Chorlton
Interior Consulting
Working closely with clients to bring a huge extension and renovation project over the line
This enormous glazed front, paired with electrically controlled skylights, lets light pour in. The bi-fold aluminium doors open fully to the garden which creates a beautiful extension of the living area, perfect for entertaining.
The space is totally open plan so zoning and making sure each area had its own identity was vital. The generous island and breakfast bar, with a polished concrete worktop, is perfect for casual dining whilst the large dining table is positioned looking out to the garden for that outdoor feel whatever the weather.
The cosy seating area with jewel toned velvet furnishings is a perfect place to sit by the log burner or listen to records. The fitted kitchen provides huge amounts of storage, counter space and room for large appliances. Beautiful vintage pieces and plants were sourced to add in a homely touch.
Handles, switches, taps and plugs are all in antique brass and the concrete worktops add a modern feel with great durability. Spaces and shelves were created for books, pictures and plants, so the harder lines of the kitchen are softened throughout.
The stunning parquet floor uses a herringbone pattern in solid oak tiles and runs through the entire ground floor, imbuing warmth and comfort. The accent blue runs throughout the house, on wood work and on the bedroom walls.
In the garden the flagstones and exterior wood floor are level with the living space, so when the doors are open it really is seamless. Comfortable outdoor furnishings and beautiful raised beds finish the garden space off.
Leytonstone
Sitting Rooms
Creating two magnificent reception rooms and celebrating their Victorian heritage
These adjoining rooms had bags of character and natural light but were not being used to anywhere near their full potential.
The first step was to rescue and restore the grand eight feet tall double doors, we stripped them back to the original pine, before they were sanded, repaired and painted. Solid brass handles were attached before they were rehung.
The damaged walls were repaired and skimmed before being painted in a warm shade by Little Greene. The wooden sash windows were restored and painted inside and out, along with the skirting boards. Linen café curtains were hung for privacy whilst maintaining natural light and finally the William Morris curtains were hung, in the ‘Willow Bough’ pattern.
New lighting was needed, so modern designed standard lamps were bought for both rooms and reeded glass shades went onto the central pendants. As the whole house was rewired, brass switches were installed to maintain the period feel.
The flooring was taken back to the original pine throughout, it was repaired where necessary with reclaimed boards of the same age. ‘Slivers' were inserted between each board to make a solid surface with no gaps.
The existing built in cupboards had been made too high, blocking the beautiful cornicing. So we removed the top shelf and remade the beading to give breathing space. Period furniture, oil paintings and objets d'art were found, including a pier cabinet and marble topped storage.
The front fireplace was put back into action and a grand, antique St. Anne’s marble surround was installed, paired with a reclaimed slate hearth. Majolica tiles were sourced for the cast iron insert and the fire is now fully operational.
A beautiful Victorian ‘marbleised’ slate surround was installed in the back room, made with an almost lost technique of painting the black stone to look like marble. The marble topped cocktail cabinet makes for a cosy back room.
East Finchley
Kitchen Consulting
Assisting the homeowners to design and build a stunning kitchen with DeVol
“We absolutely loved working with James. He is super knowledgeable and a great listener, so really understood what we needed to achieve with the kitchen. The trades people he selected were great to work with during the installation too, always showed up on time and did a great job.”
Timothy and Fiona, East Finchley
This beautiful DeVol shaker kitchen went into a bright Edwardian maisonette. The build included a new oak herringbone floor along with the silestone worktop and all new plumbing, tiling and decoration.
The owners love to cook so that was at the forefront of the design. We chose a large gas hob, stacked double oven and a generous built-in fridge freezer. The individual wall cupboards provided excellent storage but we made sure there was still plenty of space and light around them. We opted for reeded glass fronts for them which echoed the glass on the sconce and pendant light fittings.
The colour of the units is Bond Street Blue which worked well to contrast with all the natural light they have in the dual aspect space. The teal tiles and muted oxblood shade for the doors completed the colour palette. Above the sink is a decorative shelf to display their favourite things and the pinboard opposite is a great spot for their family pictures.
Under the large wooden sash window DeVol built us a bespoke storage bench which can be paired with the vintage table when entertaining large numbers. The fittings came direct from DeVol, the antiqued brass giving a sturdy and stylish finish.
Leytonstone Bedroom
Creating a grand master bedroom for a plush oasis of calm
There were three original first floor bedrooms in the house. The master retained original wooden sash windows so we fully restored and repainted them, before dressing them with café curtains from East London Cloth. William Morris thermal curtains were made to order.
The walls were repaired and repainted and antique furniture was added. This included a marble topped bedside cupboard, a burr walnut drawer set and hand painted folk art cupboard. There was room for a super king bed with built in storage too. A set of Italian floral prints were professionally framed and hung on the chimney breast.
Leytonstone
Study and Utility
Transforming two rooms into spaces that are both useful and beautiful
The back bedroom became a home office with a new wooden desk and bookshelf set over a vintage Persian rug. The antique wardrobe and credenza provide plenty of storage and the bay window gives a bright and airy feel.
The original pine floors were restored and brought to a beautiful, natural finish. All original skirting boards were also restored throughout, as were the doors, before painting and adding brass handles.
There are two gallery walls which encompass framed prints, photographs, maps and paintings plus houseplants aplenty in the south facing space. A marble top and counter curtain were added to the credenza for a cleaner, grander look.
The beautiful door to the study was restored with etched glass and Victorian style glory stars from Lead and Light. Small sofa beds were found so they can easily be used for guests, if required.
The central bedroom was converted to an upstairs utility, with new plumbing for the washing machine and dryer. This was tucked away under an oak worktop with marble top and a counter curtain. Storage was vital in the room, so large wooden cupboards were sourced and repainted along with adding wooden shelves.