Houzz Tour: A Dingy Victorian Flat Gains Light and Character
Orange pine and uPVC windows had this small flat stuck in the 1970s. It’s now a bright, boho-meets-midcentury dream
This ground-floor Victorian conversion flat was dark and dated before interior designer Emilie Fournet of Emilie Fournet Interiors took on a complete refurbishment, reworking the layout, improving light flow and putting in a new bathroom and kitchen. She then furnished the new space with budget-friendly and vintage finds for a warm, characterful home.
The project shows just how much can be involved in interior design. “I did everything, from interior architecture – we knocked down a few walls – to finding contractors and project managing,” Emilie says. “I took full responsibility for the whole project. This is how I like to work. I’m really into changing layouts, so I love to have the opportunity to include that.” With this project, she wasn’t disappointed.
The windows in the living/dining room were uPVC with secondary aluminium glazing. “The light was terrible,” Emilie says, “so we replaced them with sash windows, which let in a lot more light.”
The floor was sanded back and treated with a white wax, and the lighting plan was revised to bring in more of a focal point over the dining area (pictures below).
Emilie kept the original radiators, but enclosed them in covers painted the same colour as the walls to blend in. “It’s a cost-effective idea compared with the labour and upheaval of replacing radiators. You gain a display shelf this way, too,” she says.
Walls and woodwork painted in Great White, Farrow & Ball. Monstera print, Homeplace. Flamingo print, eBay. Floorboards lightened with Osmo Wood Wax Finish in White. Pure wool rug, La Redoute. Moroccan rug; plant holders, all vintage.
The floor was sanded back and treated with a white wax, and the lighting plan was revised to bring in more of a focal point over the dining area (pictures below).
Emilie kept the original radiators, but enclosed them in covers painted the same colour as the walls to blend in. “It’s a cost-effective idea compared with the labour and upheaval of replacing radiators. You gain a display shelf this way, too,” she says.
Walls and woodwork painted in Great White, Farrow & Ball. Monstera print, Homeplace. Flamingo print, eBay. Floorboards lightened with Osmo Wood Wax Finish in White. Pure wool rug, La Redoute. Moroccan rug; plant holders, all vintage.
This is the finished floorplan. “[The original layout] was awkward,” Emilie says. “Because it’s a conversion flat, the central room – the living/dining room – is in the middle.”
Not only did this make the room dark, it meant it wasn’t a relaxing space. “It was a room of transition,” she says. “The owners were either using it to go into the kitchen or bathroom on one side, or to the garden on the other.”
Not only did this make the room dark, it meant it wasn’t a relaxing space. “It was a room of transition,” she says. “The owners were either using it to go into the kitchen or bathroom on one side, or to the garden on the other.”
“One of the first things we did was to build a screen [next to the sofa] between the hallway and living room. This stopped the living room feeling like a passageway,” she says.
Find an interior designer to take on your next project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Find an interior designer to take on your next project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The screen can be seen here, too, just behind the sofa on the left. “It makes the living space more closed and cosy without losing light. It’s made out of a vintage Indian mango wood screen.” The builders cut the top off it to fit it in.
Sustainability was a key part of the brief, too, and the owner was keen to reuse or buy second-hand wherever possible. “I brought in some of the owner’s vintage pieces, such as the trio of artworks, which she’d found at a flea market in Belgium,” Emilie says.
She sourced the vintage Ercol dining table online and picked up the matching Ercol chairs for £8 while driving around locally with the owner.
Vintage Ercol dining table, eBay. Rug, Wayfair. Dining table light, Homeplace.
Sustainability was a key part of the brief, too, and the owner was keen to reuse or buy second-hand wherever possible. “I brought in some of the owner’s vintage pieces, such as the trio of artworks, which she’d found at a flea market in Belgium,” Emilie says.
She sourced the vintage Ercol dining table online and picked up the matching Ercol chairs for £8 while driving around locally with the owner.
Vintage Ercol dining table, eBay. Rug, Wayfair. Dining table light, Homeplace.
The alcove on the back wall of the dining area was transformed into a reading corner. “The chair was one of the midcentury pieces the owner’s boyfriend brought in,” Emilie says.
Tyson Tiger side table, Graham & Green. Wallpaper, Etsy.
Tyson Tiger side table, Graham & Green. Wallpaper, Etsy.
Emilie also installed a skylight into the kitchen’s sloping ceiling (just behind the kitchen door), which brought more light into the living/dining room as well.
“The internal windows and door were already there,” Emilie says, “but the only source of natural light was that tiny window at the end of the kitchen worktop. We added a radiator, too, as it was absolutely freezing in the winter.”
To the right of the new radiator is the door to the garden; to the left is the door to the bathroom. The new encaustic tiles on the kitchen floor continue into the bathroom and towards the garden. “I wanted to join those spaces together seamlessly,” Emilie says.
Encaustic tiles, Mosaic del Sur. Wine rack, Homeplace.
To the right of the new radiator is the door to the garden; to the left is the door to the bathroom. The new encaustic tiles on the kitchen floor continue into the bathroom and towards the garden. “I wanted to join those spaces together seamlessly,” Emilie says.
Encaustic tiles, Mosaic del Sur. Wine rack, Homeplace.
“In order to cut costs, we kept a similar layout in the kitchen, with the cooker, sink and fridge in the same places. But we completely changed the floor, the units and the tiles,” Emilie says.
“Before, there were tall units. We replaced these with open shelves to add a sense of space. Somehow, we managed to squeeze in a slim, pull-out larder and one more unit to make up for the wall cabinets we’d lost.”
Handmade green wall tiles, Milagros. Kitchen, Ikea. Copper handles, Etsy. Pendant lights, eBay.
“Before, there were tall units. We replaced these with open shelves to add a sense of space. Somehow, we managed to squeeze in a slim, pull-out larder and one more unit to make up for the wall cabinets we’d lost.”
Handmade green wall tiles, Milagros. Kitchen, Ikea. Copper handles, Etsy. Pendant lights, eBay.
Here is the kitchen before Emilie got to work.
The shelving is pine, coloured using a Jacobean oak stain. The worktop is Carrara marble-effect quartz.
Schteiff quartz Marble Blanco worktop, Arlington Direct.
See more gorgeous zellige tile ideas for your kitchen.
Schteiff quartz Marble Blanco worktop, Arlington Direct.
See more gorgeous zellige tile ideas for your kitchen.
The white wall cupboard houses the boiler, while the tongue-and-groove below it hides the pipework. The boiler was moved from the adjoining wall, where it had been lower down and obstructed valuable worktop space.
All the woodwork was stripped back to remove ancient varnish, then waxed.
All the woodwork was stripped back to remove ancient varnish, then waxed.
The couple have a portable drainer with a tray, which can be stashed out of the way when not in use.
Hammered copper sink, Sink.com. Tap, Amazon. Wall painted in James White, Farrow & Ball.
Hammered copper sink, Sink.com. Tap, Amazon. Wall painted in James White, Farrow & Ball.
The kitchen sink as it was before the redesign.
This room (formerly a bedroom) is at the front of the house. The owner is a reflexologist and decided to turn it into her treatment room, as it’s the closest to the front door.
“She wasn’t sure at first,” Emilie says, “but decided it would be better if clients didn’t have to go through the whole flat. You can also disconnect from work as you move further into the property.”
Throw and cushions, Graham & Green.
“She wasn’t sure at first,” Emilie says, “but decided it would be better if clients didn’t have to go through the whole flat. You can also disconnect from work as you move further into the property.”
Throw and cushions, Graham & Green.
“The Edwardian bookcase on the back wall was the owner’s grandmother’s,” Emilie says. “She wanted to sand it back at first, but I could feel that brown furniture was coming back and we held off. It ended up working really well with the wall colour, too.”
Vintage brown leather armchair, MoseyHome. Rug, La Redoute.
Vintage brown leather armchair, MoseyHome. Rug, La Redoute.
The room was uninspiring with yet more orange wood and non-descript walls.
The owner’s boyfriend also uses this space as a music room.
Shelving, eBay. French swivel chair, vintage.
Shelving, eBay. French swivel chair, vintage.
“The boyfriend originally wanted everything white, but this is a north-facing room and when it was all undercoated in white, it looked cold and clinical,” Emilie recalls. “I said to him, ‘Why don’t we just try this colour…’ and promised I’d repaint it myself if he didn’t like it. He loved it so much he wanted to use it in the rest of the flat!”
Walls painted in Eggplant,
Sanderson. Pouffes, Hutsly.
Walls painted in Eggplant,
Sanderson. Pouffes, Hutsly.
“The owner wanted a roll-top bath, but also a shower over it. We eventually decided on a roll-top with a square end, meaning it’s suitable for a shower,” Emilie says.
“The radiator is original, but the metal was chrome. Because I wanted a copper finish, the decorators scraped off the chrome – and underneath was copper.” she says.
Shower curtain, Society6.
“The radiator is original, but the metal was chrome. Because I wanted a copper finish, the decorators scraped off the chrome – and underneath was copper.” she says.
Shower curtain, Society6.
“When I got the brief, the owner had just been to Marrakech and visited Jardin Majorelle. I’ve been, too, and we both felt inspired by that intense blue mixed with emerald green. In fact, that was a real starting point for the whole design of the flat,” Emilie says.
“Zellige tiles work so well in a Victorian setting,” she adds. “They have that Victorian intensity of colour.”
The wall-mounted taps were made by the plumber out of raw copper piping.
Mirror; vanity unit, both vintage. Moroccan tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
12 copper piping taps you’re going to love.
“Zellige tiles work so well in a Victorian setting,” she adds. “They have that Victorian intensity of colour.”
The wall-mounted taps were made by the plumber out of raw copper piping.
Mirror; vanity unit, both vintage. Moroccan tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
12 copper piping taps you’re going to love.
Emilie says the bedroom wall colour was the hardest to find, because of the brick fireplace. “If you look at the chimney breast [next image], which we exposed, you can see the mix of colours: yellow, red, black… The builder was horrified when he took off the plaster!”
Walls and ceiling painted in Threadneedle, Mylands. Wall hanging, Homeplace. Pendant shade, Graham & Green. Bedside lights, Dowsing & Reynolds; brackets, Ikea. Curtains, Zara Home.
Walls and ceiling painted in Threadneedle, Mylands. Wall hanging, Homeplace. Pendant shade, Graham & Green. Bedside lights, Dowsing & Reynolds; brackets, Ikea. Curtains, Zara Home.
“The challenge was the find a colour that worked with all of the brick tones without clashing,” Emilie continues. “We went through about 12 different types of pink, but this was the one that brought it to life. We were really happy when we found it!”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite part of this characterful home renovation? Let us know in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What’s your favourite part of this characterful home renovation? Let us know in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A couple
Location Harringay (an area within the London Borough of Haringey)
Property An end-of-terrace, ground floor, Victorian conversion flat
Size One bedroom (previously two, but one now converted) and one bathroom
Designer Emilie Fournet of Emilie Fournet Interiors
Photos by Kasia Fiszer Photography
Orange pine somewhat overwhelmed the original look of this flat. “The floorboards had been varnished in the 1970s and everything had an orange glow,” Emilie says.
“The owner wanted something light and airy, in a boho, Moroccan style,” she continues. “Then, halfway through the project, her boyfriend moved in and the brief changed.”
He was more minimalist and midcentury and brought some of his furniture. No problem for Emilie, though. “We combined both styles!” she says.
Vintage Papasan chair, Gumtree. Sofa, Ikea. Coffee table, Graham & Green.