My Houzz: Period Home Gets a Luxe Redo
A family tailors its century-plus-old home in Surrey, England, to suit its style and needs
When British TV presenter Laura Hamilton and her husband found this period property in their dream location in Surrey, England, they knew it was the one for them — and they’d discovered it just in the nick of time.
“We were buying another house around the corner, which wasn’t perfect,” Laura says. “Two days before we were about to do the mortgage survey on it, someone called us to tell us about this property. It was the perfect location for us, but we needed to move quickly on it. Fortunately, it all worked out and we completed on the sale three weeks after our son was born.”
“We were buying another house around the corner, which wasn’t perfect,” Laura says. “Two days before we were about to do the mortgage survey on it, someone called us to tell us about this property. It was the perfect location for us, but we needed to move quickly on it. Fortunately, it all worked out and we completed on the sale three weeks after our son was born.”
As soon as Laura Hamilton and husband Alex got the keys to their new red-brick home, the first thing they had to address was the tricky layout, which just didn’t work for them as a family. “It was sold as a three-bed property,” Laura says, “but you had to walk through one of the bedrooms to get to the third. So we had to take off the roof, lift it and reconfigure the landing upstairs so they were each individually accessible.”
To help with the ambitious plans for the 100-plus-year-old home, Laura called on John Butler of JB Construction to oversee the building stage. “I’ve worked with John on previous projects and he’s been my builder ever since,” she says. “He has a great vision.” While this structural work was taking place, the family moved into Alex’s parents’ house for seven months so the builders could get to work on the new home.
To help with the ambitious plans for the 100-plus-year-old home, Laura called on John Butler of JB Construction to oversee the building stage. “I’ve worked with John on previous projects and he’s been my builder ever since,” she says. “He has a great vision.” While this structural work was taking place, the family moved into Alex’s parents’ house for seven months so the builders could get to work on the new home.
A generous-sized hallway with a sweeping staircase greets visitors when they walk through the front door. The staircase is an original feature, but it’s had a modern makeover. “The original staircase was quite 1970s,” Laura says, and the initial plan was to replace it with a more modern version. But when a quote for a new one came in at $9,150, the couple got creative and had the staircase revamped for a fraction of the price.
“Our carpenter, Greg, adapted the newel posts, painted the handrails and resprayed all the metalwork, which totally transformed it,” Laura says.
Tegola flooring: Carpetright; Lustre Tile wallpaper: Zoffany
Neat Hallway Tips to Steal from Tidy People
“Our carpenter, Greg, adapted the newel posts, painted the handrails and resprayed all the metalwork, which totally transformed it,” Laura says.
Tegola flooring: Carpetright; Lustre Tile wallpaper: Zoffany
Neat Hallway Tips to Steal from Tidy People
“When it comes to our interior style, Alex and I both love a mix of old and new,” Laura says. “I tend to go for a neutral palette and add to it over time.” All of the interior walls have been painted in a soft, neutral shade, and the couple did the painting themselves.
“Your house reflects your personality,” Laura says, “and I wanted to have boutique and luxe elements but still wanted it to be lived in and loved.”
Wall paint: Tottington White by Crown Trade
“Your house reflects your personality,” Laura says, “and I wanted to have boutique and luxe elements but still wanted it to be lived in and loved.”
Wall paint: Tottington White by Crown Trade
“I love that we created the kitchen without spending a fortune,” Laura says. “I’d seen other houses with kitchens like this — a mix of classic and modern — and I knew that was what I wanted. I started researching handmade kitchens online and found Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch, which is where I bought the [cabinet] units.” The units were custom-made and arrived unpainted.
Industrial-style pendant lights create a feature over the island. “I found them in a lighting store in Reigate and I love them,” Laura says.
Kitchen cabinets: Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch; counters: Russell Stone Fixing
Industrial-style pendant lights create a feature over the island. “I found them in a lighting store in Reigate and I love them,” Laura says.
Kitchen cabinets: Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch; counters: Russell Stone Fixing
The couple opened up the kitchen and dining space to create a light and airy room, with bifold doors offering views of the yard. A restful gray and white color palette creates a calm feel, and a chunky wooden table and linen-covered wooden chairs add character.
How to Tuck a Dining Area into a Tiny Space
How to Tuck a Dining Area into a Tiny Space
An elegant and light living room opens off the main hallway. “This is our more formal living room, and we use it when we hold dinner parties or have people over,” Laura says.
Above the fireplace is a large mirror rather than a television, as Laura wanted to keep the room feeling relaxed and calm.
Above the fireplace is a large mirror rather than a television, as Laura wanted to keep the room feeling relaxed and calm.
The sofas are a particular favorite of Laura’s, and she had a very hands-on approach to choosing them. “I drove to the workshop in Lincoln to pick out the material and see them being made,” she says.
Sofas: Country Living collection at DFS
Sofas: Country Living collection at DFS
A wall of vintage mirrors picked up by Laura at a French brocante, or flea market, creates a pretty feature in the downstairs powder room. A free-standing vanity with traditional-style faucets adds a classic feel to the space.
York traditional sink and Hudson faucets: Victorian Plumbing
York traditional sink and Hudson faucets: Victorian Plumbing
A second living room with bifold doors is used mainly as a playroom. The space was originally a garage, but the couple converted it to create a large, multipurpose room that opens to the outdoors. It’s very much a practical space, Laura says — “it’s usually full of toys.”
Trunk: Something Special
Trunk: Something Special
Upstairs, a large master bedroom was created on top of an existing flat roof. Light, airy and uncluttered, the space has been decorated in layers of restful neutrals. “I wanted it to have a grown-up feel,” Laura says.
Bed and mattress: Silentnight; headboard: The Headboard Workshop; bench: Hugo Ridge; bedside tables: Something Special; rug: London Cows; pillows: TK Maxx
Bed and mattress: Silentnight; headboard: The Headboard Workshop; bench: Hugo Ridge; bedside tables: Something Special; rug: London Cows; pillows: TK Maxx
A bold, graphite-colored wallpaper was the starting point for the design of this room. “It’s a bit weird doing it that way, but I then created the scheme around the wallpaper,” Laura says. “When I first put it up, I thought we’d made a mistake,” she admits of the bold pattern, but once the room was complete, the wallpaper worked as an extra layer of interest.
The vintage chest in the corner was given to the couple by their previous neighbors.
Diamond Stitch wallpaper: Harlequin; table lamp: Something Special; sofa: Next
The vintage chest in the corner was given to the couple by their previous neighbors.
Diamond Stitch wallpaper: Harlequin; table lamp: Something Special; sofa: Next
The master bathroom is light and airy thanks to a large sash window, a glass-framed walk-in shower and pale cabinetry.
Laura splurged on a double sink unit after falling in love with a similar one on Houzz. “I’d seen this sort of unit on the American site, before Houzz U.K. arrived,” she says, “and I managed to track one down here.”
Double sink unit: Porter Vanities
Double sink unit: Porter Vanities
In the spare bedroom, an invitingly cozy bed is tucked under a large skylight. Layers of bedding and silk pillows in neutral tones create a restful, boutique hotel feel.
Bed and mattress: Silentnight; bedspread: TK Maxx; bedside lamps: John Lewis
Bed and mattress: Silentnight; bedspread: TK Maxx; bedside lamps: John Lewis
Laura chose a woodland theme for daughter Tahlia’s bedroom. “We didn’t know whether we were having a boy or a girl, so we wanted it to be neutral,” she says. The white-painted crib has been used by both the couple’s children. “When Tahlia is bigger, it will also turn into a sleigh bed,” Laura says.
The toy box and bookcase were originally in Laura’s parents’ house and were given a fresh coat of paint to update them.
Chair: DFS; crib: Bambizi
The toy box and bookcase were originally in Laura’s parents’ house and were given a fresh coat of paint to update them.
Chair: DFS; crib: Bambizi
The children each have mini teepee play dens tucked into the corners of their bedrooms, and they have, unsurprisingly, been a huge hit. “They both love them,” Laura says.
Teepee: Just for Tiny People
Teepee: Just for Tiny People
Rocco’s bedroom features cheerful red and blue bedding and a bold star-patterned rug. Laura bought the letters on the dresser from a hobby shop and painted them herself.
Personalized pillow: North Star Knits; wire shelves: TK Maxx; rug: Nubie
Personalized pillow: North Star Knits; wire shelves: TK Maxx; rug: Nubie
On the same floor as the children’s bedrooms, the family bathroom is a practical space with a walk-in shower and large tub. Large-scale gray tiles on the floor and walls create a crisp, clean feel, while the glass-framed shower maximizes the feeling of space.
After all the hard work, Laura and Alex have created a warm and welcoming family home. So is it all completed now? “You never finish a house,” Laura says with a laugh. “They develop with you, and I’m the kind of person that never sits still. I’m sure there are more things to do.”
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After all the hard work, Laura and Alex have created a warm and welcoming family home. So is it all completed now? “You never finish a house,” Laura says with a laugh. “They develop with you, and I’m the kind of person that never sits still. I’m sure there are more things to do.”
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: Laura Hamilton; her husband, Alex; and their two children, Rocco and Tahlia
Location: Purley, Surrey, England
Size: Five bedrooms, three bathrooms