Houzz Tour: A 1970s Family Home is Totally Transformed
See the before and after photos that show how this London house went from nondescript, dated magnolia to 21st century colourful
Jo Simmons
8 November 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
‘Bringing in colour and personalising a space are my two design mantras,’ says Viki Lander, whose firm, Ensoul Interior Architecture, refurbished this family home in south London – the ‘before’ shot of which you can see in this first image – and extended it beneath the garden. Invigorating shots of orange and green are teamed with sage and warm ebony wood on the ground floor, referencing the colours outdoors and helping inside and out feel connected. Upstairs, trees, birds and flowers find their way onto the bedroom walls.
What’s more, it was fitted with all the latest gadgets, including IP surveillance, Sonos music systems in every room, smart CO and fire alarms, a video entry system – and even smart taps. Everything is centralised in an AV room, and the infrastructure runs hidden throughout in the fabric of the building, allowing it to function seamlessly. It’s quite a transformation, for a house that used to be magnolia throughout…
What’s more, it was fitted with all the latest gadgets, including IP surveillance, Sonos music systems in every room, smart CO and fire alarms, a video entry system – and even smart taps. Everything is centralised in an AV room, and the infrastructure runs hidden throughout in the fabric of the building, allowing it to function seamlessly. It’s quite a transformation, for a house that used to be magnolia throughout…
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A couple and their two-year-old son
Location Wandsworth Common, south London
Property A four-storey terraced townhouse built in 1972
Size 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
Designer Viki Lander of Ensoul Interior Architecture
Project completed December 2014
Before the renovation, the house was in a rather dilapidated condition, with bland and dated décor. ‘Wandsworth Common is at the front and there’s a big garden and parkland at the back,’ says Lander, ‘so I wanted to bring the colours 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.
Who lives here A couple and their two-year-old son
Location Wandsworth Common, south London
Property A four-storey terraced townhouse built in 1972
Size 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
Designer Viki Lander of Ensoul Interior Architecture
Project completed December 2014
Before the renovation, the house was in a rather dilapidated condition, with bland and dated décor. ‘Wandsworth Common is at the front and there’s a big garden and parkland at the back,’ says Lander, ‘so I wanted to bring the colours 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.
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 colours of the leaves, particularly in autumn.
The TV is hung on an ebony panel surrounded by bespoke units that were spray-painted in glossy orange. There are two Sky boxes and a centralised media server in the basement that store all of the family’s music, films and favourite TV programmes for easy streaming whenever they please.
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The TV is hung on an ebony panel surrounded by bespoke units that were spray-painted in glossy orange. There are two Sky boxes and a centralised media server in the basement that store all of the family’s music, films and favourite TV programmes for easy streaming whenever they please.
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As well as a total renovation, 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 29m 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,’ explains Lander. ‘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,’ explains Lander. ‘Fortunately, with this big garden, there was the length to extend underneath it. It was the easiest option.’
The house sits on the exact same footprint as before its refurbishment, 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,’ says Lander. ‘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.’
‘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,’ says Lander. ‘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,’ says Lander. 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 colours in here are still natural, but calmer than the lime and orange in the living area,’ says Lander.
The fish tank continues the ground floor’s colour scheme. ‘It’s quite heavily planted for the green, and the fish match the other orange touches around the space,’ she explains. ‘We worked hard to make sure they complemented the scheme. Some fish were sent back for being the wrong colour!’
Kitchen, TM Italia. Engineered quart stone worktop in Shitake, Caesarstone.
The fish tank continues the ground floor’s colour scheme. ‘It’s quite heavily planted for the green, and the fish match the other orange touches around the space,’ she explains. ‘We worked hard to make sure they complemented the scheme. Some fish were sent back for being the wrong colour!’
Kitchen, TM Italia. Engineered quart stone worktop in Shitake, Caesarstone.
The base units 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,’ says Lander. ‘Fitting this row of units off the floor gives a more sophisticated look.’ A mirrored splashback adds depth.
Family photos and favourite pieces bring a personal touch. ‘Shelves are a great way to personalise a space,’ says Lander. ‘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 favourite pieces bring a personal touch. ‘Shelves are a great way to personalise a space,’ says Lander. ‘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,’ says Lander. ‘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 AV room in the basement – makes working from home seamless.
‘If you’re sitting in the office, you can see the garden whether the doors are open or closed,’ says Lander. ‘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 was built bespoke and includes desktops and shelves in ebony. The chairs continue the orange theme.
Eames EA 208 chairs, available from The Conran Shop.
Get ideas for creating the perfect office space
‘If you’re sitting in the office, you can see the garden whether the doors are open or closed,’ says Lander. ‘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 was built bespoke and includes desktops and shelves in ebony. The chairs continue the orange theme.
Eames EA 208 chairs, available from The Conran Shop.
Get ideas for creating the perfect office space
The stairs that jut out into the garden lead down from the living room to the extensive basement level, which contains a playroom, gym, utility room, AV suite and bathroom. The door ahead leads into a utility room, with the gym on the left and the playroom at the far end.
Lander wanted the basement to feel generous, light and airy. ‘We dug it extra deep,’ she says. ‘It’s about 5m deep, with a really high ceiling of about 3m. We wanted it to feel like the best space in the whole house.’
In the playroom, generous storage helps keeps 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.
‘The joiner had to cut and paint all those leaves!’ says Lander. ‘They are a safety feature, but fit with the big design inspiration running through the house – the outdoors. You can see trees through the skylight, too.’
In the playroom, generous storage helps keeps 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.
‘The joiner had to cut and paint all those leaves!’ says Lander. ‘They are a safety feature, but fit with the big design inspiration running through the house – the outdoors. You can see trees through the skylight, too.’
Huge skylights allow lots of natural light into the basement, which finishes about 1.5m before the tree at the rear of the garden. ‘They are architectural features in the garden and look great,’ says Lander. 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 first floor is the master suite and the son’s bedroom with en suite, and on the second floor are two en suite guest rooms.
The master bedroom is the only space to deviate from the natural, woodland-inspired colour scheme, and looks amazing in teal. The deep dimensions of this room have been exploited by building five cupboards that now contain shoes. ‘The starting point for the entire scheme was the teal cushions,’ says Lander. ‘We had the wardrobes sprayed to match.’
Teal cushions, Heal’s.
The master bedroom is the only space to deviate from the natural, woodland-inspired colour scheme, and looks amazing in teal. The deep dimensions of this room have been exploited by building five cupboards that now contain shoes. ‘The starting point for the entire scheme was the teal cushions,’ says Lander. ‘We had the wardrobes sprayed to match.’
Teal cushions, Heal’s.
The master en suite has a spa-like feel thanks to a huge tub. ‘We put the bath on a raised platform to make a glamorous statement,’ says Lander. ‘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 freestanding bath, Villeroy & Boch.
Squaro Edge freestanding bath, Villeroy & Boch.
On the opposite side of the master en suite there’s a shower with a bespoke glass surround. Lander chose vintage oak parquet for this 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. Basin, Victoria & Albert.
Squaro shower tray, Villeroy & Boch. Basin, Victoria & Albert.
A beautiful, hand-painted mural personalises the room belonging to the owners’ son, who adores Winnie The Pooh.
Chair, Giorgetti. Tent cabin trundle bed, available from Cuckooland.
Chair, Giorgetti. Tent cabin trundle bed, available from Cuckooland.
The Winnie the Pooh theme continues into this en suite. ‘This is a fun child’s bathroom that could also be fantastic for an adult in the future,’ says Lander. She fitted pebble floor tiles for their safe, anti-slip properties. ‘But I also really love them,’ she says. ‘It’s like walking on the beach!’
This guest bedroom has gorgeous wallpaper by artist Jessica Zoob. ‘I love the fact it’s not a repeated pattern,’ says Lander. ‘It brings in colour and interest at the same time as keeping the natural theme. I love its Impressionist feel.’ A discreet glass side table ensures as much of the paper remains visible as possible.
Tour artist Jessica Zoob’s home
Tour artist Jessica Zoob’s home
The adjoining en suite continues the same green notes. Wood-effect tiles are combined with practical stone around the bath, bringing heaps of texture to the wall.
See 10 reasons to work woodland tones into your home
See 10 reasons to work woodland tones into your home
The outdoor, woodland theme continues in another of the guest rooms. ‘There are two sash windows in here looking over Wandsworth Common,’ says Lander, ‘so you are very aware of that open space just outside.’ The paper 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,’ says Lander.
See more timeless bathroom ideas
See more timeless bathroom ideas
Before the complete refurbishment project began in March 2014, the rear of the house looked scruffy, complete with dilapidated conservatory and decking.
The living space before the refurbishment had a roof made of plastic sheeting. ‘It was split and leaking,’ says Lander. ‘It was patched up with masking tape!’ The windows were rotten, with plants growing through them. ‘The garden was overgrown and out of control,’ she says.
The office is hardly recognisable now! The previously magnolia space is now adorned with sleek ebony desks, built-in storage and orange Eames chairs.
TELL US…
What do you think of this colour-rich transformation? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this colour-rich transformation? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Love the glass sliding door to the study - where is it from please?
these doors were made bespoke
Hi there, can you tell me more about the wooden strip flooring - I really like, it!