Houzz Tour: Easy Mix of Old and New Revives a Family Townhouse
Contemporary furniture and modern fixtures blend with period architecture in this large open-plan home in London
When the owners moved to this large Victorian townhouse in London, they had to decamp to the basement for two years while the upper floors underwent extensive building work to get the property looking and functioning exactly how they wished. This was no mean feat, especially with three young children.
Apart from the basement, the four-story house had been empty for a few years, and every floor was in desperate need of an overhaul. “The back-to-brick refurbishment included structural work, new windows and external doors, new electrics and plumbing, internal finishes, fitted furniture, interior decoration, external chemical clean, repointing and decoration,” designer Hannah Atcheson says. Check out the results for yourself.
Apart from the basement, the four-story house had been empty for a few years, and every floor was in desperate need of an overhaul. “The back-to-brick refurbishment included structural work, new windows and external doors, new electrics and plumbing, internal finishes, fitted furniture, interior decoration, external chemical clean, repointing and decoration,” designer Hannah Atcheson says. Check out the results for yourself.
“The open-plan ground floor, with a kitchen, dining area and living space, was the most important part of the brief,” Atcheson says. The project involved extensive structural work, including two large-scale wall openings (between the kitchen and dining area, and the dining area and living room) to make it open-plan, and the strengthening of the walls flanking the staircase. “We had to gain both planning permission and building control approval,” she says.
The walls in the hall and on the staircase are painted off-white. The original banister simply needed sanding and revarnishing to bring back its glory.
Paint: Little Greene
Paint: Little Greene
“We tried to retain the fabric of the building, and had the new windows, front door, cornicing and fireplaces designed to be in keeping with the period style,” Atcheson says. “The furniture and fittings are modern to make an interesting juxtaposition with the traditional architectural elements.”
Dining table: West Elm; Tripp Trapp children’s chairs: Stokke
Dining table: West Elm; Tripp Trapp children’s chairs: Stokke
The furniture is a mix of contemporary design classics and good-looking buys. This combination creates an interesting and family-friendly space within the Victorian house.
Sofa: Espacio; floor lamps: Ikea; Componibili tables: Kartell
Sofa: Espacio; floor lamps: Ikea; Componibili tables: Kartell
“The biggest challenge for the client was living with the construction and having to walk through the building site to the shower in the morning during the winter months,” Atcheson says. “For me, it was arranging the party wall negotiations with five different neighbors … and getting the desired result within budget.”
The living room curtains were made by the client, who is quite handy with the sewing machine and saved thousands of dollars in the process. The chaise longue was a gift from friends. The flooring is smoked oak, from a company that has closed.
Paint: Little Greene; rug: Ikea
The living room curtains were made by the client, who is quite handy with the sewing machine and saved thousands of dollars in the process. The chaise longue was a gift from friends. The flooring is smoked oak, from a company that has closed.
Paint: Little Greene; rug: Ikea
“There had been a very ugly tiled fireplace with an electric fire in the living room,” Atcheson says, “so we removed it and chose a fireplace in keeping with the original period of the house.”
The client has been collecting art since her schooldays, and many of the pieces seen here were gifts from her friends in the art world.
The client has been collecting art since her schooldays, and many of the pieces seen here were gifts from her friends in the art world.
“We wanted to give the client’s art collection a neutral backdrop,” Atcheson says. “But we did need a few dots of color. Funnily enough, it was the color that found us rather than vice versa. A lot of the client’s paintings have traces of orange in them, so we chose that color for the cupboard doors under the bookshelves.”
The freestanding bookcase with orange base units is from Ikea, and it fits perfectly into the space. It’s balanced by the green of the curtains, which brings the colors from the garden inside. The client found the original Thonet bentwood chairs in a trash can.
Zerodieci pendant light: Prandina
The freestanding bookcase with orange base units is from Ikea, and it fits perfectly into the space. It’s balanced by the green of the curtains, which brings the colors from the garden inside. The client found the original Thonet bentwood chairs in a trash can.
Zerodieci pendant light: Prandina
Still in its original location, the kitchen used to be accessed from the hallway. Now it’s part of the first floor’s open-plan space, with plain white units from Ikea offset by quartz countertops and a back-painted glass backsplash in olive green.
“As with many families, the kitchen is the heart of the house,” Atcheson says. “And the clients love to cook, bake and entertain, spending a considerable amount of time in here. We wanted to give the cook the experience of looking out while preparing food, rather than facing a wall, so we positioned the [cooktop] on the island, facing the window. We also wanted to leave space around this old window, with its lovely paneling. It has simply been re-sashed with new double-glazed units.”
“As with many families, the kitchen is the heart of the house,” Atcheson says. “And the clients love to cook, bake and entertain, spending a considerable amount of time in here. We wanted to give the cook the experience of looking out while preparing food, rather than facing a wall, so we positioned the [cooktop] on the island, facing the window. We also wanted to leave space around this old window, with its lovely paneling. It has simply been re-sashed with new double-glazed units.”
This modest-size kitchen was carefully planned to make it as functional as possible. “The double-height units are great in tall rooms for increasing storage. And a little slot for a stepladder was integrated into the island, so the tallest cabinets can easily be reached,” Atcheson says. “The island allows the cook to speak to people in the dining area from the kitchen, and it works very well for when the children are helping with [cookie] decorating, as they can sit around three sides.”
A beautiful stained glass window on the landing is original to the house and brings lots of light into the stairwell. The stair treads, finished with Treatex hardwax oil, contrast with the risers, painted white eggshell.
In the main bedroom, the owners wanted a calm, light-filled and fresh look. Touches of olive green in the handmade curtains and bedspread echo the earthy palette elsewhere in the house.
Throughout the upper levels, the flooring consists of the original pine boards, sanded and treated with hardwax oil.
Shelves: Ikea
Throughout the upper levels, the flooring consists of the original pine boards, sanded and treated with hardwax oil.
Shelves: Ikea
“This fireplace isn’t original to the house but was re-tiled to match the master bedroom’s palette,” Atcheson says. The bed is made up of two Ikea beds fitted together to create a 5-foot-wide design.
Bed and bedside tables: Ikea; tray table: WMF
Bed and bedside tables: Ikea; tray table: WMF
The spacious bathroom can be accessed from both the master bedroom and the landing. It’s a relaxing space with a huge tub to soak in and a sleek shower for an invigorating wash. The William Morris wallpaper behind the bath adds a vintage touch to the decor.
Fruit wallpaper by Morris: Wallpaper Direct
Fruit wallpaper by Morris: Wallpaper Direct
Made up of an Ikea console table with a sheet of glass and basin on top, this custom unit creates a wonderful focal point in the bathroom.
“I designed everything, including the customized pieces, which the builders then built,” Atcheson says. “The mirrored wall cabinet is another custom-made design, with integrated LED lighting behind the edges of the mirror. This means the space can be gently lit without the main ceiling lights being turned on.”
Basin: Duravit; shower screen: Vessini; tile: Pietra di Fiandra
“I designed everything, including the customized pieces, which the builders then built,” Atcheson says. “The mirrored wall cabinet is another custom-made design, with integrated LED lighting behind the edges of the mirror. This means the space can be gently lit without the main ceiling lights being turned on.”
Basin: Duravit; shower screen: Vessini; tile: Pietra di Fiandra
One of the younger girl’s bedrooms is pretty without being too delicate. There are two additional bedrooms on this floor, one of which serves as a study.
Bed and rug: Ikea
Bed and rug: Ikea
Four more bedrooms and a bathroom are one floor up, and the children’s rooms all feature clean white walls and Ikea furniture, with splashes of color in the accessories. In this room, the pillows and curtains are handmade from Ikea fabrics.
Rug: Ikea
Rug: Ikea
“We wanted to keep the guest room neutral, so it would appeal to many different people,” the designer says.
Hemnes bed, desk, Terje chair, Lindved side table and Hemnes wardrobe: Ikea
Hemnes bed, desk, Terje chair, Lindved side table and Hemnes wardrobe: Ikea
A fun-filled girl’s bedroom includes the Lovely Rita shelf by Kartell and handmade curtains. It has the same white walls as the other rooms, with accessories to add character.
Rug: Ikea; shelf: Kartell, available from Nest
Rug: Ikea; shelf: Kartell, available from Nest
The children’s bathroom is neat, stylish and functional.
Toilet and wall-hung sink: Duravit; bath: Kaldewei; mirrored cabinets: Ikea
Builder: Elgin & Ellis Limited
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Toilet and wall-hung sink: Duravit; bath: Kaldewei; mirrored cabinets: Ikea
Builder: Elgin & Ellis Limited
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: A couple with three children
Location: Kilburn neighborhood, London
Property: A four-story Victorian townhouse
Size: Seven bedrooms, two bathrooms and a basement
Designer: Hannah Atcheson
“The house had many fantastic original features but also many elements that needed replacing,” designer Hannah Atcheson says.