Meet the Winners of Our London Home Design Awards 2018
Feast your eyes on the imaginative, thoughtful and downright stylish schemes that came top
The jury has cast its vote and five inspiring rooms have been revealed as the winners of our first London Home Design Awards in partnership with the Evening Standard’s Homes & Property.
Six weeks ago, we asked Londoners to share with us a creative and captivating renovation project from their home, whether owned or rented. The five categories were: kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom and garden, and we received hundreds of inspirational entries.
“Interior design starts with the heart,” says Daniel Hopwood, former president of the British Institute of Interior Design, and one of our expert panel of judges – and nothing could be more of a testament to this than the five personality-packed winning rooms revealed below.
From ingenious DIY hacks and reclaimed furniture fixes to luxe metallic finishes and confident paint choices, these five triumphant schemes demonstrate how far the imagination and design spirit of some Londoners will stretch.
Six weeks ago, we asked Londoners to share with us a creative and captivating renovation project from their home, whether owned or rented. The five categories were: kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom and garden, and we received hundreds of inspirational entries.
“Interior design starts with the heart,” says Daniel Hopwood, former president of the British Institute of Interior Design, and one of our expert panel of judges – and nothing could be more of a testament to this than the five personality-packed winning rooms revealed below.
From ingenious DIY hacks and reclaimed furniture fixes to luxe metallic finishes and confident paint choices, these five triumphant schemes demonstrate how far the imagination and design spirit of some Londoners will stretch.
Photo by Jimmy Beltran S
1. The Winning Kitchen
Who lives here Laura Burkitt and her fiancé, Ben Sarner
Location Queen’s Park, northwest London
Guest judge Food writer and broadcaster Rachel Khoo
Category sponsor Tile specialist Topps Tiles
Laura Burkitt’s industrial-style kitchen renovation truly impressed the judges with its meticulous attention to detail, unique character and, most of all, functionality.
“For me, good design is not just about aesthetics,” says Rachel Khoo, “it has to work, especially in the kitchen. What I liked about this space is that you can tell it’s going to be used.”
Laura and her fiancé immersed themselves in the design work, painting the cabinetry a charcoal colour, installing the brass handles, and scouring online stores for reclaimed materials.
“I liked their resourcefulness and the way they sourced items from different places and really looked for things,” Rachel says.
“What I love about the UK is how people are embracing individuality,” she adds. “People seem to be expressing their own ideas more and not everybody follows the trend – they follow what they love and that’s what makes it ‘London’.”
Photo by Viv Yapp for Apartment Therapy
Who lives here Laura Burkitt and her fiancé, Ben Sarner
Location Queen’s Park, northwest London
Guest judge Food writer and broadcaster Rachel Khoo
Category sponsor Tile specialist Topps Tiles
Laura Burkitt’s industrial-style kitchen renovation truly impressed the judges with its meticulous attention to detail, unique character and, most of all, functionality.
“For me, good design is not just about aesthetics,” says Rachel Khoo, “it has to work, especially in the kitchen. What I liked about this space is that you can tell it’s going to be used.”
Laura and her fiancé immersed themselves in the design work, painting the cabinetry a charcoal colour, installing the brass handles, and scouring online stores for reclaimed materials.
“I liked their resourcefulness and the way they sourced items from different places and really looked for things,” Rachel says.
“What I love about the UK is how people are embracing individuality,” she adds. “People seem to be expressing their own ideas more and not everybody follows the trend – they follow what they love and that’s what makes it ‘London’.”
Photo by Viv Yapp for Apartment Therapy
2. The Winning Living Room
Who lives here Stephanie Savvides-Howell, her husband, Simon, and their two Bengal cats, Kingston and Kimba
Location Whetstone, north London
Guest judge Mad About The House author Kate Watson-Smyth
Category sponsor Bang & Olufsen, the leading manufacturer of cutting-edge audio and visual products
Who lives here Stephanie Savvides-Howell, her husband, Simon, and their two Bengal cats, Kingston and Kimba
Location Whetstone, north London
Guest judge Mad About The House author Kate Watson-Smyth
Category sponsor Bang & Olufsen, the leading manufacturer of cutting-edge audio and visual products
“The point of the London Home Design Awards 2018 was not to find London’s best ‘show’ home, it was to find London’s best ‘design’ home,” says Kate Watson-Smyth, who was particularly captivated by this eclectic living room scheme.
“For me, this was a real room that people might sit in on a chilly night, not a room from a catalogue,” she says.
With a passion for bold and beautiful design, owner Stephanie Savvides-Howell was determined to put her own unique stamp on her period property, teaming striking blue walls with blush pink upholstery for a big dose of personality, while also bringing attention to the traditional fireplace by replicating a satin white surround.
“If you want your [living room] design to be successful, the key is to tell your story,” Kate says. “There has to be a sense that when you go in, you know who lives there.”
“For me, this was a real room that people might sit in on a chilly night, not a room from a catalogue,” she says.
With a passion for bold and beautiful design, owner Stephanie Savvides-Howell was determined to put her own unique stamp on her period property, teaming striking blue walls with blush pink upholstery for a big dose of personality, while also bringing attention to the traditional fireplace by replicating a satin white surround.
“If you want your [living room] design to be successful, the key is to tell your story,” Kate says. “There has to be a sense that when you go in, you know who lives there.”
3. The Winning Bedroom
Who lives here Emilie Mauran, her husband, François, their children, Arthur, Alice, Lucie and Juliette, and their au pair, Mathilde
Location Fulham, southwest London
Guest judge Mr & Mrs Smith hotels founder Tamara Lohan
Category sponsor Leading manufacturer of ethically sourced, handcrafted beds, Hästens
Who lives here Emilie Mauran, her husband, François, their children, Arthur, Alice, Lucie and Juliette, and their au pair, Mathilde
Location Fulham, southwest London
Guest judge Mr & Mrs Smith hotels founder Tamara Lohan
Category sponsor Leading manufacturer of ethically sourced, handcrafted beds, Hästens
For Tamara Lohan, bedroom design is all about combining decorative details with cosy, practical features, while in more compact London homes, creating a sense of space and making the most of the light is equally important.
Step-forward Emilie Mauran’s hotel-inspired bedroom scheme. Its clever clothes storage, well-planned lighting and calming colours showcased all these key aspects and helped it gain top marks.
“I loved the fact they’d used a soft, plaster pink,” says judge Daniel Hopwood, commenting on Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir. “They’d thought it through from a practical and emotional point of view.”
The judges were impressed that the space’s functionality had been considered and not overly stylised. “When you walk into a bedroom, it must make you feel like jumping on the bed. If it doesn’t make you feel like that, it’s lost something,” Tamara says.
Step-forward Emilie Mauran’s hotel-inspired bedroom scheme. Its clever clothes storage, well-planned lighting and calming colours showcased all these key aspects and helped it gain top marks.
“I loved the fact they’d used a soft, plaster pink,” says judge Daniel Hopwood, commenting on Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir. “They’d thought it through from a practical and emotional point of view.”
The judges were impressed that the space’s functionality had been considered and not overly stylised. “When you walk into a bedroom, it must make you feel like jumping on the bed. If it doesn’t make you feel like that, it’s lost something,” Tamara says.
4. The Winning Bathroom
Who lives here Jess Hurrell, her husband, David, son, Rafferty, and daughter, Nellie
Location Honor Oak Park, southeast London
Guest judges Interior designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio
Category sponsor Luxury bathroom manufacturer Kohler
Who lives here Jess Hurrell, her husband, David, son, Rafferty, and daughter, Nellie
Location Honor Oak Park, southeast London
Guest judges Interior designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio
Category sponsor Luxury bathroom manufacturer Kohler
Topping the bathroom charts in this year’s awards was Jess Hurrell’s off-black bathroom renovation.
“For a family with two kids, I liked that they’d been bold with their bathroom design and done something other than white,” says Jordan Cluroe, adding that he also loved the mix of materials.
Jess went for encaustic floor tiles for a burst of strong pattern and introduced leafy houseplants for a shot of lush colour.
A luxe marble shower enclosure and vanity unit top add a stylish touch, while brass accents shimmer alongside. “I loved that they used a metallic surface on the front of the cupboards – you can see the floor reflected in it, so it’s almost like the huge amount of storage space isn’t there,” says Russell Whitehead.
“A bathroom should make you feel good about yourself – you should come out of it in the morning feeling as if you’re a pretty special person,” he adds. “This bathroom had an atmosphere to it – a real vibe.”
“For a family with two kids, I liked that they’d been bold with their bathroom design and done something other than white,” says Jordan Cluroe, adding that he also loved the mix of materials.
Jess went for encaustic floor tiles for a burst of strong pattern and introduced leafy houseplants for a shot of lush colour.
A luxe marble shower enclosure and vanity unit top add a stylish touch, while brass accents shimmer alongside. “I loved that they used a metallic surface on the front of the cupboards – you can see the floor reflected in it, so it’s almost like the huge amount of storage space isn’t there,” says Russell Whitehead.
“A bathroom should make you feel good about yourself – you should come out of it in the morning feeling as if you’re a pretty special person,” he adds. “This bathroom had an atmosphere to it – a real vibe.”
5. The Winning Garden
Who lives here Simon Hurst, his partner, John, and their cat, Widget
Location Walthamstow, east London
Guest judge Founder of The Balcony Gardener Isabelle Palmer
“This garden was a real labour of love,” says Isabelle Palmer of our winning garden design. Simon Hurst used his DIY skills to transform a plain, south-facing courtyard into what he calls a “secluded oasis”. He built the pond himself, used clever planting to provide texture as well as privacy, and hung a mirror on the end wall to provide the enchanting illusion of more space.
“It felt lush, cool and peaceful,” says judge Victoria Harrison, “and I loved how the homeowner managed to squeeze in a pond, dining area and shed without making the space feel cramped.”
A glazed veranda extension connects to the garden via sliding doors. Here, Simon and John can enjoy the view all year round amid lanterns, cushions, rugs and a wood-burning stove.
Who lives here Simon Hurst, his partner, John, and their cat, Widget
Location Walthamstow, east London
Guest judge Founder of The Balcony Gardener Isabelle Palmer
“This garden was a real labour of love,” says Isabelle Palmer of our winning garden design. Simon Hurst used his DIY skills to transform a plain, south-facing courtyard into what he calls a “secluded oasis”. He built the pond himself, used clever planting to provide texture as well as privacy, and hung a mirror on the end wall to provide the enchanting illusion of more space.
“It felt lush, cool and peaceful,” says judge Victoria Harrison, “and I loved how the homeowner managed to squeeze in a pond, dining area and shed without making the space feel cramped.”
A glazed veranda extension connects to the garden via sliding doors. Here, Simon and John can enjoy the view all year round amid lanterns, cushions, rugs and a wood-burning stove.
“We all appreciate outdoor space – it makes people happy and provides a sense of solace, comfort and protection from the everyday busyness of London,” Isabelle says. “This garden is a great example of that.”
The judges From left: Isabelle Palmer; Richard MacRae; Daniel Hopwood; Kate Watson-Smyth; Barbara Chandler; Jordan Cluroe; Russell Whitehead; Janice Morley; Victoria Harrison; Tamara Lohan and Rachel Khoo.
The Prizes
Each category winner will receive a £500 Houzz Shop voucher to spend on Bang & Olufsen products and a £250 Houzz Shop voucher to spend on Tom Dixon products. Each category winner will also receive a lamp-making workshop at the new Tom Dixon Factory flagship store, worth £250.
The Prizes
Each category winner will receive a £500 Houzz Shop voucher to spend on Bang & Olufsen products and a £250 Houzz Shop voucher to spend on Tom Dixon products. Each category winner will also receive a lamp-making workshop at the new Tom Dixon Factory flagship store, worth £250.
What’s next?
We’re very excited that so many house-proud Londoners entered their homes in our first London Home Design Awards with the Evening Standard’s Homes & Property. For those who live outside London and would like to submit their homes for consideration, stay tuned for more regional competitions in the future.
Tell us…
Which winning scheme is your favourite and why? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
We’re very excited that so many house-proud Londoners entered their homes in our first London Home Design Awards with the Evening Standard’s Homes & Property. For those who live outside London and would like to submit their homes for consideration, stay tuned for more regional competitions in the future.
Tell us…
Which winning scheme is your favourite and why? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Faced with the gruelling task of choosing five winners from our 25 shortlisted entrants, our expert panel of judges gathered, quite aptly, among the design opulence and decor flair of Sketch’s glamorous Lecture Room & Library in Mayfair, London, to deliberate.
The judges included the editors of Homes & Property and Houzz UK, Janice Morley and Victoria Harrison; design journalist Barbara Chandler; Daniel Hopwood, former president of the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), and Richard MacRae of architecture design studio EDRM.
We also invited a team of special ‘guest judges’ to help judge each category, including: food writer and broadcaster, Rachel Khoo; Mr & Mrs Smith hotels founder Tamara Lohan; interior designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead from 2LG Studio; founder of The Balcony Gardener Isabelle Palmer and Mad About The House author Kate Watson-Smyth.
“I loved how the homes were all unique and personal to their owners,” says Victoria Harrison (pictured left with Isabelle Palmer and Daniel Hopwood) of the five winning rooms. “They really encompassed a wide range of design styles.”
Photos by Juliet Murphy (except where indicated)
Click here to see the runners-up