Houzz Tour: Color Reinvigorates a Centuries-Old Townhouse
Vivid hues and vibrant patterns combine to beautiful effect in this 19th-century townhouse
It takes an experienced creative eye and a gutsy approach to transform a traditional Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse with bold colors and prints. When given the opportunity, that’s exactly what interior designer Caroline Newsome, owner and director of Arq-A Interiors, did to her own home in Henley-on-Thames, England. “Decoratively, the house was quite traditional with a neutral palette,” she says. “I’m a big fan of color and texture, and enjoy mixing styles of furniture to create interesting spaces.”
Each room is peppered with one-of-a-kind finds and personal treasures, creating a series of fascinating and beautiful spaces for the owners to live in and guests to admire.
“Because the house is Grade II-listed, some original features needed to be retained,” Newsome says. “These included the fireplaces in each room, the paneled doors, [baseboards], window shutters and original stair balustrades. Basically, all the original material of the house needed to be preserved.”
The bird statue on the fireplace was picked up in a junk shop in London’s Battersea district, while the Art Deco lamp is from an antiques store in the city’s Richmond suburb.
“Because the house is Grade II-listed, some original features needed to be retained,” Newsome says. “These included the fireplaces in each room, the paneled doors, [baseboards], window shutters and original stair balustrades. Basically, all the original material of the house needed to be preserved.”
The bird statue on the fireplace was picked up in a junk shop in London’s Battersea district, while the Art Deco lamp is from an antiques store in the city’s Richmond suburb.
The built-in bookcases were installed during the building work. The yellow paint on the interior also appears in the kitchen to link the rooms and create a sense of harmony.
Newsome used Dulux Trade paint throughout most of the interior. The artwork above the fireplace is by David Goodman.
Yellow paint: 60YY 45/382, Dulux Trade
Newsome used Dulux Trade paint throughout most of the interior. The artwork above the fireplace is by David Goodman.
Yellow paint: 60YY 45/382, Dulux Trade
New hard flooring was laid throughout: wood on the upper floors, and slate on the ground floor and in the basement. There’s a utility room and bathroom in the basement; an open-plan dining room, living room and kitchen on the ground floor; a bedroom and study-living room on the second floor; and an en suite master bedroom on the top floor.
Most of the eclectic, colorful pieces of furniture are a mix of vintage and antique items. They create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere, described by Newsome as “individual boutique style.” The chaise was bought from an antiques store in the Bermondsey area of London and reupholstered in a bright Manuel Canovas fabric.
Gray wall paint: 30YY 56/060, Dulux Trade; hand-polished slate floor: Ceramica & Stone
Most of the eclectic, colorful pieces of furniture are a mix of vintage and antique items. They create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere, described by Newsome as “individual boutique style.” The chaise was bought from an antiques store in the Bermondsey area of London and reupholstered in a bright Manuel Canovas fabric.
Gray wall paint: 30YY 56/060, Dulux Trade; hand-polished slate floor: Ceramica & Stone
“Most of the furniture came with us from previous homes, but the sofas were re-covered, and we bought new accessories to complete the design and bring it together,” Newsome says.
The vintage reclaimed wood-and-metal dining table and chairs came from an antiques shop in Brussels. The contemporary chairs in bold tangerine offset the rugged table.
Orange chairs: Kartell
The vintage reclaimed wood-and-metal dining table and chairs came from an antiques shop in Brussels. The contemporary chairs in bold tangerine offset the rugged table.
Orange chairs: Kartell
Flashes of color, along with Newsome’s knack for using new and old pieces side by side, create warmth and individuality throughout the home.
The modern pink acrylic pendant light contrasts brilliantly with the reclaimed-wood tabletop. The blue horse’s head is from an antiques shop in Henley, and the screen print is by Sarah Hubacher.
Fly pendant light: Kartell; angel wings: Rockett St George
The modern pink acrylic pendant light contrasts brilliantly with the reclaimed-wood tabletop. The blue horse’s head is from an antiques shop in Henley, and the screen print is by Sarah Hubacher.
Fly pendant light: Kartell; angel wings: Rockett St George
The one-wall layout of the kitchen utilizes the addition space effectively. Shaker-style cabinets topped with a granite countertop create a neutral backdrop for the yellow walls, colorful artwork and shiny copper pendant lights.
The door at the end of the kitchen leads to a walk-in pantry. “There are also some baking dishes and wineglasses on the shelves in the dining area, so the kitchen actually spreads out quite a bit,” Newsome says.
Kitchen: Howdens Joinery; granite countertop: Ceramica & Stone
The door at the end of the kitchen leads to a walk-in pantry. “There are also some baking dishes and wineglasses on the shelves in the dining area, so the kitchen actually spreads out quite a bit,” Newsome says.
Kitchen: Howdens Joinery; granite countertop: Ceramica & Stone
“I was really keen to keep the kitchen as relaxed as possible and didn’t want it looking overly kitchen-y, hence no wall units and the framed picture,” says the designer.
The shelves are only about 6 inches deep so as not to hang over the countertop and cast a shadow. The yellow walls and polished slate floor create a visual link with the adjoining ground-floor living space.
Artwork: Paris flea market; Industry pendant lights: Habitat
The shelves are only about 6 inches deep so as not to hang over the countertop and cast a shadow. The yellow walls and polished slate floor create a visual link with the adjoining ground-floor living space.
Artwork: Paris flea market; Industry pendant lights: Habitat
The first-floor living room-study is a bold, celebratory space. “The red is a traditional Georgian color to match the architecture, but I also wanted the room to be warm and cozy, and contrast with the view of the hills and trees through the windows,” Newsome says.
The style of the ground floor continues in here, with a considered mix of antiques, such as the desk, which was picked up in an antiques store in Truro, England, and contemporary pieces.
Wall paint: Juicy Red, Dulux Trade; Tolomeo Mega floor lamp: Artemide; armchair: Graham and Green
The style of the ground floor continues in here, with a considered mix of antiques, such as the desk, which was picked up in an antiques store in Truro, England, and contemporary pieces.
Wall paint: Juicy Red, Dulux Trade; Tolomeo Mega floor lamp: Artemide; armchair: Graham and Green
The designer’s love of color is balanced with gray tones on the walls and woodwork for an elegant, neutral backdrop throughout the house.
The floorboards, doors, window frames, balustrades and architraves are the same dark gray color. “It’s a very practical color for scuff marks, and works well with the overall palette of the house,” the designer says.
Wall paint: Mid Lead Colour, Little Greene; gray woodwork paint: 30YY 20/029, Dulux Trade; mirror: Heal’s
The floorboards, doors, window frames, balustrades and architraves are the same dark gray color. “It’s a very practical color for scuff marks, and works well with the overall palette of the house,” the designer says.
Wall paint: Mid Lead Colour, Little Greene; gray woodwork paint: 30YY 20/029, Dulux Trade; mirror: Heal’s
The master bedroom and en suite bathroom are on the top floor of the house and offer amazing views over the town, framed perfectly by the original sash windows.
Ceramic pendant lights: Rockett St George; shade fabric: Manuel Canovas
Ceramic pendant lights: Rockett St George; shade fabric: Manuel Canovas
The wall color is on the bluer side of gray in the bedroom, allowing the black French rattan bed to become the focal point of the scheme.
The boutique-style bedroom is a blend of antique and new pieces, with sumptuous bedding to add comfort.
Wall paint: 50GG 55/049, Dulux Trade; bed: Sweetpea & Willow; bedding: The White Company
The boutique-style bedroom is a blend of antique and new pieces, with sumptuous bedding to add comfort.
Wall paint: 50GG 55/049, Dulux Trade; bed: Sweetpea & Willow; bedding: The White Company
The built-in closets are painted the same color as the walls so they meld with the rest of the room. The mahogany of the Victorian bow-fronted chest brings a richness to the muted scheme.
Another screen print by Hubacher hangs comfortably next to an industrial-style metal table lamp above the chest.
The inspiration for the bedroom’s color scheme came from the two carved and painted wood stools, which came from India.
Art above fireplace: David Goodman
Another screen print by Hubacher hangs comfortably next to an industrial-style metal table lamp above the chest.
The inspiration for the bedroom’s color scheme came from the two carved and painted wood stools, which came from India.
Art above fireplace: David Goodman
An elegant gray color palette runs through the room, from the concrete-look porcelain floor tiles and crackle-glaze metro wall tiles to the beautiful floral wallpaper (coated in a matte wallpaper varnish to protect it). The result is sophisticated with a vintage vibe.
The traditional-style shower control in chrome and ceramic is set slightly away from the shower so that it can be turned on without the bather being sprayed with cold water.
Shower and bath fixtures: Lefroy Brooks; wallpaper: Ralph Lauren; floor and wall tiles: Stone & Ceramic Warehouse
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The traditional-style shower control in chrome and ceramic is set slightly away from the shower so that it can be turned on without the bather being sprayed with cold water.
Shower and bath fixtures: Lefroy Brooks; wallpaper: Ralph Lauren; floor and wall tiles: Stone & Ceramic Warehouse
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: Caroline Newsome of Arq-A Interiors, partner Alex Boyd and their two cockapoos
Location: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England
Size: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms
When Newsome and her partner, Alex Boyd, bought this Georgian townhouse built about 1820, it was structurally sound but a little tired decorwise. The layout and the way the rooms were used didn’t work for the couple either, so they made some structural changes to suit their lifestyle.
“A wall was removed on the ground floor to create the open-plan living space,” Newsome says, “and the kitchen was moved to the extension, which was previously a garden room and bathroom.”