Houzz Tour: Simple Finishes Highlight a Flat’s Period Character
Bright white walls, warm texture and immaculately restored features bring minimalist charm to a Georgian flat
Amanda Pollard
8 March 2020
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
A neutral palette might be beautiful and clean, but a bright white scheme can also show up a building’s imperfections. Happily, that’s not the case in this Georgian flat, as the team at Venta Construction ensured all structural elements and fittings were just right before any redecoration took place. The result is a tranquil space that shows off the home’s period features.
Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here? A young couple
Location London
Property Georgian Grade II-listed apartment
Size Two bedrooms and one bathroom
Designer Pier Ferraro of Venta Construction
Photos by Andrea Astarita
The owners of this Georgian flat were after quite a simple look for their home, with bright white walls that would show off the beautiful architecture of the space. First, however, there was some important structural work to do.
Walls painted in Off White, Dulux.
Who lives here? A young couple
Location London
Property Georgian Grade II-listed apartment
Size Two bedrooms and one bathroom
Designer Pier Ferraro of Venta Construction
Photos by Andrea Astarita
The owners of this Georgian flat were after quite a simple look for their home, with bright white walls that would show off the beautiful architecture of the space. First, however, there was some important structural work to do.
Walls painted in Off White, Dulux.
“The floors and ceilings were sagging quite a lot, so we needed to level them,” designer Pier Ferraro explains.
The flooring finishes were removed to expose the joists below. “On each existing joist, we attached another one at the right level,” Pier says. “We then reapplied the substrate and put new finishes on top.”
The ceiling finishes were also removed and a false ceiling was installed at the lowest height of the originals. “We lost around 15cm, which took the ceilings from 2.9m to 2.75m,” Pier says.
The flooring finishes were removed to expose the joists below. “On each existing joist, we attached another one at the right level,” Pier says. “We then reapplied the substrate and put new finishes on top.”
The ceiling finishes were also removed and a false ceiling was installed at the lowest height of the originals. “We lost around 15cm, which took the ceilings from 2.9m to 2.75m,” Pier says.
The team replaced all the damaged coving and skirting boards in the apartment. “As it’s a listed building, we had to replicate the original coving,” Pier says. “There were no restrictions on the skirting boards, so we went for a modern, softwood design.”
Downlights were installed in the living room ceiling, which gives the owners more flexibility when it comes to furniture layout.
Find local home builders for your project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Downlights were installed in the living room ceiling, which gives the owners more flexibility when it comes to furniture layout.
Find local home builders for your project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The levelled floor was fitted with durable engineered oak boards in a cappuccino shade. “We chose this in a slightly darker colour to contrast with the white walls,” Pier says. “The owners didn’t want it too dark, so this shade is perfect.”
As the floor had been altered, the team replaced the fireplace hearth with a new, cast-iron one.
They also built a column of shallow floating shelves between the two sash windows. “There were already shelves either side, so we replicated these with 18mm MDF and painted them the same colour as the walls,” Pier says.
They also built a column of shallow floating shelves between the two sash windows. “There were already shelves either side, so we replicated these with 18mm MDF and painted them the same colour as the walls,” Pier says.
The structural work in the flat took up most of the budget, so the owners were happy to go for a cost-effective kitchen. They chose simple, flat-fronted cabinets and a quartz worktop.
“We kept the layout the same as the existing one, as the services are all along one side,” Pier says.
The sink by the window is flanked by a fridge-freezer on the right and a boiler cupboard on the left. The rest of the space is packed with useful storage, including pan drawers and cupboards.
Kitchen cabinets, Ikea. Pendant lights, West Elm.
“We kept the layout the same as the existing one, as the services are all along one side,” Pier says.
The sink by the window is flanked by a fridge-freezer on the right and a boiler cupboard on the left. The rest of the space is packed with useful storage, including pan drawers and cupboards.
Kitchen cabinets, Ikea. Pendant lights, West Elm.
The veneered table and bench were made bespoke. “The couple showed us a picture of something they’d seen online,” Pier says. “We found a really good joiner, who recreated it for them.”
The lighting consists of practical spotlights and two glass pendants for ambience. There are also some integrated LED lights under the cabinets.
The lighting consists of practical spotlights and two glass pendants for ambience. There are also some integrated LED lights under the cabinets.
The rest of the flat was reconfigured to make it feel more spacious.
The wall between the two bathrooms, shown on this ‘before’ floorplan, was removed to form one larger room. As the perimeter walls of this space had to be removed when the floor was levelled, the team could reinstate them in a different position to give more room to the main bedroom.
The wall between the two bathrooms, shown on this ‘before’ floorplan, was removed to form one larger room. As the perimeter walls of this space had to be removed when the floor was levelled, the team could reinstate them in a different position to give more room to the main bedroom.
In this ‘after’ floorplan, you can see the team also removed the door from the hallway into the second bedroom and added a sliding door further along the narrow corridor. This gives more space to the hallway and an airier entrance to the flat.
In the original master bedroom, there were some flat-fronted wardrobes and a stepped wall to the side of the en suite bathroom door.
Removing the door to the original en suite and straightening up the wall (see floorplans) created space for a double bed. Pier added a push-catch door in the same design to the left-hand side of the wardrobes to create a neat, fitted run.
Two brass wall lights are ideal for bedtime reading. The owners chose the pendant light, but at first it hung too low. “It didn’t give a nice light in the low position,” Pier says, “so we shortened the cable to raise it to a higher point.”
Two brass wall lights are ideal for bedtime reading. The owners chose the pendant light, but at first it hung too low. “It didn’t give a nice light in the low position,” Pier says, “so we shortened the cable to raise it to a higher point.”
The owners didn’t want a freestanding vanity unit in the bathroom that would attract dirt either side. However, the budget didn’t stretch to a bespoke cabinet. So instead, Pier came up with a clever Ikea hack.
This double chest of drawers was adjusted slightly on one side to fit perfectly into the space. The two top drawers were shortened to accommodate the pipework, and a flat trap was also fitted beneath the basin. The countertop is practical composite.
Malm chest of six drawers, Ikea.
This double chest of drawers was adjusted slightly on one side to fit perfectly into the space. The two top drawers were shortened to accommodate the pipework, and a flat trap was also fitted beneath the basin. The countertop is practical composite.
Malm chest of six drawers, Ikea.
The shower enclosure is covered with marble-effect tiles and fitted with an extra-large shower rose and a handheld attachment. The team created a recessed shelf for easy storage of toiletries.
Carrara marble-style tiles, Total Tiles.
Carrara marble-style tiles, Total Tiles.
The couple use their second bedroom as a TV room, so they chose a cosy sofa that can be turned into a bed when needed.
Pier made use of the vertical space in this compact room with a row of ceiling-height cabinets in the same design as those in the master bedroom.
Tell us…
What do you like about this bright period apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Pier made use of the vertical space in this compact room with a row of ceiling-height cabinets in the same design as those in the master bedroom.
Tell us…
What do you like about this bright period apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Related Stories
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Midcentury Home With a Strong Indoor-outdoor Link
By Becky Harris
A nature-inspired renovation has given this ranch house a relaxed mood and a connection to the outdoors from most rooms
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Room Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Smart Layout and Genius Storage in a Victorian Home
Flipping the standard layout and carving out excellent storage have turned this tired house into a brilliant family home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Victorian House Brought Impressively Up to Date
By Jo Simmons
A cohesive layout and warm colours combined with energy-efficiency measures thoroughly modernise this terraced home
Full Story
Kitchen Tours
Kitchen Tour: An Open, Airy Space Made for Entertaining
Combining two separate rooms has improved flow and created a sociable open-plan kitchen, dining and seating space
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Inspired by its Seaside Location
Coastal colours and practical design combine to create a house that will adapt as the family grows
Full Story
Kitchens
5 Inspiring Before and After Kitchen Transformations
Whether you want to boost storage, incorporate original features or maximise your space, take ideas from these designs
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Airy, Scandi Finish for a Tall Victorian House
By Kate Burt
From a tricky inherited bath to a sticky-out staircase, on-site problem-solving led to a seamless update for an old home
Full Story
Who was the joiner who made the table and bench may I ask?
It would be helpful to have some room measurements
Gorgeous😍