Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: An Edwardian Flat with Midcentury Appeal
This home in an iconic Beaux Arts building has been given an imaginative makeover that's added style and character
From its stunning Edwardian setting, to its structural features and cool furniture, this apartment oozes vintage charm. But all is not as it seems… those enviable teak and rosewood pieces, and that classic black-framed window may look decades old, but in fact they’re all brand new. “We tried to get furniture with that old-school feeling to it, but within the right budget,” explains Kia Stanford, who transformed the apartment. “We wanted to pull the old and new together.”
A mirror echoes the rectangles of the window above. “It reflects back into the room and opens up the space even more,” says Stanford.
Most of the pieces are new takes on vintage pieces. “All of it has that old-school feeling, but they’re actually new pieces of furniture. We didn’t want it to feel like things had been bought in bulk, so we’ve got walnut in there, we’ve got teak, and the floor is beech.”
Midcentury media unit, West Elm. Aspect Mirror, Made.com.
Tressino wall light (S7042), Astro Lighting.
Browse more midcentury furniture in the Houzz shop
Most of the pieces are new takes on vintage pieces. “All of it has that old-school feeling, but they’re actually new pieces of furniture. We didn’t want it to feel like things had been bought in bulk, so we’ve got walnut in there, we’ve got teak, and the floor is beech.”
Midcentury media unit, West Elm. Aspect Mirror, Made.com.
Tressino wall light (S7042), Astro Lighting.
Browse more midcentury furniture in the Houzz shop
This before photo shows the mezzanine level with its wooden railings, which have since been replaced by a black-framed metal window.
Above the living room, the revamped mezzanine makes the perfect chill-out zone. “It’s great for movie nights and if friends end up staying over. The window means you can be up there watching a film and not disturb anyone below.”
Knitted pouffes by Malicious Fox on Etsy. Blue Breton matt emulsion, Dulux. Wall Bracket Light by LayerTree, Not on the Highstreet.
See more ways to fit a guest bed in a small space
Knitted pouffes by Malicious Fox on Etsy. Blue Breton matt emulsion, Dulux. Wall Bracket Light by LayerTree, Not on the Highstreet.
See more ways to fit a guest bed in a small space
This before photo shows how curtains (now replaced by blinds) blocked out the light.
The original parquet floor had to be completely refurbished. “The client wanted to replace it and he took a bit of convincing, but it goes really well with the style of furniture he likes. We had to guarantee that it would look good.”
The client had the neon sign made to order.
Santiago armchair, Maisons du Monde. Stellar white marble side table, Atkin and Thyme.
The client had the neon sign made to order.
Santiago armchair, Maisons du Monde. Stellar white marble side table, Atkin and Thyme.
Layered rugs create an informal feel in the living room: “When you have a room that’s so very square, adding more square furniture can take away from the relaxed feel, but these rugs keep it informal.” The runner was left by the previous owner and the client already had the cowhide, but the large cream rug was bought for the apartment. “It’s so soft and is really lovely to sit on, and it gives that relaxed feeling.”
The owner socialises at home, so Stanford was keen to create a room that’s flexible. “He often has people over to watch the football and that kind of thing. Here, everyone can sit around for a glass of wine, or if everyone is watching the TV he can bring the footstool pouffes from upstairs down here. It’s a nice, easy-to-manoeuvre space.”
Sato coffee table and sofa, Swoon Editions. Axo Spillray orange pendant light, Italian Lighting Centre. Rope rug, Plantation Rug Company.
Browse more rugs in the Houzz shop
The owner socialises at home, so Stanford was keen to create a room that’s flexible. “He often has people over to watch the football and that kind of thing. Here, everyone can sit around for a glass of wine, or if everyone is watching the TV he can bring the footstool pouffes from upstairs down here. It’s a nice, easy-to-manoeuvre space.”
Sato coffee table and sofa, Swoon Editions. Axo Spillray orange pendant light, Italian Lighting Centre. Rope rug, Plantation Rug Company.
Browse more rugs in the Houzz shop
Stanford installed plenty of lighting in the hallway as there’s no natural light here. The contrasting paint shades draw attention to the striking cut-out wall.
Concrete pendant light, Not on the Highstreet.
Concrete pendant light, Not on the Highstreet.
A mouthwatering combination of blue and pink are used to stunning effect in the hallway.
“The blue looks like the same shade as the one we used on the mezzanine, but the lighting in these two areas is extremely different, so we had to pick a completely different colour.”
Pink Bunting and Lost Lake matt emulsion, Dulux. Anthracite Horizontal Flat Panel Electric Designer Radiator, part of the Capri range at Milano Heating.
“The blue looks like the same shade as the one we used on the mezzanine, but the lighting in these two areas is extremely different, so we had to pick a completely different colour.”
Pink Bunting and Lost Lake matt emulsion, Dulux. Anthracite Horizontal Flat Panel Electric Designer Radiator, part of the Capri range at Milano Heating.
Bespoke storage was the most efficient solution in the compact bedroom. “It meant we could make the best possible use of the space against the wall.”
Searchlight ceiling pendant, Castlegate Lights. Tripod lamps, Habitat.
Searchlight ceiling pendant, Castlegate Lights. Tripod lamps, Habitat.
Contemporary furniture with a midcentury vibe gives the bedroom character without things getting fussy. Pure white walls create a crisp backdrop.
Chest of drawers, Swoon Editions. Clerkenwell bed, Soak & Sleep.
Chest of drawers, Swoon Editions. Clerkenwell bed, Soak & Sleep.
The ensuite bathroom was the most significant part of the redesign. “We completely flipped the layout,” says Stanford. “The toilet had been on the left-hand side with a huge amount of space around it, while the shower had been crammed into a tiny space. Now we’ve got a gorgeous big shower where the toilet used to be.” Basic metro tiles laid in a herringbone design are a simple way to add interest.
Ronda vanity unit and Tre Mercati Milan mixer tap, both Victorian Plumbing. Alana mirror, Made.com.
Get ideas for all the different ways to lay tiles
Ronda vanity unit and Tre Mercati Milan mixer tap, both Victorian Plumbing. Alana mirror, Made.com.
Get ideas for all the different ways to lay tiles
The toilet is now positioned in the alcove where the shower used to be. “The client is 6ft plus and he was really struggling to shower in that space without cracking his elbow every single time!”
A yellow door leads from the top of the stairs out onto the main terrace. “It’s so much fun to have this really bright colour here,” says Stanford.
Barbecue, Big Green Egg.
Californian Sands 1 paint, Dulux.
Barbecue, Big Green Egg.
Californian Sands 1 paint, Dulux.
Before the renovation, the terrace was neglected and seldom used.
Stanford covered the floor with a low-maintenance ‘floating’ polyresin and sourced dining and lounge furniture. “We would probably have painted the bannisters outside if we’d been allowed to, but we couldn’t as they’re part of the main building, which is listed.”
Stanford covered the floor with a low-maintenance ‘floating’ polyresin and sourced dining and lounge furniture. “We would probably have painted the bannisters outside if we’d been allowed to, but we couldn’t as they’re part of the main building, which is listed.”
There are enviable views across London from the terrace. “My client loves entertaining out here so we really worked hard to make sure he’d be able to use it as much of the year as possible,” says Stanford. “We bought fire pits so even when it gets a bit nippy he can still use the outside space really well.”
Dining set, Habitat.
Parasol, Ikea. Lounge furniture available from Fenwick.
Do you have midcentury-style pieces in your home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Dining set, Habitat.
Parasol, Ikea. Lounge furniture available from Fenwick.
Do you have midcentury-style pieces in your home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Who lives here A single professional and his flatmate
Location Holloway, London
Property An apartment in a converted Beaux Arts building, formerly owned by the Post Office
Size 2 bedrooms plus a mezzanine and 2 bathrooms
Designer Kia Stanford of Kia Designs
Photos by Anna Stathaki
Choosing a new home is all about recognising potential. The owner of this now-splendid apartment inherited a rather uninspiring interior, but he knew there was plenty of scope for improvement. And he knew who to call for help. “He really liked the space and adored the light, but it was pretty run down,” says Stanford. “I don’t think anything had been done to it in about 15 years, so everything needed to be picked up and helped along a little bit.”
The main tasks were overhauling the bathroom and terrace, and restoring the original floor in the living room. The neglected mezzanine needed attention, too, and Stanford came up with the idea of installing a modern version of a period-sensitive bar glazed window to create a more private space. “It very much mirrors the original windows that it faces,” she explains.
And then came the furniture. Arriving with next to nothing, her client asked her to kit out the entire apartment, creating an end result which looks evolved rather than instant. “He wanted it to feel modern, but didn’t want it to look like he’d bought all his furniture from one shop. He wanted it to look like it had a history to it.”
Internal window, made to order, The Heritage Window Company. Sheldon drop-leaf table, Frances Hunt. Lule dining chairs, Made.com