Clever joinery, modern tweaks and warm jewel tones breathe new life into this Victorian townhouse
One of an interior designer's main jobs is to elevate a house beyond the usual and predictable ideas any of us can come up with. It was certainly a big part of Laura Stephens' brief for this five bedroom Victorian terrace, where she was partly concerned with freshening up traditional ideas, and partly with bringing a sense of charm to what started off as a rather urban, contemporary concept. Originally asked to design the master bedroom a few years ago, Laura was then invited back for a whole house overhaul. The clients had been living in the house for six years, the children were growing up, and as the family's needs changed, the interiors were in need of a refresh.
In terms of inspiration, the house is in an urban area, and Laura's clients wanted to reflect that in the interiors. This meant that Laura had to step out of her comfort zone of soft, feminine schemes and embrace some more industrial elements like the poured concrete floor in the kitchen, and Crittall doors opening into the garden. “Doing the kitchen was my favourite bit,” Laura starts. “It pushed me out of my comfort zone. I have a very feminine style so when the clients wanted a kitchen with a more industrial look to it, it was completely new territory for me.”
The kitchen was actually the last chapter of the the renovation, and what used to be boxy and pokey has now been extended to the back and side. The clients got their concrete floors and Crittall doors, but Laura was keen to add a prettier touch. “The black in the Crittall felt too harsh for the space, so instead we chose doors in a softer colour that allows the beautiful mustard cabinetry to stand out and really shine,” Laura explains. “I feel like the pale Crittall doors have more longevity and won’t date as much, as the door colour is not too strong or overpowering. I wanted to keep it soft, to allow the cabinets to be the main focus here.” “Getting the balance right in the kitchen was challenging, but it's now one of my favourite projects,” adds Laura.
Elsewhere in the house, Laura had to work with the existing space and its challenges. The first of which was the teenage boy's bedroom – it was a box room, but like many teenagers he wished for a double bed. “The room was tiny,” Laura added. The solution? Raising the ceiling into the attic space above, thus positioning the double bed above the bedroom, accessible by space-saving paddle steps. Under the structural plinth that holds the bed up, traditional tongue-and-groove panelling frames a work nook for doing homework. “I wanted to wrap the panelling all the way around,” Laura explains, and the style certainly gives it a modern twist.
On the other side of the bedroom doors, the upstairs corridor continues the brown theme of the hallway and staircase below. “The end of the corridor was a dead, wasted space,” says Laura. “The clients had this wonderful idea of using it for book storage as they have a lot of books. It's a brilliant use of space, and even looks like a work of art now. A skylight was created above it, which borrows natural light from the loft.”
Laura's client, in fact, already had a clear idea of what they wanted from each space, so she was never without a starting point. “I was very directed by the client, so in each space I would start with the one thing she wanted, and then build the rest up around it. In the living room she knew she wanted the room to be painted Hague Blue, so then we built the rest of the room up around that, layering in more jewel tones.”
The result is a living room with a very warm colour palette. “I just love it,” says Laura. “The clients have amazing artwork, which is really set off by the inky colour.” Across from the blue living room is a round dining table, surrounded by mustard chairs, used as a games area. “I wanted to create a relaxed feel – not too formal,” Laura comments.
Reflecting on the overall aesthetic of the house, Laura explains that “it was about taking something traditional, putting a modern spin on it and bringing it up to date.” Luckily for her, her clients – a couple with three children – were ‘always very up for it’, trusting her, and embracing bold ideas. “My client was very up for interesting, practical solutions,” Laura adds. Some of the best examples include the vinyl sticker floor tiles in the hallway, which have a traditional pattern, but also flashes of fire engine red – a strong colour that ‘slightly jars’ with the rest of the space. “But that’s what I really like. It's what makes it more special – not too thought out or matchy-matchy,” Laura explains.
Laura Stephens is a member of The List by House & Garden, our essential directory of design professionals. Visit The List by House & Garden here.
Chris Horwood1/10Crittall doors frame the views to the garden – but the softer colourway prevents it from looking too stern.
Chris Horwood2/10The dining table and dining chairs are all from Nkuku. The armchair is vintage, covered in a Manuel Canovas fabric. The pendant light is from Mullan, the floor lamp is from Pooky, with an OKA shade. The artwork is by Nana Shiomi.
Christopher Horwood3/10The clients wanted a walk-in pantry that was open, so Laura used reeded glass panels which let the light through, and give a glimpse without creating a cluttered look. “I felt it was quite brave to just put everything on display like that. But they are very tidy and organised, and keep everything in pretty jars,” says Laura. The pantry was designed together with Boffe kitchens.
Chris Horwood4/10In the loo, the Pierre Frey wallpaper is a nod to the mustard yellow in the kitchen next door to it. Laura chose the wallpaper and already had this sink in mind.
You can find a similar sink at West One Bathrooms, the faucet is from Aston Matthews. The mirror is the Astor arched mirror from Rowen and Wren.
Chris Horwood5/10For the hallway walls, Laura Stephens chose a classic William Morris print but in a modern, moody hue, The lanterns were found on the street, and they were cleaned up and spray painted red to bring out the red in the hallway floor.
The walls are painted in Copper Beech by Paint and Paper Library. Floor ‘tiles’ are from Sinclair Till. Reclaimed lanterns were rescued, restored and painted in RAL 3031.
Chris Horwood6/10Beyond the living room is a games area. The round table is from eBay and the armchairs are from Love Your Home. The floor lamp is from OKA and the rug was made bespoke using Unnatural flooring Little Compton and Designers Guild Opera Velvet.
Chris Horwood7/10
Chris Horwood8/10For the master bedroom, recessed shelves were chosen as the main design feature. “Loft rooms can be so bland, whereas these recessed shelves give a nice little focal point,” says Laura.
Walls are painted in Cornforth White by Farrow and Ball. The armchair is vintage, and was upholstered in a Robert Allen fabric. The bedside table is vintage, and the lamp is from Vaughan. Cushions are bespoke; floral fabrics from Pukka prints, striped fabrics from Marvic, fringing from Samuel and Sons.
Chris Horwood9/10A built-in bookcase at the end of the corridor is a great way of storing – and showcasing – treasured books.
Walls are in Copper Beech by Little Greene, the ladder was made bespoke.
Chris Horwood10/10The upstairs bathroom was all white, and so tired. The vanity and tiles were already there, so Laura painted the wall and window frame yellow to spice things up a little. It makes the space warmer and freshens up the scheme on a budget, without replacing anything. The blind was added to soften the space, and, for dramatic effect, the ceiling is painted brown.
The bathroom is painted in Yellow Pink by Little Greene. The blind fabric is from Sanderson, the trim is by Samuel and Sons. Wall lights are from Industville.
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