Houzz Tour: A Victorian Home Restored Around French Treasures
Reclaimed features and beloved antique pieces provided the starting point for this beautiful period renovation
The owners of this Victorian terraced house had a very particular request when they called in Marek Przychocki of Convert Construction to renovate their home. “They have a passion for French provincial furniture and wanted to incorporate key pieces into their property,” says Przychocki. The pieces included some reclaimed doors and an attractive garden gate. “We utilised these items and made them fit into our project,” says Przychocki.
The result is a carefully renovated home that not only features an extension, reconfiguration and loft conversion, but also manages to maintain an abundance of character and charm.
The result is a carefully renovated home that not only features an extension, reconfiguration and loft conversion, but also manages to maintain an abundance of character and charm.
A Shaker-style island unit sits at the centre of the room and provides plenty of work surface. The traditional style of the kitchen ties in with the pretty design of the antique dresser the owners had brought over from France.
The floor was removed in this room and underfloor heating installed beneath new limestone tiles.
See 10 more rear extension door ideas that aren’t wall to wall
The floor was removed in this room and underfloor heating installed beneath new limestone tiles.
See 10 more rear extension door ideas that aren’t wall to wall
A fireplace on the rear wall was removed and an alcove built to accommodate the range cooker. “It’s my favourite feature in this kitchen,” says Przychocki. “We painted the side panels with blackboard paint to provide a contrast to the white and to give the owners a useful place to write notes.”
For a similar range cooker, try Rangemaster.
For a similar range cooker, try Rangemaster.
An antique dining table sits beneath the roof lights, with angled wall lights overhead to provide illumination in the evenings.
The owners’ love of film and theatre is reflected in some of the artwork around the house, such as this eye-catching film poster. The couple used bright reds and yellows here to create a bold contrast to the neutral grey kitchen.
Bar stools, Tolix.
The owners’ love of film and theatre is reflected in some of the artwork around the house, such as this eye-catching film poster. The couple used bright reds and yellows here to create a bold contrast to the neutral grey kitchen.
Bar stools, Tolix.
Przychocki’s team constructed an MDF window bench in the extension’s alcove, with handy storage beneath the seat.
The pretty garden was completely repaved. Przychocki’s team then built a bench seat along the wall and a barbecue area next to it. The olive tree on the right conceals the barbecue area, which has timber storage above and a fireplace below.
The garden wall was rebuilt around this beautiful reclaimed gate – a favourite of the owners.
Przychocki constructed a timber panel above the gate to fall in line with the top of it.
The living room at the front of the property was redecorated and a pre-treated engineered oak floor laid throughout. The original fireplace needed a revamp, so Przychocki’s team restored it and added a smart new hearth and tiles.
“We also restored the windows and built the shutters,” says Przychocki. The elegant shutters add to the sense of period charm.
Want to enhance your Victorian home? Embrace these heritage features
“We also restored the windows and built the shutters,” says Przychocki. The elegant shutters add to the sense of period charm.
Want to enhance your Victorian home? Embrace these heritage features
The doors that divide the living room and library area were one of the biggest challenges for the building team. “They’re reclaimed French doors,” explains Przychocki. “They were old and bent, so we had to straighten them up. We then built the wall to the exact measurements and fitted them into place.” The job was made even more tricky by the fact that they’re folding doors.
At the rear of the library is a wall of shelves. “The owners had seen something similar, so we recreated it for them,” says Przychocki.
Behind these shelves is the back wall of the kitchen, where the range cooker sits. “The bottom shelves are removable and reveal an access panel for all the underfloor heating controls,” says Przychocki.
Behind these shelves is the back wall of the kitchen, where the range cooker sits. “The bottom shelves are removable and reveal an access panel for all the underfloor heating controls,” says Przychocki.
The hallway floor required some clever craftsmanship as the layout was changed to accommodate a new understairs cloakroom. “The original mosaic tiles finished halfway along the corridor with the previous layout, so we needed to carry the pattern through,” explains Przychocki. The team carefully removed tiles from the original hallway area behind the rear door, and also purchased some matching ones online. They then tiled the rest of the floor to create a seamless pattern.
The area under the stairs was the perfect place to fit a small but functional cloakroom.
For a similar Edwardian basin, try the Burlington, Victorian Plumbing.
For a similar Edwardian basin, try the Burlington, Victorian Plumbing.
The stairs lead up to a carpeted landing and first floor. “This whole floor was reconfigured to make way for the new staircase leading to the loft,” says Przychocki. “We removed doors and built some new ones.”
The original banisters were recreated upstairs using bespoke versions.
The original banisters were recreated upstairs using bespoke versions.
In this first-floor guest bedroom, the owners wanted to add character with a fireplace. As there wasn’t one here, the team built a false one, which brings real period charm to the room.
La Volière pendant lamp, The Conran Shop
La Volière pendant lamp, The Conran Shop
The loft was converted into a guest bedroom. The bed sits neatly in the eaves and has a useful storage cupboard behind it.
To the left is an en suite, which is accessed via a pair of reclaimed French doors. This, once again, presented a challenge to the team, as they had to restore the doors and make them fit perfectly. The result is stunning and adds real character to the space.
To the left is an en suite, which is accessed via a pair of reclaimed French doors. This, once again, presented a challenge to the team, as they had to restore the doors and make them fit perfectly. The result is stunning and adds real character to the space.
The bathroom space was tight, as it sits directly above the stairs. “There was an issue with ceiling height and floor space,” explains Przychocki.
The elegant freestanding bath with claw feet is just 1.4m and fits the area perfectly.
What do you think of this renovated Victorian property? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
The elegant freestanding bath with claw feet is just 1.4m and fits the area perfectly.
What do you think of this renovated Victorian property? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here A couple
Location Chelsea, London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a cloakroom
Designer Marek Przychocki of Convert Construction
This bright, airy space had previously been home to a bathroom and a small kitchen. Przychocki and his team removed the dividing wall and built a mono-pitched roof extension on the side to open it up. Now light floods in from the new window and roof lights, as well as from the original French doors that lead to the garden.
“The owners loved these doors and wanted to leave them in, rather than replace them with modern alternatives,” says Przychocki.
Kitchen units, deVOL Kitchens. For similar lights, try the Bell blown glass pendant in small clear glass, Trouva.