Houzz Tour: A Brand-new Home Personalised with Vintage Treasures
This modern, architect-built family home with impressive views has been transformed with bright colour and vintage finds
Designer Jenny Branson, owner of this Surrey new-build, has a knack for unearthing bargain vintage finds. She enjoys juxtaposing these items with more modern pieces of furniture to create a bright, vibrant and highly individual family home.
‘I love hunting through the bargain areas at antiques markets and unearthing treasures in junk shops,’ she explains. ‘With the latest one-coat paint and special decorating effects, you can give a new lease of life to old items in an afternoon. The pieces l’ve found are what makes our home so different.’
‘I love hunting through the bargain areas at antiques markets and unearthing treasures in junk shops,’ she explains. ‘With the latest one-coat paint and special decorating effects, you can give a new lease of life to old items in an afternoon. The pieces l’ve found are what makes our home so different.’
Branson specialises in creating schemes for clients that are beautiful, functional, but not hugely expensive, using a mix of modern furniture and vintage finds. She’s relished having free rein to practice what she preaches in her own home.
‘I try to think creatively about everything I find,’ she says. ‘I discovered this screen, which I’ve laid out flat behind the sofa, at a local antiques shop. It was a bargain at £70 and adds a nice piece of interest to this wall.’
Bookcase, Ikea. Trunk, car-boot sale.
‘I try to think creatively about everything I find,’ she says. ‘I discovered this screen, which I’ve laid out flat behind the sofa, at a local antiques shop. It was a bargain at £70 and adds a nice piece of interest to this wall.’
Bookcase, Ikea. Trunk, car-boot sale.
The house was built with a fully operating flue to give the owners the opportunity to install a fireplace. However, it’s so well insulated there’s no need for any extra heating, so Branson made a feature out of the hearth by turning it into a little photo gallery.
Above this, she hung decorative wallpaper, then had a frame built around it to make it look like a single piece of art above the fireplace.
Wallpaper, House of Hackney. Ottoman, Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park.
Above this, she hung decorative wallpaper, then had a frame built around it to make it look like a single piece of art above the fireplace.
Wallpaper, House of Hackney. Ottoman, Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park.
‘When I go to antiques shops and markets, I always sift through the bits that aren’t in the main display areas. It might be filthy, but that’s where you find the bargains that can be tarted up,’ says Branson, who’s also a big fan of eBay. She discovered this 1950s display cabinet on the auction site.
Gold cushion, House of Fraser.
Gold cushion, House of Fraser.
The downstairs space is arranged over several levels, and a half wall subtly zones this area. Branson has used the space between the dining table and the steps down to the living room to create another, more intimate seating area.
Sofa, Loaf. Dining table, The Old Table Company.
How to zone a small space
Sofa, Loaf. Dining table, The Old Table Company.
How to zone a small space
The crisp white kitchen units are simple and unobtrusive, but even in here Branson has found ways to add character. ‘I found the factory stools on eBay and, as I like to inject a bit of colour where I can, I painted the tops yellow,’ she reveals.
Kitchen, Howdens Joinery.
Kitchen, Howdens Joinery.
Hallways in traditional houses are often quite dark spaces, but the architect here has ensured this area is flooded with light. Hooks and racks hold the family’s hats and coats, which also serve to add colour to the hall.
Branson found the old cinema chair in a local antiques shop. She had it reupholstered in the American flag and made a Union Jack cushion for it to represent the couple’s two different heritages.
Cinema chair, No 5 Interiors.
Hallway looking a bit tired? See 10 easy ways to pep it up
Branson found the old cinema chair in a local antiques shop. She had it reupholstered in the American flag and made a Union Jack cushion for it to represent the couple’s two different heritages.
Cinema chair, No 5 Interiors.
Hallway looking a bit tired? See 10 easy ways to pep it up
Branson left the bathrooms as they were, simply jazzing them up with bright towels.
The master bedroom is decorated with more muted colours than those found elsewhere in the house. ‘I’ve tried to make this quite a calm space,’ Branson explains. ‘It’s not quite so colourful in here, but there’s still lots of texture. The soft grey wallpaper behind the bed, for example, is slightly raised.’
Wallpaper, Harlequin. Bed, Loaf.
Wallpaper, Harlequin. Bed, Loaf.
The papered feature wall in the guest room ensures the bed is the focal point here. ‘I enjoy creating little features in a room,’ says Branson. ‘I also like the fact that, as it’s such a small area, I can redo this wall quite cheaply when we’re ready for a change.’
Bed, Loaf. Lattice wallpaper, Clarke & Clarke at Wallpaper Direct.
Bed, Loaf. Lattice wallpaper, Clarke & Clarke at Wallpaper Direct.
The children’s rooms have been filled with a mixture of new and old finds, too. The ‘Coca-Club’ drum, for example, is a piece of old advertising material that Branson picked up at an antiques market.
Rug, Ikea. Coca-Cola can bedside table, Ardingly Antiques Fair. Green ball chair, Finn Stone.
Rug, Ikea. Coca-Cola can bedside table, Ardingly Antiques Fair. Green ball chair, Finn Stone.
Branson enjoys dreaming up unusual ways to display pieces she’s collected. The cloud above the bed is actually a cushion fixed to the wall.
Cloud cushion, Gorgeous Gerties. Bed linen, Ikea.
Discover why vintage children’s bedrooms are a delight
TELL US…
What do you think of this colourful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Cloud cushion, Gorgeous Gerties. Bed linen, Ikea.
Discover why vintage children’s bedrooms are a delight
TELL US…
What do you think of this colourful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Who lives here Interior designer Jenny Branson with her husband, their three children and their cat
Location Surrey
Property An architect-designed new-build
Size 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Designer Jenny Branson – Design for Living
Instead of selling a piece of surplus land that surrounded his house to a developer, the architect of this property decided to design and build the Scandinavian-style house himself about three years ago, after which he sold it on to interior designer Jenny Branson.
‘When we first saw it, I just loved that it was a big white box with huge windows that I wouldn’t have to do anything to structurally; I could just fill it with colour and pretty vintage finds,’ explains Branson.
‘As the house isn’t overlooked and, being built to the latest Building Regulations, doesn’t suffer from draughts, I left the huge window undressed, so as not to detract from the view.’
Leather pouffe, Graham & Green. Sofa, Loaf.