Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Nature and Technology Combine in a Renovated Townhouse
See how this London property was transformed from a nondescript house into a colorful, high-tech, 21st-century home
“Bringing in color and personalizing a space are my two design mantras,” says Viki Lander, whose firm, Ensoul Interior Architecture, refurbished this family home in South London and extended it beneath the garden. Invigorating jolts of orange and green are teamed with sage and warm ebony wood on the ground floor, referencing the colors outdoors and helping inside and out feel connected. Upstairs, trees, birds and flowers find their way onto the bedroom walls.
The home also was fitted with all the latest gadgets, including IP (Internet protocol) surveillance, Sonos music systems in every room, smart carbon monoxide and fire alarms, a video entry system and even smart faucets. Everything is centralized in an audio-visual room, with the infrastructure hidden throughout the fabric of the building, allowing it to function seamlessly. It was quite a transformation for this once-outdated house.
The home also was fitted with all the latest gadgets, including IP (Internet protocol) surveillance, Sonos music systems in every room, smart carbon monoxide and fire alarms, a video entry system and even smart faucets. Everything is centralized in an audio-visual room, with the infrastructure hidden throughout the fabric of the building, allowing it to function seamlessly. It was quite a transformation for this once-outdated house.
An open-plan living room, dining room and kitchen now occupy the ground floor. Bifold doors contribute to a sense of connection between indoors and out, while the ebony, orange and green tones bring in the colors of the leaves, particularly in autumn.
The TV is hung on an ebony panel surrounded by custom units that were spray-painted in glossy orange. Two media storage devices and a centralized server in the basement hold the family’s music, films and favorite TV programs for easy streaming.
The TV is hung on an ebony panel surrounded by custom units that were spray-painted in glossy orange. Two media storage devices and a centralized server in the basement hold the family’s music, films and favorite TV programs for easy streaming.
In addition to being totally renovated, the house was extended down into the ground, underneath the garden, creating a substantial basement level. Skylights into the rooms below are visible in the garden.
“The objective of this project was to add luxurious space, but we couldn’t go up, and there was zero option to extend out, because there was a building line specified in the property’s deeds that we couldn’t build beyond,” Lander says. “Fortunately, with this big garden, there was the length to extend underneath it. It was the easiest option.”
“The objective of this project was to add luxurious space, but we couldn’t go up, and there was zero option to extend out, because there was a building line specified in the property’s deeds that we couldn’t build beyond,” Lander says. “Fortunately, with this big garden, there was the length to extend underneath it. It was the easiest option.”
The house sits on its same pre-renovation footprint with the exception of this staircase, which leads down from the living room to the basement level. “The bifold doors at the back follow the original line of the building and we couldn’t go beyond that, but we did get permission to put the staircase in the garden so we didn’t lose any floor space in the house,” Lander says. “We then built an exposed brick wall to make it feel like part of the garden, and encased it in a frameless glass surround to continue the inside-outside link and make it look unobtrusive.”
This is the view from the front door, with one end of the fish tank partially obscuring the view of the ground floor. “It means you still have something fabulous to see once you come in — it’s a nice surprise when you walk round the corner,” Lander says. There are security benefits too. “You’re not putting your whole house on show every time you answer the door,” she says.
The kitchen was designed with sage green units. “The colors in here are still natural, but calmer than the lime and orange in the living area,” Lander says.
The fish tank continues the ground floor’s color scheme. “It’s quite heavily planted for the green, and the fish match the other orange touches around the space,” she says.
Kitchen: TM Italia; quartz counters in Shitake: Caesarstone
The fish tank continues the ground floor’s color scheme. “It’s quite heavily planted for the green, and the fish match the other orange touches around the space,” she says.
Kitchen: TM Italia; quartz counters in Shitake: Caesarstone
The lower cabinets are suspended above the floor. “I wanted to create lots of storage and worktop space, but didn’t want it to look too much like a kitchen,” Lander says. “Fitting this row of units off the floor gives a more sophisticated look.” A mirrored backsplash adds depth.
Family photos and favorite pieces bring a personal touch. “Shelves are a great way to personalize a space,” Lander says. “You should feel your home is yours, but I think it’s better if the personal touches are not built into its fabric. It’s the photos and accessories that bring lots of interest.”
Family photos and favorite pieces bring a personal touch. “Shelves are a great way to personalize a space,” Lander says. “You should feel your home is yours, but I think it’s better if the personal touches are not built into its fabric. It’s the photos and accessories that bring lots of interest.”
Lander chose oak flooring for the ground floor. “I wanted something that looks gnarly, distressed and really natural to keep that indoor-outdoor connection,” she says. “It’s a nice contrast to the lacquered finish of the units.”
The dining table was designed as a continuation of the kitchen island. “It’s in ebony to tie in with the TV back panel and the office desk and shelves,” Lander says. “It’s all from the same batch of timber too, so it matches.” Glass protects the surface from damage. “It’s a practical solution for a family home,” she adds.
The chandeliers look like trees in blossom, continuing the natural, organic theme.
Chairs: Ligne Roset; Heracleum pendant lights: Moooi, available from Houseology; ovens: Miele
The chandeliers look like trees in blossom, continuing the natural, organic theme.
Chairs: Ligne Roset; Heracleum pendant lights: Moooi, available from Houseology; ovens: Miele
The office opens off the kitchen next to the front door. It’s fitted with sliding glass doors, and a commercial-grade network — also housed in the audio-visual room in the basement — makes it easy to work from home.
“If you’re sitting in the office, you can see the garden whether the doors are open or closed,” Lander says. “You can be part of the ground floor when they’re open, but if you need to take calls, you can just pull them across.” All the office furniture is custom and includes desktops and shelves in ebony. The chairs continue the orange theme.
Eames EA 208 chairs: Conran
“If you’re sitting in the office, you can see the garden whether the doors are open or closed,” Lander says. “You can be part of the ground floor when they’re open, but if you need to take calls, you can just pull them across.” All the office furniture is custom and includes desktops and shelves in ebony. The chairs continue the orange theme.
Eames EA 208 chairs: Conran
The stairs that jut out into the garden lead down from the living room to the extensive basement level, which contains a playroom, gym, laundry room, audio-visual room and bathroom.
Lander wanted the basement to feel generous, light and airy. “We dug it extra deep,” she says. It’s about 16 feet deep, with a ceiling of about 10 feet. “We wanted it to feel like the best space in the whole house.”
In the playroom, plenty of storage helps keep the space tidy, and open shelves make it easy for kids to grab toys. The treehouse serves as a place for little ones to hang out and will become the ideal location for sleepovers when the owners’ son gets older.
A carpenter cut and painted all the leaves. “They are a safety feature, but fit with the big design inspiration running through the house — the outdoors,” Lander says. “You can see trees through the skylight too.”
In the playroom, plenty of storage helps keep the space tidy, and open shelves make it easy for kids to grab toys. The treehouse serves as a place for little ones to hang out and will become the ideal location for sleepovers when the owners’ son gets older.
A carpenter cut and painted all the leaves. “They are a safety feature, but fit with the big design inspiration running through the house — the outdoors,” Lander says. “You can see trees through the skylight too.”
The huge skylights bring lots of natural light into the basement, which finishes about 5 feet before the tree at the rear of the yard. “They are architectural features in the garden and look great,” Lander says. At the far end is a trampoline, built into the ground, for the owners’ son to enjoy.
A staircase to the left of the front door leads up to the bedrooms and bathrooms. On the second floor is the master suite and the son’s bedroom with en suite, and on the third floor are two en suite guest rooms.
The master bedroom, in teal, is the only space to deviate from the natural, woodland-inspired color scheme. The deep dimensions of the room were exploited by building five cupboards that now contain shoes. “The starting point for the entire scheme was the teal cushions,” Lander says. “We had the wardrobes sprayed to match.”
Teal pillows: Heal’s
The master bedroom, in teal, is the only space to deviate from the natural, woodland-inspired color scheme. The deep dimensions of the room were exploited by building five cupboards that now contain shoes. “The starting point for the entire scheme was the teal cushions,” Lander says. “We had the wardrobes sprayed to match.”
Teal pillows: Heal’s
The master en suite has a spa-like feel thanks to its huge tub. “We put the bath on a raised platform to make a glamorous statement,” Lander says. “Asymmetrical lights hang in one corner, because it’s lovely to have mood lighting in here.” Large-scale porcelain tiles that look like marble form the backdrop.
Squaro Edge free-standing bathtub: Villeroy & Boch
Squaro Edge free-standing bathtub: Villeroy & Boch
On the opposite side of the master en suite is a shower with a custom glass surround. Lander chose vintage oak parquet for the bathroom. “It’s nice to mix materials,” she says. “You typically tile bathroom floors, but that can feel quite hard and cold. This is softer and warmer.”
Squaro shower tray: Villeroy & Boch; sink: Victoria & Albert
Squaro shower tray: Villeroy & Boch; sink: Victoria & Albert
A beautiful, hand-painted mural adorns the room of the owners’ son, who adores Winnie the Pooh.
Chair: Giorgetti; tent cabin trundle bed: Cuckooland
Chair: Giorgetti; tent cabin trundle bed: Cuckooland
The Winnie the Pooh theme continues in the son’s en suite. “This is a fun child’s bathroom that could also be fantastic for an adult in the future,” Lander says. She used pebble floor tiles for their anti-slip properties. “But I also really love them,” she says. “It’s like walking on the beach!”
This guest bedroom features wallpaper by artist Jessica Zoob. “I love the fact it’s not a repeated pattern,” Lander says. “It brings in color and interest at the same time as keeping the natural theme. I love its Impressionist feel.” A discreet glass side table ensures that as much of the paper as possible is visible.
The adjoining en suite continues the same green notes. Wood-grain tiles are combined with practical stone around the bath, bringing loads of texture to the wall.
The woodland theme continues in another of the guest rooms. “There are two sash windows in here looking over Wandsworth Common,” Lander says, “so you are very aware of that open space just outside.” The wall covering reflects this. “I love the random nature of the wallpaper,” she says. “It looks hand-painted.”
Porcelain tiles, this time looking like onyx, give this en suite bathroom depth and warmth. These clever tiles that mimic natural stone are not necessarily much cheaper, but they are lighter, Lander says.
Before the renovation began in March 2014, the rear of the house looked scruffy, with dilapidated conservatory and decking.
The living space had a roof made of plastic sheeting. “It was split and leaking,” Lander says. “It was patched up with masking tape!” The windows were rotted, with plants growing through them. “The garden was overgrown and out of control,” Lander says.
The office looks nothing like this today. It’s now adorned with sleek ebony desks, built-in storage and orange Eames chairs.
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Who lives here: A couple and their 2-year-old son
Location: Wandsworth Common, South London
Property: A four-story terraced townhouse built in 1972
Size: Four bedrooms, five bathrooms
Designer Viki Lander of Ensoul Interior Architecture
Before the renovation, the house was in a rather dilapidated condition, with bland and dated decor. “Wandsworth Common is at the front and there’s a big garden and parkland at the back,” designer Viki Lander of Ensoul Interior Architecture says, “so I wanted to bring the colors of nature that are outside into the interior.”
The downstairs living space had an island wrapped around a pillar and French windows leading to the overgrown garden.