Houzz Tour: Cool Hues and Natural Materials Update a Period House
Rethinking the layout and adopting a calm palette turned a rundown Victorian semi into a beautiful family home
Sarah Warwick
6 May 2019
Houzz Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist and editor writing for nationals, magazines and websites. A serial house revamper, I love great design, beautiful interiors and practical solutions.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist and editor writing for nationals, magazines... More
Interior designer Yoko Kloeden’s extended cottage accommodated a family of four, but when four became five, upsizing was imperative. The Victorian semi the family moved to wasn’t in the best of shape – ivy covered the outside and there was a patchwork of DIY efforts inside. So it was up to the designer to turn it into a handsome home for all of them.
House at a Glance
Who lives here? Yoko and Andrew Kloeden with their children, Alex, Richard and Sakura
Location Richmond, London
Property A semi-detached Victorian house
Size Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Interior designer Yoko Kloeden of Yoko Kloeden Design
Photos by YAYOI
There was already a kitchen extension at the rear of the property when the family moved in, but it wasn’t ideal. “The corrugated plastic roof made a noise when it rained,” Yoko says.
The old extension was taken down and replaced with a smart new version that opens up the kitchen-dining-living space to the garden.
Who lives here? Yoko and Andrew Kloeden with their children, Alex, Richard and Sakura
Location Richmond, London
Property A semi-detached Victorian house
Size Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Interior designer Yoko Kloeden of Yoko Kloeden Design
Photos by YAYOI
There was already a kitchen extension at the rear of the property when the family moved in, but it wasn’t ideal. “The corrugated plastic roof made a noise when it rained,” Yoko says.
The old extension was taken down and replaced with a smart new version that opens up the kitchen-dining-living space to the garden.
As well as extending at the back of the house, Yoko chose to knock through from the rear reception room, which now joins up with the kitchen area.
A loft extension gave the semi-detached house a second floor, and added a master bedroom and family bathroom.
The house used to have a limited opening to the garden, and the outside space had become overgrown.
The dining area is connected to the garden through new, steel-framed glazing. Alongside the table, Yoko opted for a brick wall that matches the original ones in the garden, further linking the two spaces. “I love the combination of exposed brick wall and steel doors,” Yoko says.
The iconic Eero Saarinen Tulip table and Eames DCM chairs came from the family’s previous house. “I like mixing midcentury pieces with contemporary ones,” Yoko says.
Modo chandelier, Jason Miller.
The iconic Eero Saarinen Tulip table and Eames DCM chairs came from the family’s previous house. “I like mixing midcentury pieces with contemporary ones,” Yoko says.
Modo chandelier, Jason Miller.
The family enjoy having a walled garden, because it means they don’t feel overlooked. The space needed a revamp, though, and old decking and a jumble of bushes and trees were removed.
Yoko then designed a bench with seating for the dining area that makes space for family and friends. There’s a barbecue alongside.
Yoko then designed a bench with seating for the dining area that makes space for family and friends. There’s a barbecue alongside.
The dining zone includes a sizeable open floor area. “We were thinking ahead about how the children were going to use the house,” Yoko says. “The baby would need floor space to play.” Storage for toys was built in alongside.
As well as toy storage cupboards, Yoko located a desk for the children opposite the dining table. “I can oversee homework while I’m cooking,” she says.
Yoko favours cool and calm blues and greens, and went for kitchen cabinetry in the former shade. The unit carcasses came from Ikea, and Yoko designed fronts with brass recesses and had them made up by a joiner.
“I wanted to use brass sparingly to add a touch of glam,” she says. The kitchen tap is also in brass.
The cabinetry is combined with a practical Silestone quartz worktop, while the splashback is beautiful Carrara marble.
Pendant lights, Gubi.
Find the right person for your project by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
“I wanted to use brass sparingly to add a touch of glam,” she says. The kitchen tap is also in brass.
The cabinetry is combined with a practical Silestone quartz worktop, while the splashback is beautiful Carrara marble.
Pendant lights, Gubi.
Find the right person for your project by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The hallway wall was removed, allowing daylight to reach the entrance to the home. The open-plan layout includes the family living area, kitchen and dining space, with views to the garden.
The flooring is engineered oak laid in a large-scale herringbone pattern that complements the big space. “I’m Japanese and all of us take our shoes off in the house, so it had to be nice to touch,” Yoko says of the natural material. Underfloor heating also makes the floor appealing.
The flooring is engineered oak laid in a large-scale herringbone pattern that complements the big space. “I’m Japanese and all of us take our shoes off in the house, so it had to be nice to touch,” Yoko says of the natural material. Underfloor heating also makes the floor appealing.
The family area is a step up from the kitchen, giving it a slight separation without compromising openness and light.
Inspired by a friend’s design, Yoko tiled the chimney breast. The Moroccan tiles are hand glazed and their splash of turquoise makes for an eye-catching feature.
The chandelier is a vintage Italian design.
Tiles, Emery & Cie. Sofa, Ligne Roset.
Inspired by a friend’s design, Yoko tiled the chimney breast. The Moroccan tiles are hand glazed and their splash of turquoise makes for an eye-catching feature.
The chandelier is a vintage Italian design.
Tiles, Emery & Cie. Sofa, Ligne Roset.
Yoko sourced a pair of vintage armchairs for the living space. The family tend to watch television on the laptop, so there was no need to arrange the furniture to face a screen.
The front and rear reception rooms had been knocked through to form one long space in the past.
Yoko reinstated a separate front room. It was originally destined to be her work space. “Because it’s nicer to work overlooking the garden, I don’t use it as my office,” she says, “but it’s become a music room for my two oldest children, and it’s really good to have a separate music room!”
The designer has used touches of black throughout the house, but here it plays a major role. “I quite like some rooms to be dark, as it makes you feel cosy and cocooned,” she says. “This is north-facing, so you don’t get light streaming through anyway.”
The skirting board is painted black, too. “It’s like having a collar or cuff in a different colour,” Yoko says. “It creates a very different look.”
The room’s original ceiling rose had been replaced with an out-of-character version, so Yoko swapped it for a period design. The cornices that had been lost when the room was knocked through were also restored.
The rug is a vintage kilim from Turkey.
Chimney breast painted in Off-Black, Farrow & Ball. Cabinetry, Ikea.
The designer has used touches of black throughout the house, but here it plays a major role. “I quite like some rooms to be dark, as it makes you feel cosy and cocooned,” she says. “This is north-facing, so you don’t get light streaming through anyway.”
The skirting board is painted black, too. “It’s like having a collar or cuff in a different colour,” Yoko says. “It creates a very different look.”
The room’s original ceiling rose had been replaced with an out-of-character version, so Yoko swapped it for a period design. The cornices that had been lost when the room was knocked through were also restored.
The rug is a vintage kilim from Turkey.
Chimney breast painted in Off-Black, Farrow & Ball. Cabinetry, Ikea.
A cloakroom was added just behind the staircase as part of the refurbishment. Yoko chose hexagonal tiles for the wall. Brass accents give the simple grey backdrop a gentle highlight.
Classic Range tiles, Mandarin Stone.
Classic Range tiles, Mandarin Stone.
The master bedroom is at the top of the house in the new loft extension. “Our previous bedroom was all white and I found it so light in summer, even with a blackout blind,” Yoko says.
To avoid disturbed sleep, this time she opted for a deep sea blue for the walls. Brass details echo those elsewhere in the house, adding subtle shimmer and warmth.
Walls painted in Stiffkey Blue, Farrow & Ball.
To avoid disturbed sleep, this time she opted for a deep sea blue for the walls. Brass details echo those elsewhere in the house, adding subtle shimmer and warmth.
Walls painted in Stiffkey Blue, Farrow & Ball.
The room’s bedside tables have granite tops. “I like natural materials, and this grain is gorgeous and blends with the wall,” Yoko says.
Stilla tables, Aytm.
Stilla tables, Aytm.
An en suite shower was incorporated into the master bedroom layout. It’s behind a glazed panel, creating a view through to the marble that lines it.
“It’s the first thing I see when I wake up, so it had to have a really uncluttered, clean but beautiful look,” Yoko says.
Take a look at 9 more bathrooms where marble steals the show.
“It’s the first thing I see when I wake up, so it had to have a really uncluttered, clean but beautiful look,” Yoko says.
Take a look at 9 more bathrooms where marble steals the show.
The bedroom now shared by Yoko’s sons, Alex and Richard, used to be an odd shape where the corner had been cut out to add an en suite. This had made the room and the corridor an awkward shape and blocked natural light.
Yoko brought back a regular shape to the boys’ bedroom. She chose a forest mural for one wall to continue the home’s natural theme and – hopefully – have a calming influence.
The original floorboards of the room were sanded and white oiled. “I didn’t grow up in a carpeted house and the flooring is almost all wood,” Yoko says. “I like the feeling underfoot.”
The floors are softened with rugs, though. “You can change them and move them around,” Yoko adds.
Skog mural, Sandberg.
The original floorboards of the room were sanded and white oiled. “I didn’t grow up in a carpeted house and the flooring is almost all wood,” Yoko says. “I like the feeling underfoot.”
The floors are softened with rugs, though. “You can change them and move them around,” Yoko adds.
Skog mural, Sandberg.
Sakura’s room also features a tranquil tree mural. “The colour palette came from the rug, which we brought back from Turkey,” Yoko says.
Classic Hua Trees mural wallpaper, Sian Zeng.
Classic Hua Trees mural wallpaper, Sian Zeng.
The family bathroom has a monochrome palette. “It had to be tiled, because the children splash, but without being cold,” Yoko says. She therefore chose hand-glazed tiles to soften the look, as well as natural ash cabinets that bring in the warmth of wood.
Cabinetry, Ikea.
Tell us…
What do you like about this tranquil family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Cabinetry, Ikea.
Tell us…
What do you like about this tranquil family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
What are you working on?
Related Stories
Most Popular
How to Design a Kitchen That’s Easy to Clean
Keen to cut down on kitchen cleaning time? Read this expert advice on how to build easy maintenance into your scheme
Full Story
Most Popular
Planning to Declutter Your Home? Here’s How to Get Started
By Hannah Young
Follow this simple plan of action for a stress-free ‘spring clear’
Full Story
Before and After
Houzz Tour: A Converted Victorian Dairy With a Magical Courtyard
A derelict historical building has been saved and transformed into a beautifully calm family home
Full Story
Before and After
Houzz Tour: A Clever Angled Extension Opens Up a 1980s House
An ingenious solution took this L-shaped property from gloomy and awkward to light, open and sociable
Full Story
Before and After
Houzz Tour: Smart Design Tricks Make a Tiny House Feel Bigger
Before and after photos show how a smart layout and ingenious design turned a dark space into a bright, welcoming home
Full Story
Room Tour
Room Tour: A Teen’s Loft Bedroom That Doubles as a Guest Space
Work, rest and play zones ensure this attic room scheme will last through the teenage years, and serve for visitors, too
Full Story
South East
Houzz Tour: A Bright Family Home With an Open-plan Layout
This modern house has personality galore thanks to clever colour, graphic pattern and simple décor
Full Story
London
Houzz Tour: A Period Home With an Inside-outside Extension
A side-return addition and internal rejig transformed this house into a bright home that feels connected to the garden
Full Story
Before and After
Houzz Tour: Clever Use of Space in a Tiny City Flat
Smart space planning squeezed two shower rooms and a utility space into this compact apartment
Full Story
Really love the light fitting over the kitchen dining table. Any chance of finding out where its from??
So much to love here, especially the family bathroom and its ash cabinets, and that tree mural in the little bedroom - too much to mention.
The only bit of sadness is the loss of the ‘overgrown’ garden. It looks bleak now.