My Houzz: A Classic Victorian House Gets a Bright and Airy Redesign
A fresh colour palette boosted by jewel brights – coupled with clever ways to pull in light – have brought out the beauty in this period gem
Luisa Rollenhagen
5 November 2014
Houzz Contributor. I am a passionate traveler, writer, reader, and debater. My previous haunts have included Buenos Aires, Berlin, New York, and now London. All of these places have introduced me to varied and unique styles of architecture, design, and a certain cultural standard of living, all of which I try to include in my daily work.
I've studied English Literature and Journalism at NYU in New York, and am now continuing to burrow myself into books at Kings College London. I have a socially unfortunate obsession with literature, film, and the newest shiny gadgets. I will nerd out over vintage typewriters and 3-D printers.
Houzz Contributor. I am a passionate traveler, writer, reader, and debater. My previous... More
When Beth Dadswell and her family moved into a Victorian semi in West Dulwich, southeast London, in 2011, they were excited about living in an historic building again. They had just left behind a self-renovated 1960s house and, despite its airiness, Beth says, ‘It made us yearn for period features.’
Beth and her partner bought the house from a couple who had called it home for more than 30 years, but who hadn’t really focused on bringing the building into the 21st century. ‘Everything was kind of moss green,’ she recalls when describing the interior, ‘and there was tons of wood stained really dark. But we could see beyond all that. We thought, this could be a really nice family home.’
With the help of a part-time builder, the couple got to work, knocking down walls and re-tiling floors until an airy, bright space emerged one year later. As an interior designer with a love of vintage, and founder of the company Imperfect Interiors, Beth had the expertise required to turn the space into a stylish, family-friendly home. Her main focus was to bring as much light as possible into the house, which she estimates was built around 1900. ‘Pulling light through the house was a real challenge,’ she says. ‘The corridors were incredibly dark. We took out entire walls so we could get the light coming in from all angles.’
The reward for all their thought and effort, though, is clear to see. The once-poky property is now a bright, welcoming house with large, airy rooms in crisp whites and greys – the perfect modern family home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Beth Dadswell, her partner, and their 8-year-old son
Location West Dulwich, southeast London
Year built Around 1900
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Beth and her partner bought the house from a couple who had called it home for more than 30 years, but who hadn’t really focused on bringing the building into the 21st century. ‘Everything was kind of moss green,’ she recalls when describing the interior, ‘and there was tons of wood stained really dark. But we could see beyond all that. We thought, this could be a really nice family home.’
With the help of a part-time builder, the couple got to work, knocking down walls and re-tiling floors until an airy, bright space emerged one year later. As an interior designer with a love of vintage, and founder of the company Imperfect Interiors, Beth had the expertise required to turn the space into a stylish, family-friendly home. Her main focus was to bring as much light as possible into the house, which she estimates was built around 1900. ‘Pulling light through the house was a real challenge,’ she says. ‘The corridors were incredibly dark. We took out entire walls so we could get the light coming in from all angles.’
The reward for all their thought and effort, though, is clear to see. The once-poky property is now a bright, welcoming house with large, airy rooms in crisp whites and greys – the perfect modern family home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Beth Dadswell, her partner, and their 8-year-old son
Location West Dulwich, southeast London
Year built Around 1900
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
In order to open up the hallway as much as possible, Beth opted for airy white and statement grey, a radical change from the room’s previous look. ‘The walls were all avocado. It was grim,’ she laughs. ‘We also installed dado rails to break up the space, otherwise it was just too much hallway.’
The exception to the crisp white and grey rule is the dusky rose stair carpet. ‘We needed some colour,’ Beth says, ‘and the stairs were an obvious place to add a bright touch.’
The door on the left opens into the living room. Beth replaced two panels with glass to aid the flow of light between the spaces.
Carpet, Vorwerk. Panelling and banister painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
Browse 10 easy ways to update your hallway
The exception to the crisp white and grey rule is the dusky rose stair carpet. ‘We needed some colour,’ Beth says, ‘and the stairs were an obvious place to add a bright touch.’
The door on the left opens into the living room. Beth replaced two panels with glass to aid the flow of light between the spaces.
Carpet, Vorwerk. Panelling and banister painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
Browse 10 easy ways to update your hallway
A vintage shelving unit full of personal pieces warms up the white hallway. ‘The lamp is a vintage Conran design, picked up at an antiques market,’ says Beth. ‘The picture closest to the door is an oil painting of my father when he was a child.’
Shelving unit, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Conran lamp, Alfies Antique Market.
Shelving unit, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Conran lamp, Alfies Antique Market.
The original house had two living rooms, which Beth opened up into one while still maintaining distinct areas. ‘The room at the front was really dark,’ Beth explains. The open layout now allows light from the garden to reach into both areas.
‘The front room is more for TV watching,’ Beth says. However, she has hidden the TV from view in a bespoke cabinet. ‘I don’t like looking at a blank screen,’ she says. Disappointed by the cabinet options on the market, she asked her builder to design one instead.
The couple restored and reinstated period features in across the space. They refitted traditional-style wooden sash windows – now double glazed – replacing some out-of-character uPVC ones. ‘We also put the ceiling roses in,’ Beth says. ‘The rooms have really nice high ceilings, and I felt they needed a little fancy cornicing.’
The curtain rails are copper. ‘We couldn’t find curtain rails that would fit, so we decided to put up some copper pipes instead,’ Beth reveals. She added copper fixtures to the central pendant lights for cohesion.
Copper light fixture, Habitat.
Be inspired by 9 ways to conceal your gadgets
‘The front room is more for TV watching,’ Beth says. However, she has hidden the TV from view in a bespoke cabinet. ‘I don’t like looking at a blank screen,’ she says. Disappointed by the cabinet options on the market, she asked her builder to design one instead.
The couple restored and reinstated period features in across the space. They refitted traditional-style wooden sash windows – now double glazed – replacing some out-of-character uPVC ones. ‘We also put the ceiling roses in,’ Beth says. ‘The rooms have really nice high ceilings, and I felt they needed a little fancy cornicing.’
The curtain rails are copper. ‘We couldn’t find curtain rails that would fit, so we decided to put up some copper pipes instead,’ Beth reveals. She added copper fixtures to the central pendant lights for cohesion.
Copper light fixture, Habitat.
Be inspired by 9 ways to conceal your gadgets
Beth likes to throw midcentury pieces into the contemporary mix, as well as treasured finds. ‘It’s a real mishmash of things, but they’re all tied together with colour or texture,’ she says. ‘We like nothing better than going to a car-boot sale or antiques market, and many of the pieces in the house are things we’ve found, or got really lucky with.’
Even high street buys are given Beth’s magic touch, adding to the unique character of the space. The Tripod floor lamp, for instance, originally had silver legs, but she spray-painted them black for a more striking contrast.
Stockholm rug, Ikea. Sofa, The Conran Shop. Tripod floor lamp, BHS.
Even high street buys are given Beth’s magic touch, adding to the unique character of the space. The Tripod floor lamp, for instance, originally had silver legs, but she spray-painted them black for a more striking contrast.
Stockholm rug, Ikea. Sofa, The Conran Shop. Tripod floor lamp, BHS.
Beth was searching for something to add a little bright colour to the neutral front living room when she came across this world map and decided it would provide just the eye-catching detail she was looking for. ‘It’s the perfect size for this room,’ she says.
Vintage world map, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern.
Vintage world map, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern.
Both living rooms have identical fireplaces and mantelpiece mirrors, but they aren’t originals. ‘When we bought the house, the front fireplace resembled a horrendous, Fred Flintstone-type design,’ Beth recalls, while the one in the back room was an unappealing concrete structure. ‘Neither had any sort of design merit,’ she says. ‘We found matching fireplaces and mirrors at Ardingly Antiques Fair.’
The vintage canvas safari chairs add another touch of midcentury charm. ‘We found them in a junk shop in Hastings,’ Beth reveals. The lamp is also a vintage find, while the antique demijohn on the TV cabinet adds lovely colour and gleam to the space.
Demijohn jug; fireplace and mirror; both Ardingly Antiques Fair.
The vintage canvas safari chairs add another touch of midcentury charm. ‘We found them in a junk shop in Hastings,’ Beth reveals. The lamp is also a vintage find, while the antique demijohn on the TV cabinet adds lovely colour and gleam to the space.
Demijohn jug; fireplace and mirror; both Ardingly Antiques Fair.
The back living room is dedicated to music practice. The couple’s son plays the violin, and this space is where he hones his musical skills.
The fireplace in here is never lit, but acts as a wood store for the active fireplace in the front living room.
The large white wardrobe is also from the Crystal Palace Antiques centre. Beth and her partner painted it and gave it new handles, but the inlaid mirrors are still part of its original features.
The rug, which really gives this room energy, came from Designers Guild.
Wardrobe, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern.
The fireplace in here is never lit, but acts as a wood store for the active fireplace in the front living room.
The large white wardrobe is also from the Crystal Palace Antiques centre. Beth and her partner painted it and gave it new handles, but the inlaid mirrors are still part of its original features.
The rug, which really gives this room energy, came from Designers Guild.
Wardrobe, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern.
‘We took out the wall between the kitchen and dining room,’ says Beth, which has made the dining area much lighter. It has also given diners a view of the garden, further helped by the new bifold doors. ‘This space would probably have been used by servants originally,’ Beth explains, ‘so good views weren’t a priority!’
The large dining room table was actually a cost-effective bespoke solution. ‘We bought the table legs at Habitat and topped them with a piece of leftover plywood painted black,’ says Beth. Their builder then created a space-smart banquette, which also hides storage, and Beth made cushions from vintage fabric for the top. ‘I used my mum’s old curtains,’ she laughs.
The alterations have resulted in a much more welcoming space. ‘I spend about 80% of my time in the house in these two rooms,’ Beth says.
Robin Day Polypropylene armchairs, available from Twentytwentyone.
Explore options for lighting your dining room
The alterations have resulted in a much more welcoming space. ‘I spend about 80% of my time in the house in these two rooms,’ Beth says.
Robin Day Polypropylene armchairs, available from Twentytwentyone.
Explore options for lighting your dining room
After ripping out the 1970s boiler and installing a new one, Beth and her partner got to work on the kitchen. ‘It’s actually an Ikea kitchen that we’ve hacked,’ she reveals. They painted the units and fitted new handles, then topped the lot with honed marble worktops.
The couple also sanded, filled and painted the original floorboards, a process they repeated throughout the house.
The lamp is another of the couple’s DIY projects. They picked up the demijohn at Ardingly Antiques Fair in West Sussex, then worked together to create the lamp. ‘He did the drilling, I did the designing and constructing,’ Beth says. ‘It’s nice to make stuff you can’t find anywhere else.’
Metod kitchen units, Ikea. Demijohn, Ardingly Antiques Fair. Tiles, Fired Earth.
The couple also sanded, filled and painted the original floorboards, a process they repeated throughout the house.
The lamp is another of the couple’s DIY projects. They picked up the demijohn at Ardingly Antiques Fair in West Sussex, then worked together to create the lamp. ‘He did the drilling, I did the designing and constructing,’ Beth says. ‘It’s nice to make stuff you can’t find anywhere else.’
Metod kitchen units, Ikea. Demijohn, Ardingly Antiques Fair. Tiles, Fired Earth.
The staircase wall is brimming with framed photographs and artworks. ‘The ceiling is really high and the walls needed filling,’ Beth explains. This selection is a mix of prints by her partner, who is a graphic designer, and her pictures. ‘We’re usually on the same page with most things,’ she says, referring to their shared tastes.
‘I think our house is a collection of pieces we’ve gathered together over the years,’ she adds. ‘We curate little spaces, and it’s nice to have a theme running through them.’ The kitchen, for example, houses a collection of botanical and animal prints, while this hallway is ‘much more graphic and quite monochrome’.
The couple installed a big skylight at the top of the stairwell to flood the previously dark space with light. The pendant shades are from Ikea, although Beth picked them up in a charity shop.
Leran pendant light, Ikea.
‘I think our house is a collection of pieces we’ve gathered together over the years,’ she adds. ‘We curate little spaces, and it’s nice to have a theme running through them.’ The kitchen, for example, houses a collection of botanical and animal prints, while this hallway is ‘much more graphic and quite monochrome’.
The couple installed a big skylight at the top of the stairwell to flood the previously dark space with light. The pendant shades are from Ikea, although Beth picked them up in a charity shop.
Leran pendant light, Ikea.
This bathroom was originally two rooms, with the toilet in one and the bath in the other. ‘We knocked down the wall and installed frosted glass French windows to let light from here into the hallway,’ she explains. They also added tongue and groove panelling with an integrated cupboard.
Beth wanted the shower to feel luxurious, but not imposing. ‘The shower has an open feel,’ she says. ‘It looks sort of invisible.’ The tiles in the shower are the same design as the ones used in the kitchen.
A vintage mirror adds a touch of elegance. ‘We’ve had it for years,’ Beth says. ‘It was a junk shop find.’
Tiles, Fired Earth.
Discover ideas for grey bathrooms here.
Beth wanted the shower to feel luxurious, but not imposing. ‘The shower has an open feel,’ she says. ‘It looks sort of invisible.’ The tiles in the shower are the same design as the ones used in the kitchen.
A vintage mirror adds a touch of elegance. ‘We’ve had it for years,’ Beth says. ‘It was a junk shop find.’
Tiles, Fired Earth.
Discover ideas for grey bathrooms here.
The second bathroom was strangely configured. ‘It had a shower in the middle of the room, like a throne,’ laughs Beth. They stripped the room back and retiled the floor, then found a vintage claw-foot bath on eBay. ‘That’s the girlie element,’ Beth says. ‘I wanted this bathroom to feel a bit more feminine.’
She used the same marble as in the kitchen to create a shelf and vanity unit for the basin. ‘I wanted it to be a bit more glamorous than your average bathroom,’ she explains. ‘I’m a bit obsessed with marble.’
The wall cabinet is an original feature, but was located downstairs. Beth painted it white, with a lilac interior, and moved it upstairs to turn it into a nice display for toiletries. ‘We wanted to keep the Victorian features, so anything we could bring up to date, we painted,’ she says. The fireplace is a case in point, painted white for a crisp finish.
Tiles, Topps Tiles. Bath, eBay.
She used the same marble as in the kitchen to create a shelf and vanity unit for the basin. ‘I wanted it to be a bit more glamorous than your average bathroom,’ she explains. ‘I’m a bit obsessed with marble.’
The wall cabinet is an original feature, but was located downstairs. Beth painted it white, with a lilac interior, and moved it upstairs to turn it into a nice display for toiletries. ‘We wanted to keep the Victorian features, so anything we could bring up to date, we painted,’ she says. The fireplace is a case in point, painted white for a crisp finish.
Tiles, Topps Tiles. Bath, eBay.
The master bedroom is actually not the biggest. Beth explains that she and her partner chose the smaller room ‘because it’s at the back of the house and it looks onto the garden. It feels cosy.’
The room’s fireplace is not original. The couple found one on eBay similar to the original fireplace in the guest room, and painted it in the same shade as the walls – Farrow & Ball’s Lamp Room Gray, which is Beth’s favourite colour in the house. The chest of drawers was also an eBay find, while Beth picked up the chair in a junk shop and painted it black.
Walls painted in Lamp Room Gray, Farrow & Ball. Bobby floor lamp; bedside table; both Habitat. Marais bed, Sofa.com
The room’s fireplace is not original. The couple found one on eBay similar to the original fireplace in the guest room, and painted it in the same shade as the walls – Farrow & Ball’s Lamp Room Gray, which is Beth’s favourite colour in the house. The chest of drawers was also an eBay find, while Beth picked up the chair in a junk shop and painted it black.
Walls painted in Lamp Room Gray, Farrow & Ball. Bobby floor lamp; bedside table; both Habitat. Marais bed, Sofa.com
Beth painted the walls of the guest bedroom in Hardwick White, then added accents with colourful pieces of furniture. ‘The turquoise chair was from a Margaret Howell sample sale,’ Beth says. In a happy coincidence, her turquoise floor lamp happened to match the colour of the chair. ‘This was me trying to inject a bit of colour into the grey,’ she says.
Beth retiled and painted the fireplace, but apart from that kept its original features. She adorned the mantelpiece with personal mementos. ‘The two jugs belonged to my grandmother,’ she says.
Walls painted in Hardwick White, Farrow & Ball. Grayson floor lamp, Habitat.
Beth retiled and painted the fireplace, but apart from that kept its original features. She adorned the mantelpiece with personal mementos. ‘The two jugs belonged to my grandmother,’ she says.
Walls painted in Hardwick White, Farrow & Ball. Grayson floor lamp, Habitat.
The bed’s unique design has a great backstory. Beth had bought the bed from a junk shop, but it was covered in ‘this really disgusting blue fabric’, so she dyed it black. One day her mischievous cat decided to turn the frame into a scratching board. Beth pulled off the damaged fabric, with the intention of reupholstering it, only to realise ‘the black dye had made a unique imprint on the calico underneath’. She decided she liked the resulting look, and kept the bed in memory of her creative kitty. ‘She did me a favour,’ she laughs.
Beth is particularly fond of the patio. The deck is surrounded by bamboo and shrubbery, which creates a perfect private oasis. ‘It’s a real suntrap,’ she says.
Further down the garden, a raised platform holds a table and bench set. The paper lanterns are actually limited-edition Regolit solar powered lanterns from Ikea. The casual feel of the table and paper lanterns make this the ideal place for laid-back garden parties.
Beer garden bench and table, Ardingly Antiques Fair.
Beer garden bench and table, Ardingly Antiques Fair.
In the side return, Beth and her partner have created a secluded seating area.
The tree trunk stools were originally supposed to serve a different purpose. Beth’s builder was cutting down a tree and offered her the trunk as firewood. But instead of burning the pieces, the couple decided to use them as quirky seating.
This secluded spot was immediately claimed by Beth’s son. ‘He’ll have his tea out here,’ she says. It’s also the perfect spot for him – and the rest of the family – to hang out with friends.
Browse photos of small courtyard gardens to see how to style yours.
The tree trunk stools were originally supposed to serve a different purpose. Beth’s builder was cutting down a tree and offered her the trunk as firewood. But instead of burning the pieces, the couple decided to use them as quirky seating.
This secluded spot was immediately claimed by Beth’s son. ‘He’ll have his tea out here,’ she says. It’s also the perfect spot for him – and the rest of the family – to hang out with friends.
Browse photos of small courtyard gardens to see how to style yours.
The front door is original, but Beth replaced the top two panels with frosted glass to bring in more light, and painted it a contemporary dark grey.
She also redesigned the front garden and created a path using bricks left over from removing internal walls.
Door painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
She also redesigned the front garden and created a path using bricks left over from removing internal walls.
Door painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
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Great job! Love the wall and crown molding colors using in your front living rooms. Can you tell me the names please??
there's something about that guest room bed that just doesn't look right to me:)) the rest of the house is great! really cosy.
Like the kitchen at the back looking out to the garden. I don't like the carpet sorry. The one thing that bugs me though is that modern radiator in the guest bedroom. It doesn't go with the style. Why not go for one of the older designs they make now. I've seen some really low ones that would fit into that space