Houzz Tour: A 1920s House Revamped for a Family of Five
Cocooning colours, a mix of old and new furniture, and a sociable layout put the new owners’ stamp on this Kent house
A period house they loved was a great starting point for the new owners of this detached property, but loving it didn’t mean their home reflected their personalities or suited their lifestyle. A rethink of the spaces and décor was essential, so, with no further ado, and the help of interior designer Phoebe Oldrey, the transformation began.
The opportunity for decoration in the hall was limited, so Phoebe used the floor to create drama. As the tiles meet the flooring of many other rooms, they were finished with a black border to complete the design.
The vintage Halabala chair was found on eBay.
Encaustic floor tiles, Fired Earth. Chair upholstery fabric, Designers Guild.
The vintage Halabala chair was found on eBay.
Encaustic floor tiles, Fired Earth. Chair upholstery fabric, Designers Guild.
The kitchen layout includes an island with a breakfast bar – and enough seating for all the children at once. “The bar stools come with a cushion, so they’re comfortable,” Phoebe says.
The owners brought the pendant lights over the island with them from their previous home.
Modern Metal bar stools, Mink Interiors.
The owners brought the pendant lights over the island with them from their previous home.
Modern Metal bar stools, Mink Interiors.
The cabinetry colour evolved from the moodboard Phoebe created at the beginning of the project. She balanced the deep tones with a pale work surface. “Dark units don’t darken the room if there’s a light top,” she says.
Find the right person for your project by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Find the right person for your project by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The dining table makes space for the family of five to sit down together. Feature pendant lights above anchor the table and draw the eye through the space to the garden beyond.
Bloom pendant lights, Kartell.
Bloom pendant lights, Kartell.
Tiles with the look of wood were chosen for the floor and laid in a herringbone pattern that adds interest to the space.
Phoebe designed bespoke cabinetry that has both concealed and open storage for the dining area. “The closed cupboards work well for things you don’t need to access 24/7, but if it’s all closed, it gets a bit heavy,” she says.
The storage was originally planned to occupy the entire breadth of the wall, but the homeowners had a change of heart and asked for space for an armchair next to the French windows. The spot is now a great place to sit and contemplate the garden.
Phoebe designed bespoke cabinetry that has both concealed and open storage for the dining area. “The closed cupboards work well for things you don’t need to access 24/7, but if it’s all closed, it gets a bit heavy,” she says.
The storage was originally planned to occupy the entire breadth of the wall, but the homeowners had a change of heart and asked for space for an armchair next to the French windows. The spot is now a great place to sit and contemplate the garden.
One of the doors to the hall was blocked to allow room for a capacious larder cupboard. It’s positioned near the fridge, so unpacking shopping is quick and convenient. The new family room – formerly the dining room – can be glimpsed through the doorway to the left of the larder.
The family room is a living space for everyone to use, or for the children to occupy while their parents are cooking. The rug inspired the colour scheme, which includes the orange that gives the room vibrancy. The coffee table is a vintage piece.
Rug, Designers Guild.
Rug, Designers Guild.
Phoebe designed a unit to sit under the wall-mounted TV that allows the kids’ things – such as games consoles – to be tidied away.
Blind fabric, Osborne & Little.
Discover more ideas for TV storage and display.
Blind fabric, Osborne & Little.
Discover more ideas for TV storage and display.
The living room is a more formal space than the family room, although it’s still designed to be shared by everyone. The scheme needed to include the sofa and brown leather chair the couple already owned, while the vintage G-Plan coffee table was an eBay buy.
The hues used in this room are cocooning. “People tend to use living rooms in the evening and more during the winter, so the colours can be dramatic and heavy,” Phoebe says. Pink accents, however, give the scheme a lift.
Walls painted in Green Smoke, Farrow & Ball. Curtain fabric, Florrie + Bill. Tielles Rose rug, Claire Gaudion.
The hues used in this room are cocooning. “People tend to use living rooms in the evening and more during the winter, so the colours can be dramatic and heavy,” Phoebe says. Pink accents, however, give the scheme a lift.
Walls painted in Green Smoke, Farrow & Ball. Curtain fabric, Florrie + Bill. Tielles Rose rug, Claire Gaudion.
This end of the living room is centred on the wood-burning stove. The fireplace – like others in the home – was retiled and painted.
The proportions of the living room prompted Phoebe to design it as two halves, and she opted for a show-stopping sofa at the opposite end to the stove. “The curved shape fills the space better and it’s as much a sculptural piece as seating,” she says.
The design – like the glamorous cocktail cabinet she also included in the scheme – echoes the curves and shapes popular in the 1920s, when the house was built.
Cocktail cabinet, Graham & Green.
The design – like the glamorous cocktail cabinet she also included in the scheme – echoes the curves and shapes popular in the 1920s, when the house was built.
Cocktail cabinet, Graham & Green.
The colour scheme in the couple’s bedroom is dramatic. “With bedrooms, you can go darker, as most people are using them only at night and in the early morning,” Phoebe says.
The deep blue colour makes a beautiful backdrop for the rich wood of the bed and side tables the couple already owned.
Walls painted in Stiffkey Blue, Farrow & Ball. Bedside lamp, Houseology.
The deep blue colour makes a beautiful backdrop for the rich wood of the bed and side tables the couple already owned.
Walls painted in Stiffkey Blue, Farrow & Ball. Bedside lamp, Houseology.
Phoebe chose a green armchair for the bedroom. “It cuts through the blue and lifts the whole thing,” she says.
The fireplace in here was also revamped. “We wanted to give it a bit of a cooler look,” she says.
Armchair, Graham & Green.
The fireplace in here was also revamped. “We wanted to give it a bit of a cooler look,” she says.
Armchair, Graham & Green.
The bedroom window was dressed with a Roman blind and curtains. “There’s a radiator underneath, so the blind is the workable bit, but the curtains complete the dressing and stop light from bleeding around the edges of the blinds,” Phoebe says.
Nesma curtain and blind fabric, Romo.
Nesma curtain and blind fabric, Romo.
Phoebe designed bespoke cabinetry for the bedroom, using the full height of the wall to maximise storage. The wardrobe has his and hers sections and a shared middle, plus drawers at the bottom for shoes.
Handles, Buster + Punch.
Handles, Buster + Punch.
The family includes boy and girl twins. For the girl’s room, Phoebe chose a 1920s-inspired eau de nil colour, sharpened with pink.
She found a vintage desk for the room – already finished in pink – and the retro piece was juxtaposed with a contemporary chair.
Desk, Vinterior.
She found a vintage desk for the room – already finished in pink – and the retro piece was juxtaposed with a contemporary chair.
Desk, Vinterior.
A custom design for the wardrobe doors gave them Art Deco style, while the fireplace was updated with pink tiles.
La Coupeé rug, Claire Gaudion.
La Coupeé rug, Claire Gaudion.
The other twin’s bedroom has a darker scheme, with blue painted walls. Here, too, the fireplace was retiled to update it.
The desk – like the one in his sister’s room – is a vintage design, this time in metal. “With kids’ rooms in general, you always have to look a little bit ahead,” Phoebe says. “I prefer to buy furniture that has longevity.”
Desk, Vinterior. Chair, Made.com.
Desk, Vinterior. Chair, Made.com.
Blue and green are juxtaposed and accented with yellow in the guest bedroom, giving the scheme vitality. The wall paint is a repeat of the living room’s colour. “The same paint can look so different in a different light,” Phoebe says.
Walls painted in Green Smoke, Farrow & Ball.
Walls painted in Green Smoke, Farrow & Ball.
Phoebe planned the room with the length of guests’ stays in mind. A chest of drawers provides all the unpacking space they need for a short visit, and the generous surface on top means there’s room to spread out.
Tell us…
What do you like about this elegant and practical family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like about this elegant and practical family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A couple and their three children
Location Sevenoaks, Kent
Property A 1920s detached house
Size Five bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Phoebe Oldrey of Smartstyle Interiors
Photos by Daniela Exley
As soon as they moved in, the family were ready to get cracking on the changes to their home. With the builder due to start imminently, Phoebe’s input was required straight away.
One of the major issues was getting the flow of the kitchen space right, and the couple’s initial plan was to fit bifold doors to the exterior in a room enlarged by knocking through. This, however, would have left little space for kitchen cabinetry.
Instead, Phoebe suggested installing sliding glazed doors from the hallway to the kitchen-diner, and matching French windows to the garden. The feeling of light and connection to the outside the couple wanted could be achieved, but the arrangement left wall space for kitchen units.