An interior designer's Dulwich flat transformed into a creative family home
When Catherine Olley and her newly wedded husband Alex “scraped together all the money [they] had” to buy their first flat together, they were under the impression that it “only needed cosmetic renovation.” They were wrong. In a series of events that would make for a dramatic Grand Designs episode, the pair ended up tackling several unstable brick walls, all the damp-proofing, rewiring, re-plastering and a collapsed ceiling–and it was only once those issues had been dealt with that the couple could begin the decoration process they had originally bargained for.
Bought in the summer of 2018, the apartment in the south-east London neighbourhood of Dulwich represented the end of a long house hunting process for the couple. “It was pretty run down and had been empty for quite a few years, but it was the only one that had the bones of what we wanted in terms of space, garden and location," explains Catherine, adding, “our main criteria was to have somewhere big enough for a decent sized dining table and a decent sized sofa!" Indeed, the duo needed the space to be the right fit for their life as a young couple, as well as being relatively future proof.
Bizzarely, it was actually thanks to the house's structural issues that Catherine got the opportunity to address the flat's layout. As they re-plastered the wall in between the kitchen and the bathroom, it became vulnerable and ended up having to be taken down, which in turn caused the ceiling to start crumbling. “Luckily we were staying with my sister-in-law at the time… because the toilet was in the kitchen for a while," she reminisces amusedly. Whilst they did decide, naturally, that a new wall up would have to go up around the bathroom, they left the space between the dining room and kitchen open plan to allow for the large entertaining area the couple had wanted.
At the time Catherine was working for Louisa Penn Interiors, learning the craft of interior design from her, and the Dulwich flat was her chance to apply those lessons on her own. “We did a lot of the decorating ourselves and didn't go for the easy option at any point," she remarks. Truly, the finished house is an immense feat of creativity and craftsmanship from Catherine, whose idea of a ‘hands on process’ is perhaps bolder than most. Take the bedroom, for instance, where her own paintings are displayed on wallpaper hung by her, next to mirrors made by her–and even the roman blinds were made as a lockdown craft project.
Over in the living room - which presented the unusual challenge of having the front door opening right into it - Catherine was determined to use every trick up her sleeves to create a space that felt settled, rather than just an area for passing through. “It's a south-east facing room, which is bathed in sunlight in the morning, so it was important not to waste the space,” she comments. To achieve this, the couple put in joinery either side of the fireplace creating a charming vignette that greets you on entrance. Above the fireplace, Catherine crafted a Beata Heuman-inspired ‘TV cover’ out of Ikea frames, wallpaper scraps and a wooden frame.
Taking a space from an empty shell to a family house on a budget isn't a project to be undertaken lightly, but this flat is living proof that it can be done well. Catherine and her husband moved here as newlyweds looking for their first family home, and have left the space with two children, a dog and a burgeoning interior design business. Whilst you might think that's enough on the plate for anyone, the larger space they picked was “definitely a doer upper," laughs Catherine.
Kristin Perers1/7A marbleised lamp found in a French brocante has been partnered with a Pooky shade in Jade Taj silk. The striped armchair was an eBay find, reupholstered in a canvas stripe fabric from The Cloth House. The ottoman was custom made and upholstered in Lewis & Wood's Kimono in Cayenne Blue.
Kristin Perers2/7The dining room is a study in vintage furniture, with the dining table, chairs, suzani and rug all found on eBay. On the walls, Dulux's Indian White.
Kristin Perers3/7The flat's bathroom features Walls and Floors tiles in Vecchio Floreale and eBay taps and shower fixings.
Kristin Perers4/7To make the bedroom feel more grand, Catherine chose Nina Campbell's Marguerite Wallpaper in grey/dove. To bring some sunshine to the space, the bed's headboard has been covered in Pierre Frey's Soleil. On the bedside tables, the lamp bases were found on eBay and paired with Pooky's Vellum shades. The brass candle sconce is from Tinsmiths.
Kristin Perers5/7To provide comfort underfoot, Catherine has layered a tea washed rug from The Rug Makers on Etsy over the top of the sisal matting. The wardrobes have been painted in Dulux Trade's 30YY 46/304 and the handles are golden brass feather handles from Abodentcom on Etsy. The chair is a restored antique piece.
Kristin Perers6/7For the bedroom's roman blinds, Catherine has used Romo's Kintore in antique white and bordered them in Erin Crewel from Samuel & Sons. Above the chest of drawers, found on eBay, a mirror from UnAltraDirezione on Etsy has been painted in Incardine from Farrow & Ball. The artwork was done by Catherine and is her take on a Norman Dilworth painting.
Kristin Perers7/7In the nursery, a vintage chair has been reupholstered in Leaf Dance by Collier & Campbell. The lamp base is from John Lewis, the shade is Fermoie.
