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Houzz Tour: A Brilliantly Reconfigured Home with Storage Galore
Before and after photos show how clever space planning and an eye for colour can take a home from bitty to beautiful
Nevermind location, location, location – for many homeowners, the mantra is storage, storage, storage. With two little boys in the mix, the owners of this house were keen to give them the space and freedom to play, but also have the means to quickly corral their very many bits and pieces into some sort of order at the end of the day, not to mention making sure all the rooms in the home remained calm and clutter-free.
That’s where interior architect and designer Gemma Fabbri of Studio Fabbri was invaluable. Brought on board at the early stages of the renovation to collaborate with the architects at PlanStudio, she wove in huge amounts of storage while keeping an airy feel, and also helped the owners to use the bold colour they desired but didn’t know how to employ in a beautiful way.
That’s where interior architect and designer Gemma Fabbri of Studio Fabbri was invaluable. Brought on board at the early stages of the renovation to collaborate with the architects at PlanStudio, she wove in huge amounts of storage while keeping an airy feel, and also helped the owners to use the bold colour they desired but didn’t know how to employ in a beautiful way.
The architects at PlanStudio created the new layout before Gemma came on board. “I can’t take credit for the reconfigured layout,” she says. The original layout had a smaller kitchen with a family room on the side. There was also a tiny utility that led into a cloakroom.
These rooms were in a more recently added extension, but the layout was awkward and it wasn’t very robust. “There was some sort of plastic sheeting on the roof,” Gemma says.
The key to unlocking the space actually lay in the long garage…
These rooms were in a more recently added extension, but the layout was awkward and it wasn’t very robust. “There was some sort of plastic sheeting on the roof,” Gemma says.
The key to unlocking the space actually lay in the long garage…
The architects were ingenious in their use of the old garage, splitting it into three: the front section, which can be accessed from outside, too, holds bikes, tools and so on; the second section, accessed from the hallway, has been turned into a cloakroom; the third section has become a utility room accessed from the kitchen.
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Read reviews of interior designers in your area on Houzz.
Here’s the original, smaller kitchen with a family room on the side, accessed via the second door. The first door led to the tiny utility and, in turn, a cloakroom.
The hugely improved connection to the garden is clear in this photo, taken from the same spot. PlanStudio’s clever opening up of the whole back half of the house has created a lovely light family space.
Kinross dining chairs, John Lewis & Partners. Dining table, made by the owner.
Kinross dining chairs, John Lewis & Partners. Dining table, made by the owner.
“Two colours the owners really like are blue and yellow,” Gemma says. She’s used them here to zone the kitchen and family/play space.
The flooring is engineered oak.
Amp pendant lights (over sofa), Normann Copenhagen. Oval pendant lights (over island), Tala.
The flooring is engineered oak.
Amp pendant lights (over sofa), Normann Copenhagen. Oval pendant lights (over island), Tala.
Gemma has fitted in plenty of cupboard space, with units tucked up against the ceiling and cupboards on this side of the island as well as drawers on the other side.
“It was all about maximising storage wherever possible,” she says. “It’s quite a deep island, so [as well as the drawers], we could fit in these cupboards, which are 400mm deep, for those items you only get out at Christmas.”
A boiling-water tap helps to keep the worktop free, while a hob with integrated downdraft extractor negates the need for an intrusive hood.
Most of the cupboards run floor to ceiling, packing in maximum storage, but last two doors on the oven wall hide a secret…
Kitchen cabinets in Indigo; Caesarstone worktops, all Colour House Interiors. DF bar stools, Gavin Coyle.
“It was all about maximising storage wherever possible,” she says. “It’s quite a deep island, so [as well as the drawers], we could fit in these cupboards, which are 400mm deep, for those items you only get out at Christmas.”
A boiling-water tap helps to keep the worktop free, while a hob with integrated downdraft extractor negates the need for an intrusive hood.
Most of the cupboards run floor to ceiling, packing in maximum storage, but last two doors on the oven wall hide a secret…
Kitchen cabinets in Indigo; Caesarstone worktops, all Colour House Interiors. DF bar stools, Gavin Coyle.
Behind those doors is a utility room. The cupboards in there are also bespoke, but a more cost-effective range, and the worktop is laminate.
“The detailing for the doors into the room was tricky, as we didn’t want to attach a plinth,” Gemma says, “but as the company made the kitchen bespoke, they could take the doors to the floor.”
“The detailing for the doors into the room was tricky, as we didn’t want to attach a plinth,” Gemma says, “but as the company made the kitchen bespoke, they could take the doors to the floor.”
Gemma has created a small gallery wall complete with picture lights and plaques. “This space is all about the family and the kids are always making lots of art,” she says. “The frames hold up to 50 pictures, so you can slot new ones in and the rest sit behind.”
Picture frames, My Little DaVinci. Wall painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball.
Picture frames, My Little DaVinci. Wall painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball.
The furniture in here is flexible, so there’s space for the children to get down on the floor when they’re playing, but the sofa can also be moved in front of the storage wall to make the room feel cosier.
The bespoke storage wall has pocket doors that slide inside for easy access to the toys. As well as the storage, there’s a desk on runners and a bench that can be pulled out.
“The use can be changed over time as they grow out of toys,” Gemma adds.
And when the playing is done…
Storage wall interior in Brilliant Yellow laminate, Egger. Storage wall exterior painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball.
The bespoke storage wall has pocket doors that slide inside for easy access to the toys. As well as the storage, there’s a desk on runners and a bench that can be pulled out.
“The use can be changed over time as they grow out of toys,” Gemma adds.
And when the playing is done…
Storage wall interior in Brilliant Yellow laminate, Egger. Storage wall exterior painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball.
…the toys can all be screened from sight behind neat doors.
Gemma has incorporated a reading nook in the left-hand section. “There are really nice double doors onto the garden here and the couple didn’t need any more storage,” she says. “They liked the idea that they or the kids could go and sit there and just enjoy the view.”
She’s lined the nook in oak, with oak battens at the back. “That wall needed a bit of texture, because once it’s closed up, there are a lot of doors, so it was nice to bring in natural wood to give it a bit of softness. Anything like that also helps with acoustics,” she says.
Gemma has incorporated a reading nook in the left-hand section. “There are really nice double doors onto the garden here and the couple didn’t need any more storage,” she says. “They liked the idea that they or the kids could go and sit there and just enjoy the view.”
She’s lined the nook in oak, with oak battens at the back. “That wall needed a bit of texture, because once it’s closed up, there are a lot of doors, so it was nice to bring in natural wood to give it a bit of softness. Anything like that also helps with acoustics,” she says.
The living room and dining area were previously a bit of a ‘corridor’.
The archway was reduced to this wide opening. This is the sweet spot between open-plan and a standard doorway, as the living room can feel part of the kitchen and play space, but a large pocket door can be slid across to close it off when needed. “When it’s open, there’s still a really nice connection from the living room out into the garden,” Gemma says.
The doorway into the living room from the hallway was blocked up. “In order to make best use of the space and allow for a long sofa [against the opposite wall to the fireplace] and to make it all flow, it made sense to close up the door to the hall,” Gemma explains. “The owners don’t miss it at all.
“I suggested they treat the layout as a journey. You come in and walk ahead and you’re in the family space, where it’s all kind of buzzy, then the living room is tucked cosily around the corner. And you can treat this space differently – you can break away from the rest of it.”
The doorway into the living room from the hallway was blocked up. “In order to make best use of the space and allow for a long sofa [against the opposite wall to the fireplace] and to make it all flow, it made sense to close up the door to the hall,” Gemma explains. “The owners don’t miss it at all.
“I suggested they treat the layout as a journey. You come in and walk ahead and you’re in the family space, where it’s all kind of buzzy, then the living room is tucked cosily around the corner. And you can treat this space differently – you can break away from the rest of it.”
The living room is a cosy haven, with most of the vertical surfaces, from the walls and woodwork to the fireplace surround and pocket door, painted in a cocooning dark blue.
The fire is a bioethanol one and the hearth is inset terrazzo. “They like terrazzo, but there wasn’t really anywhere for it, so it’s nice to have this hearth,” Gemma says. “The reason I like that design is it pulled in a lot of the colours.”
The owner spotted the striking pendant light in a sale and Gemma thought it would fit in nicely.
Walls and woodwork painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball. Pendant light, Tom Dixon.
The fire is a bioethanol one and the hearth is inset terrazzo. “They like terrazzo, but there wasn’t really anywhere for it, so it’s nice to have this hearth,” Gemma says. “The reason I like that design is it pulled in a lot of the colours.”
The owner spotted the striking pendant light in a sale and Gemma thought it would fit in nicely.
Walls and woodwork painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball. Pendant light, Tom Dixon.
This is a grown-up room for relaxing and entertaining and the alcove bar adds to the mood. “We talked about this room feeling a bit like a members’ club,” Gemma says. “We created a bespoke bar, as the owner collects whisky.”
Along with the terrazzo, the curtains also pull together the various colours. “Because a lot of the scheme is colour-blocky and flat, where we could, we threw in pattern to give it a lift and a more luxe, grown-up vibe,” Gemma says.
The owners had all the windows and doors in the house changed to be more insulating and sustainable, but they’re quite modern, so Gemma suggested fabric panels to soften them.
“We created sheer panels for the bottom of the windows, so the light would still come in but you wouldn’t see so much of the chunky window frames,” she says.
Velvet curtain fabric, Osborne & Little.
The owners had all the windows and doors in the house changed to be more insulating and sustainable, but they’re quite modern, so Gemma suggested fabric panels to soften them.
“We created sheer panels for the bottom of the windows, so the light would still come in but you wouldn’t see so much of the chunky window frames,” she says.
Velvet curtain fabric, Osborne & Little.
The new cloakroom, off the hallway, is decorated with palm wallpaper and deep green zellige tiles. “The room has a pocket door and, when it’s open, you don’t see the basin and loo, as they’re tucked either side – all you see is this wall of palm paper,” Gemma says.
St Vincent wallpaper in Lagoon, Prestigious Textiles.
St Vincent wallpaper in Lagoon, Prestigious Textiles.
Gemma’s joiner made this oak coat and shoe area. “It’s easy to kick off shoes and throw a bag and coat in here and it’s all tucked away – you don’t really see it from the hall,” she says.
You can also access the bike and buggy store from here (through a door behind the camera).
You can also access the bike and buggy store from here (through a door behind the camera).
The hallway before works, with a view through to the old kitchen.
Gemma didn’t alter the stairs much beyond painting them. “They’re part of the 1930s style we didn’t want to get rid of, so we just smartened them up,” she says. “We went with a monochrome vibe, as it’s quite simple and looks clean as you come in the door.”
Double doors lead into the kitchen and family space. “They’re timber-framed with fire-rated glass,” she says. “You’re drawn into the family room and garden beyond.”
Woodwork painted in Off-Black; walls painted in Ammonite, both Farrow & Ball.
Double doors lead into the kitchen and family space. “They’re timber-framed with fire-rated glass,” she says. “You’re drawn into the family room and garden beyond.”
Woodwork painted in Off-Black; walls painted in Ammonite, both Farrow & Ball.
A bold combination of pink and green brightens up the loft suite. “I showed the owner this green and she loved it,” Gemma says. “I suggested a muddy pink initially, thinking she wouldn’t want to be too bold, but she said, ‘I really like a good pink.’ So we put them together and she said, ‘I love it, that’s exactly what I want.’”
Green walls painted in Ditch The Tie, Coat Paints. Wardrobes painted in Hellebore, Little Greene. Pink glass bedside lights, Made.com.
Green walls painted in Ditch The Tie, Coat Paints. Wardrobes painted in Hellebore, Little Greene. Pink glass bedside lights, Made.com.
As with downstairs, the colours help with zoning, so the pink is in the dressing area and the dark green denotes the sleep zone. There are hints of pink in the headboard and bedside lights to link the spaces.
Opposite the dressing room, a lovely big window gives views over the roofs and treetops. “We knew the window was going to be black-framed, so we introduced black in the bedside tables and in the en suite,” Gemma says.
The en suite has a large shower (it extends to the left). “I originally designed this as a walk-in shower, but the owner didn’t want a wetroom, so we went with a cubicle,” Gemma says.
She added gentle pattern in the form of herringbone wall tiling and chevron floor tiles.
She added gentle pattern in the form of herringbone wall tiling and chevron floor tiles.
Again, there’s loads of storage in here in the form of a bank of cupboards (just seen in the mirror) and even in the neat vanity unit.
The pink basin links to the bedroom colour scheme and is teamed with a gentler green on the walls.
It’s safe to say Gemma’s design has been a hit: the family are so happy with the transformation, they’ve now recommended her to other homeowners.
Walls painted in Green 01, Lick. Curve sink, Raw Concrete.
Tell us…
What do you think of Gemma’s design for this house and her use of colour? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
The pink basin links to the bedroom colour scheme and is teamed with a gentler green on the walls.
It’s safe to say Gemma’s design has been a hit: the family are so happy with the transformation, they’ve now recommended her to other homeowners.
Walls painted in Green 01, Lick. Curve sink, Raw Concrete.
Tell us…
What do you think of Gemma’s design for this house and her use of colour? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple with two boys, 5 and 3 years old
Location South Woodford, north-east London
Property A 1930s semi-detached house
Size Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Gemma Fabbri of Studio Fabbri
Project year 2022-2023
Architect PlanStudio
Photos by Heather Hobhouse
The owners were moving from a small terraced house to this bigger property, so decorating was quite a daunting prospect.
“They have techy backgrounds and had thought a lot about functionality,” Gemma says, “but they wanted to know, ‘How do we make this house not too modern, but enough that it feels like the lifestyle we want, where it’s very functional, but at the same time we don’t lose the 1930s vibe.’”