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Houzz Tour: A 17th Century Cottage Gains Warmth and Character
The clever use of colour and pattern has revived this old building while creating a 21st century family home
Even with a newer side extension, from the outside this 17th century Kent cottage was bursting with character when the current owners first saw it. Inside, however, it was a bit bland for their taste. So they set about finding designers who could help them reinstate some of the character while creating a home for their young family.
Browsing professionals on Houzz, design and architectural company Aflux caught their eye and they got in touch. “I think they liked the fact that we don’t have a specific style,” interior designer Sara Ripamonti says, referring to the fact the company is flexible and can create a luxurious look with an eye on the budget.
Her challenge was to add the pattern and colour the homeowners loved in a stylish, era-appropriate way, so she chose a bold but limited palette of green, blue and pink, and introduced pattern via wallpaper and tiles.
To see more great projects where the homeowner found their professional via Houzz, take a look at our Born on Houzz series.
Browsing professionals on Houzz, design and architectural company Aflux caught their eye and they got in touch. “I think they liked the fact that we don’t have a specific style,” interior designer Sara Ripamonti says, referring to the fact the company is flexible and can create a luxurious look with an eye on the budget.
Her challenge was to add the pattern and colour the homeowners loved in a stylish, era-appropriate way, so she chose a bold but limited palette of green, blue and pink, and introduced pattern via wallpaper and tiles.
To see more great projects where the homeowner found their professional via Houzz, take a look at our Born on Houzz series.
The owners key ask was for a family home, and the kitchen, which is on the ground floor of the extension, plays a central role in creating that warm, sociable feeling.
The couple were keen to have a range cooker and a more traditional look, so Sara went for a butler sink and Shaker-style units with classic brass handles and latches.
“As the owner is staying at home and will be cooking a lot now they have two children, the kitchen was quite an important area,” Sara says. “They didn’t want a breakfast bar – they have a little breakfast table instead.”
Sara’s chosen colour palette comes together beautifully in here, with rich blue cabinets, green tiles in varying tones and soft pink walls.
Kitchen in Clerkenwell Blue, DeVOL.
The couple were keen to have a range cooker and a more traditional look, so Sara went for a butler sink and Shaker-style units with classic brass handles and latches.
“As the owner is staying at home and will be cooking a lot now they have two children, the kitchen was quite an important area,” Sara says. “They didn’t want a breakfast bar – they have a little breakfast table instead.”
Sara’s chosen colour palette comes together beautifully in here, with rich blue cabinets, green tiles in varying tones and soft pink walls.
Kitchen in Clerkenwell Blue, DeVOL.
Before Photo
The previous kitchen, which had white gloss units with black worktops and splashback, was functional but not really in keeping with the character of the old property.
Before tackling the furniture and fittings, the team rewired the house and redid the plumbing, fitting new, traditional-style radiators throughout.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
Before tackling the furniture and fittings, the team rewired the house and redid the plumbing, fitting new, traditional-style radiators throughout.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
“The biggest challenge was to give a good look while being mindful of the budget, so we had to play smartly with that,” Sara says. “For instance, we used a mix of tiles from cheaper and more expensive shops, so we had to order a lot of samples to make sure the quality was good enough.”
Green tiles, Artisans of Devizes. Walls painted in Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball. Quartz worktop in Lagoon, Silestone.
Green tiles, Artisans of Devizes. Walls painted in Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball. Quartz worktop in Lagoon, Silestone.
All the internal doors and window frames have been retained. “Previously, the window frames and doors were all wood, but we thought it was a bit too much, so we painted the doors,” Sara says.
“The natural wood has a redness to it that doesn’t go with everything,” she continues, “so we had to find flooring that worked with the windows.” Large-format porcelain tiles in a warm pale grey make the perfect foil for the stronger colours above.
The door seen here on the right leads to the utility room and cloakroom; the door on the left opens into the dining room.
Floor tiles, Porcelain Tiles. All internal doors painted in Bone, Farrow & Ball.
“The natural wood has a redness to it that doesn’t go with everything,” she continues, “so we had to find flooring that worked with the windows.” Large-format porcelain tiles in a warm pale grey make the perfect foil for the stronger colours above.
The door seen here on the right leads to the utility room and cloakroom; the door on the left opens into the dining room.
Floor tiles, Porcelain Tiles. All internal doors painted in Bone, Farrow & Ball.
The ground floor plan shows how the kitchen, dining room and utility room connect.
The owner really indulged her love of pattern in the dining room with a bold feature wall. The airy silhouette of the sideboard allows the paper to show through.
The couple wanted the same flooring in here as in the kitchen and utility room, both for continuity and because it’s easy to clean.
Wallpaper, House of Hackney. Duga triple pendant light, Nkuku.
The couple wanted the same flooring in here as in the kitchen and utility room, both for continuity and because it’s easy to clean.
Wallpaper, House of Hackney. Duga triple pendant light, Nkuku.
The rest of the walls in the room are a warm off-white to allow the wallpaper to shine without being overpowering.
The table and bench bring in gentle pattern, while the bar cabinet, which is set into the wall, adds character.
Walls painted in Slipper Satin, Farrow & Ball. Inset wine cabinet, designed by Aflux and made by a carpenter.
The table and bench bring in gentle pattern, while the bar cabinet, which is set into the wall, adds character.
Walls painted in Slipper Satin, Farrow & Ball. Inset wine cabinet, designed by Aflux and made by a carpenter.
The downstairs cloakroom features classic fittings and a floral wallpaper. While nodding to the traditional, the paper is bold and fun, and continues the pink, green and blue palette. Simple white tiles below allow it to be the focus.
Wallpaper, House of Hackney.
Wallpaper, House of Hackney.
The living room formerly had little storage and an inefficient open fire.
Sara kept the original limestone fire surround and hearth and added a wood-burning stove.
The team built in cabinets in a Shaker style to link with the kitchen units, creating a reading corner with a bookcase and armchair to the left, and a low cabinet to hold the TV to the right.
The flooring has a reclaimed look to it, as it’s distressed and has different plank widths. “[The couple] didn’t want anything that looked too modern or perfect, so this floor has a lot of colour variation and knots,” Sara says.
The team built in cabinets in a Shaker style to link with the kitchen units, creating a reading corner with a bookcase and armchair to the left, and a low cabinet to hold the TV to the right.
The flooring has a reclaimed look to it, as it’s distressed and has different plank widths. “[The couple] didn’t want anything that looked too modern or perfect, so this floor has a lot of colour variation and knots,” Sara says.
The team created the understairs cupboards, which add masses of storage in the hallway.
They also fitted new front and back doors. “The old ones weren’t secure enough,” Sara says.
Understairs cupboards painted in Green Smoke; front door painted inside and out in Inchyra Blue, both Farrow & Ball. Floor tiles, Otto Tiles.
More: 8 Clever Ideas for Designing a Hallway Cupboard
They also fitted new front and back doors. “The old ones weren’t secure enough,” Sara says.
Understairs cupboards painted in Green Smoke; front door painted inside and out in Inchyra Blue, both Farrow & Ball. Floor tiles, Otto Tiles.
More: 8 Clever Ideas for Designing a Hallway Cupboard
Sara suggested painting the formerly wood staircase spindles white, which allows the remaining timber to shine. The door to the left seen here leads into the youngest child’s bedroom, with the older child’s room opposite.
The first floor plan shows the children’s rooms and bathroom, the small study and the master suite.
Sara refurbished the existing doors and retained the original door handles.
The door to right here leads into the small study.
The door to right here leads into the small study.
One of the owners works from home most of the time, so he wanted his own study. This is one of the smallest rooms in the house, but Sara managed to make it welcoming.
“They wanted to create a seating bench within the bookcase [just seen on the right], so they could interact and keep each other company; maybe when he’s working, she can sit there and read a book,” she says.
“They wanted to create a seating bench within the bookcase [just seen on the right], so they could interact and keep each other company; maybe when he’s working, she can sit there and read a book,” she says.
The family bathroom is on the first floor near the children’s rooms. The couple felt they only needed a small amount of storage in here (out of shot), as they have plenty in the dressing room. It’s kept the look light and airy, with simple wooden shelves offering the chance to bring in some greenery.
Amid the calming neutrals in here, Sara has introduced touches of green on the bath and the shower tiles.
To give the standard fittings a characterful aged brass effect, Sara and Amit sent them to be electroplated. “Some had an antique brass finish, but whatever was chrome, we sent off for treatment,” she says. “For instance, it’s very difficult to find off-the-shelf toilet seats that don’t have chrome fixings.”
Padstow Ivory and Padstow Sage wall tiles; Heritage Star White floor tiles, all Porcelain Superstore. Tapware, Big Bathroom Shop.
To give the standard fittings a characterful aged brass effect, Sara and Amit sent them to be electroplated. “Some had an antique brass finish, but whatever was chrome, we sent off for treatment,” she says. “For instance, it’s very difficult to find off-the-shelf toilet seats that don’t have chrome fixings.”
Padstow Ivory and Padstow Sage wall tiles; Heritage Star White floor tiles, all Porcelain Superstore. Tapware, Big Bathroom Shop.
Above the kitchen in the newer part of the house is a master bedroom, with an en suite bathroom behind and a dressing room to the side of that. Whether in bed or sitting in an armchair, the couple can enjoy a glorious view.
Sara replaced the flooring in here with reclaimed-style planks.
Sara replaced the flooring in here with reclaimed-style planks.
The former bathroom wasn’t laid out in the most effective way, with a pinch point in front of the basin.
Grouping everything on one side has made the relatively narrow space feel wider. The team also removed the nib wall on the right of the shower and fitted a glass screen in place of the curtain to open up the area.
The shower has been clad in beautiful green tiles, the colour variations giving the space real depth. Sara has chosen pale tiles for the floor and remaining walls. “They loved the green, but it would have been too much to have it everywhere,” she says. “You choose what you want to be a feature in a room – you can’t have everything as a feature.”
Wall tiles, Domus.
More: How to Choose a Tiler
The shower has been clad in beautiful green tiles, the colour variations giving the space real depth. Sara has chosen pale tiles for the floor and remaining walls. “They loved the green, but it would have been too much to have it everywhere,” she says. “You choose what you want to be a feature in a room – you can’t have everything as a feature.”
Wall tiles, Domus.
More: How to Choose a Tiler
The team boxed in the toilet cistern. “We couldn’t recess it in the wall and didn’t want an exposed one,” Sara says.
A long vanity unit offers storage, while decorative countertop basins gently chime with the green tiled shower.
Mahri handmade countertop washbasins, available at The Way We Live London. Vanity unit with white Emperador honed marble top, Mandarin Stone; painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
A long vanity unit offers storage, while decorative countertop basins gently chime with the green tiled shower.
Mahri handmade countertop washbasins, available at The Way We Live London. Vanity unit with white Emperador honed marble top, Mandarin Stone; painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
The top floor has a guest suite, while the other room (Bedroom 2 on the plan) contains a sofa-bed and is used as a study.
All the wardrobes and joinery throughout the house were handmade and painted on-site.
All the wardrobes and joinery throughout the house were handmade and painted on-site.
The shower area in the top floor bathroom is clad in the same tiles as in the master en suite, but this time in pink. “Originally, we weren’t going to do much to this room, but that’s tricky when you’ve designed everywhere else, and suddenly this feels like the naughty room,” Sara laughs.
The space not only feels fresher, the pink ties in with the restricted palette running throughout. So even though the house is full of colour and pattern, Sara has cleverly created a thread through the property, and while the rooms feel fun and, in many ways, different, there’s a cohesion.
Tiles, Domus.
The space not only feels fresher, the pink ties in with the restricted palette running throughout. So even though the house is full of colour and pattern, Sara has cleverly created a thread through the property, and while the rooms feel fun and, in many ways, different, there’s a cohesion.
Tiles, Domus.
The interior now lives up to the promise of the exterior in this beautiful old home.
Tell us…
What do you like best about the way Sara and Amit have renovated this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you like best about the way Sara and Amit have renovated this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A couple with two young children
Location Kent
Property A 17th century detached cottage with a loft conversion and a more recent side extension
Project year 2022
Size Five bedrooms and three bathrooms
Designer Sara Ripamonti and Amit Malhotra of Aflux Designs
Photos by Vigo Jansons
Partly keeping the budget in mind, but also the age of the property, Sara and Amit didn’t do anything structural or change the layout of the cottage, retaining the individual rooms. They did, however, reinstate plenty of character.