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Houzz Tour: Old Meets New in a Refreshed Georgian Townhouse
Before and after photos show how this home is a masterclass in mixing inherited antiques with modern finds and artworks
Inherited family heirlooms are often treasured pieces, but, for some of us, using and appreciating these antiques in a 21st-century family home can be a real challenge. That was exactly the dilemma faced by the owners of this Georgian townhouse, so they approached Deborah Moor and Caroline Nicholls of Slightly Quirky to overhaul their home.
“There were lots of beautiful, vintage pieces of furniture the owners had inherited from family members,” Caroline Nicholls explains. “But they felt the house didn’t reflect their personalities. They love antiques and modern style, but needed help to pull it all together in a creative, eclectic, relaxed look.”
“There were lots of beautiful, vintage pieces of furniture the owners had inherited from family members,” Caroline Nicholls explains. “But they felt the house didn’t reflect their personalities. They love antiques and modern style, but needed help to pull it all together in a creative, eclectic, relaxed look.”
The walls were painted in a striking dark blue, creating a dramatic backdrop for the inherited furniture, which has been reupholstered in sumptuous jewel colours.
There’s lots of artwork throughout the house. “The owners have an extensive art collection, which they wanted to display and enjoy in spaces that complemented and enhanced the work,” Nicholls says.
Walls painted in Juniper Ash, Little Greene. Bespoke cushion made from fabric by GP&J Baker. IC T1 table lamp, Flos.
There’s lots of artwork throughout the house. “The owners have an extensive art collection, which they wanted to display and enjoy in spaces that complemented and enhanced the work,” Nicholls says.
Walls painted in Juniper Ash, Little Greene. Bespoke cushion made from fabric by GP&J Baker. IC T1 table lamp, Flos.
The front living room before the revamp. It was rarely used by the owners before it was overhauled.
Moving along to the rear of the upper-ground floor, the new TV/reading room is now a calm and sophisticated space, furnished with a mix of modern and vintage pieces.
Chair; cushion, both Atkin and Thyme. Birdie copper table lamp, Foscarini. Low unit, Swoon Editions.
Chair; cushion, both Atkin and Thyme. Birdie copper table lamp, Foscarini. Low unit, Swoon Editions.
The reading room is painted in a clean and understated mid grey.
Walls painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.
Walls painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.
Beige tones in the reading room before the revamp.
The upper-ground-floor hallway sets the tone for the rest of the townhouse, with a sophisticated colour palette and a mix of old and new pieces.
“We wanted to keep the hallway light and bright, and there was quite a lot of artwork to display, so this added the colour,” says the designer. “We also wanted a contrast between the walls and the woodwork, so we used a slightly darker shade for the skirting boards and doors.”
Walls painted in French Grey; woodwork painted in French Grey Dark, both Little Greene. Tom Dixon Melt pendant light, Heal’s.
“We wanted to keep the hallway light and bright, and there was quite a lot of artwork to display, so this added the colour,” says the designer. “We also wanted a contrast between the walls and the woodwork, so we used a slightly darker shade for the skirting boards and doors.”
Walls painted in French Grey; woodwork painted in French Grey Dark, both Little Greene. Tom Dixon Melt pendant light, Heal’s.
A before shot of the entrance hall.
A mix of styles and a restrained colour palette in the master bedroom creates a relaxing, light-filled space.
The feature wall behind the bed is painted in a moody grey, an elegant contrast with the pale grey elsewhere in the room.
Feature wall painted in Mole’s Breath, Farrow & Ball. Other walls painted in French Grey Pale, Little Greene. Side tables, Kartell. Bedside lamps, Rockett St George.
Discover tricks to make your master bedroom feel bigger
The feature wall behind the bed is painted in a moody grey, an elegant contrast with the pale grey elsewhere in the room.
Feature wall painted in Mole’s Breath, Farrow & Ball. Other walls painted in French Grey Pale, Little Greene. Side tables, Kartell. Bedside lamps, Rockett St George.
Discover tricks to make your master bedroom feel bigger
The master bedroom was previously tired, cluttered and dark.
Dark wood furniture complements the stone shades in the master bedroom, with bright accents in the form of accessories adding energy.
Chest of drawers, Swoon Editions. Cushions, Atkin and Thyme.
Chest of drawers, Swoon Editions. Cushions, Atkin and Thyme.
Slightly Quirky replaced the freestanding wardrobes in the master bedroom with a neat, bespoke, fitted design and painted them to match the rest of the woodwork in the room.
The chair is upholstered in a vibrant, multi-coloured fabric called Barcelona Rio Velvet by GP&J Baker.
Wardrobes painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.
The chair is upholstered in a vibrant, multi-coloured fabric called Barcelona Rio Velvet by GP&J Baker.
Wardrobes painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.
The couple’s younger daughter requested pink in her first-floor bedroom, so the team refreshed the wardrobe with a lick of neon bright paint and added a bold pink desk chair.
“We only used blue halfway up the wall as there was a natural break line where the wall sloped down and met the top of the desk. It also adds interest,” says Nicholls.
Wardrobe painted in Mischief; furniture and bottom half of the walls painted in Bone China Deep Blue, both Little Greene.
“We only used blue halfway up the wall as there was a natural break line where the wall sloped down and met the top of the desk. It also adds interest,” says Nicholls.
Wardrobe painted in Mischief; furniture and bottom half of the walls painted in Bone China Deep Blue, both Little Greene.
The bedroom before the refresh.
The en suite shower room to the daughter’s bedroom was overhauled with geometric floor tiles – a modern take on a period style – and new fixtures and fittings.
Tiles, Original Tiles.
Tiles, Original Tiles.
The shower room pre-makeover.
The eldest daughter’s bedroom is at the rear of the first floor.
“The bookshelves and desk were existing, but we repainted them,” explains Nicholls. “The vibrant colour inside gives some added interest.”
What do you think of this relaxed, colourful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
“The bookshelves and desk were existing, but we repainted them,” explains Nicholls. “The vibrant colour inside gives some added interest.”
What do you think of this relaxed, colourful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here A family with two daughters
Location Chiswick, west London
Property A Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse
Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Designer Caroline Nicholls, senior interior designer, and founder Deborah Moor at Slightly Quirky
Photos by Anna Stathaki
Having lived in their handsome Georgian townhouse for almost two decades, the owners decided the property was looking tired and wasn’t being used to its full potential.
“Some rooms felt dark, despite the large windows, and they wanted to bring more life into the reception spaces, especially their front living room, which they rarely even used,” says Caroline Nicholls. “The intention was to be true to the style and period of the house, yet also inject some vibrancy and personality. We used the owner’s existing antique furniture (all had been inherited from her mother), but had the pieces reupholstered in vibrant modern fabrics.”
The property is spread out over four storeys, with the kitchen, dining room and utility room on the lower-ground floor, and the main living room on the upper-ground floor at the front of the house. Slightly Quirky were brought in to help with the three upper floors.
“When the owners first moved in, this room had a 1950s fireplace, so they replaced it with an original Georgian design,” Nicholls says.
Bespoke overmantel mirror, Overmantels. Ottoman, upholstered by John Miller in GP&J Baker fabric.