofa.com.
In the family bathroom, Beth continued the soft neutral colour scheme, and added pale blue and pink patterned porcelain floor tiles for a touch of warmth.
She fitted in everything the family needed, including a large, marble-tiled, walk-in shower, without the space feeling crowded. “We also managed to squeeze in a large double vanity unit, wall lights and a bespoke mirror, so although the room’s small and we had a limited budget, it still feels special,” she says.
She fitted in everything the family needed, including a large, marble-tiled, walk-in shower, without the space feeling crowded. “We also managed to squeeze in a large double vanity unit, wall lights and a bespoke mirror, so although the room’s small and we had a limited budget, it still feels special,” she says.
With an eye to the future, the couple went for muted colours that weren’t too babyish for the children’s rooms. “We chose pieces of furniture that will still work when they’re older, and added texture and contrast with pretty rugs, woven baskets for storing toys, and linen black-out Roman blinds,” Beth says.
“We also added a very comfortable sofa-bed for the nursery, with plenty of deep cushions on there for nursing through those long nights.”
“We also added a very comfortable sofa-bed for the nursery, with plenty of deep cushions on there for nursing through those long nights.”
The guest bedroom is decorated in natural, earthy tones to add warmth.
Bed, Neptune. Bedside table, Cox & Cox. Walls painted in French Grey Mid, Little Greene.
Bed, Neptune. Bedside table, Cox & Cox. Walls painted in French Grey Mid, Little Greene.
The main bedroom, at the front of the house, has large windows flooding it with light, so Beth went for cooler colours in here.
“It gets very warm in the summer and is overlooked by the houses opposite, so we added privacy panels and dramatic, full-length curtains to help keep it cool,” she says.
“It gets very warm in the summer and is overlooked by the houses opposite, so we added privacy panels and dramatic, full-length curtains to help keep it cool,” she says.
There was no built-in storage in here, so Beth had a couple of wardrobes fitted in the alcoves. “We also had space for a dressing table with a bespoke stool in the bay window, and added a pair of marble-topped chests [of drawers] with a matching pair of table lamps for additional storage,” she says.
Bed, Loaf. Throw, Oka. Pendant light, The White Company.
Bed, Loaf. Throw, Oka. Pendant light, The White Company.
“I love the combination of colours and patterns in this room, as well as the fact that it feels very calm,” Beth says.
Chests of drawers, Loaf.
Chests of drawers, Loaf.
With the final touches complete, the family were able to move back in and were thrilled with the end result.
“They love the fact that it feels very ‘them’,” Beth says. “I really enjoyed working on this project, [because] although they wanted a traditional look, they were really open to exploring new ideas.”
Tell us…
What do you think of Beth’s redesign of this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
“They love the fact that it feels very ‘them’,” Beth says. “I really enjoyed working on this project, [because] although they wanted a traditional look, they were really open to exploring new ideas.”
Tell us…
What do you think of Beth’s redesign of this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A professional couple with two young children
Location Balham, south London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Size Five bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors
Photos by Chris Snook
While the couple wanted a complete refresh, they were keen to make considered choices that weren’t too influenced by current trends.
“They were drawn to neutral wall colours lifted with blues and pinks, natural textures and tactile fabrics such as linen and velvet,” Beth says. “They wanted to avoid anything that would date too quickly, or colours that were too bright.”
Walls painted in French Grey Pale, Little Greene. Sofas, Sofa.com.