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My Houzz: A Family-friendly Flat in a Victorian Villa
A turn-of-the-century Victorian flat is home to carefully curated displays, midcentury furniture and plenty of personality
Molly Freshwater’s flat, housed in an elegant Victorian villa, is the first property she and her partner, Spencer, have ever owned. Molly knew she wanted to be in southeast London – an area she loves – and when she and Spencer came across this property, they were sold. ‘The layout is really nice,’ says Molly. She also admired the flat’s spacious rooms and garden. ‘I just fell in love with it.’
Molly’s first task was to brighten the place up, as the walls had been painted in dark colours. ‘We took everything back to white,’ she says. They also knocked down a wall in the hallway in order to make space for a small home office. Apart from knocking down the wall, Molly, who is the co-founder of Secret Linen Store, and Spencer tackled all the renovations on their own. Together, they created a family home that’s rich in textures, vintage finds and midcentury style.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Molly Freshwater, partner Spencer, their 7-year-old daughter, Mabel, and goldfishes Flippy and Crystal
Location Sydenham, southeast London
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Molly’s first task was to brighten the place up, as the walls had been painted in dark colours. ‘We took everything back to white,’ she says. They also knocked down a wall in the hallway in order to make space for a small home office. Apart from knocking down the wall, Molly, who is the co-founder of Secret Linen Store, and Spencer tackled all the renovations on their own. Together, they created a family home that’s rich in textures, vintage finds and midcentury style.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Molly Freshwater, partner Spencer, their 7-year-old daughter, Mabel, and goldfishes Flippy and Crystal
Location Sydenham, southeast London
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Molly and Spencer’s flat occupies the ground floor of an elegant Victorian villa. The left-hand side contains the living room in the front and the kitchen towards the back, while the right-hand side houses the master bedroom in the front and Mabel’s room towards the back.
The flat was originally carpeted throughout, but Molly and Spencer prefer the bare boards look. ‘We completely stripped back and sanded all the floors,’ says Molly. The living room is now warmed up with a large rug and plenty of soft textiles.
With the help of Molly’s dad, she and Spencer also added long shelves for storage and display. Molly describes her style as ‘quite midcentury. I love the simplicity and I’m drawn to wood in its natural form.’
Rug, pendant light and sofa, Habitat.
Learn how to use natural wood to stunning effect
With the help of Molly’s dad, she and Spencer also added long shelves for storage and display. Molly describes her style as ‘quite midcentury. I love the simplicity and I’m drawn to wood in its natural form.’
Rug, pendant light and sofa, Habitat.
Learn how to use natural wood to stunning effect
The throws and cushions on the sofa are all Molly’s own designs. The large multicoloured cushion was actually inspired by a paint chart. ‘The actual chart was so beautiful,’ she says.
The spot between the sofa and chest of drawers is perfect for the family’s cheerily decorated Christmas tree.
The two midcentury chairs in Molly’s living room are Ercol designs, but they have different origins. One is from a second-hand shop in Kirkdale Village (a traders’ and community group in Sydenham), while the newer (but identical) chair was purchased in an antiques shop in Crystal Palace. The chairs have been sanded, revarnished and reupholstered.
Chairs, Ercol. Cushion, Niki Jones.
Chairs, Ercol. Cushion, Niki Jones.
Molly was immediately drawn to the vintage stop sign, now sitting in the corner of the living room, when she saw it in an antiques shop on Dartmouth Road in London’s Forest Hill. ‘I love things on sticks,’ she laughs. ‘I’m often drawn to that kind of shape.’
The print on the mantelpiece is another of Molly’s lucky finds. ‘It’s by Alan Fletcher, whom I’ve always loved,’ she says. ‘I actually spotted it at a car-boot sale. It’s a limited-edition print – I still can’t believe I found it.’
The red pouffe is another of Molly’s creations.
Stop sign, Dapper.
The print on the mantelpiece is another of Molly’s lucky finds. ‘It’s by Alan Fletcher, whom I’ve always loved,’ she says. ‘I actually spotted it at a car-boot sale. It’s a limited-edition print – I still can’t believe I found it.’
The red pouffe is another of Molly’s creations.
Stop sign, Dapper.
Molly made the quirky Advent calendar for Mabel, filling the bags with chocolates and little treats. She hung them from a long branch with ribbons. ‘I just found a branch in the woods and wrapped it in some colourful wool,’ she says.
Molly and Spencer only had to make a couple of changes to the kitchen. The cabinets were already in, but they were green before Molly and Spencer painted them white. ‘We changed the handles to make the kitchen more contemporary looking,’ Molly says.
They also removed the wall cabinets and instead installed floating shelves to open up the space. They are now home to Molly’s ever-growing collection of ceramics and knick-knacks, which she collects from various charity and antiques shops. ‘I love cups and pots and vessels,’ she laughs.
Metro tiles, Topps Tiles.
They also removed the wall cabinets and instead installed floating shelves to open up the space. They are now home to Molly’s ever-growing collection of ceramics and knick-knacks, which she collects from various charity and antiques shops. ‘I love cups and pots and vessels,’ she laughs.
Metro tiles, Topps Tiles.
The green pendant light was actually a salvage find, courtesy of a friend. ‘We fitted the orange flex,’ Molly adds.
The table and chairs were purchased at Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern, while Mabel has the place of honour on her white Tripp Trap highchair. The tablecloth and cushion are Molly’s own designs.
‘Our giant pinboard contains all sorts of things,’ Molly says. The family use it to collect post, messages and Mabel’s drawings.
Table and chairs, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Tripp Trapp highchair, Stokke at Mothercare.
The table and chairs were purchased at Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern, while Mabel has the place of honour on her white Tripp Trap highchair. The tablecloth and cushion are Molly’s own designs.
‘Our giant pinboard contains all sorts of things,’ Molly says. The family use it to collect post, messages and Mabel’s drawings.
Table and chairs, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Tripp Trapp highchair, Stokke at Mothercare.
The little home office in the hallway is a communal area where the family’s computer lives. The space serves as Mabel’s homework spot, and also functioned as Molly’s official office when she was working from home.
The large white wardrobe now contains Mabel’s paints and art materials.
Chair, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Desk and wardrobe, Ikea.
Browse tips on how to squeeze in a work space
The large white wardrobe now contains Mabel’s paints and art materials.
Chair, Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Desk and wardrobe, Ikea.
Browse tips on how to squeeze in a work space
Mabel’s bedroom wasn’t always the bright space it is today. ‘It was dark blue; it felt completely different when we painted it white,’ Molly says.
The shallow alcove used to contain a built-in wardrobe, which Molly and Spencer removed and replaced with floating shelves. They then added plenty of textiles, coloured fairy lights and furry friends to create a warm and inviting space.
The quirky green apple next to Mabel’s bed is a container Molly fell in love with when she picked it up ‘years and years ago’. The rug on the floor is a sample from one of Molly’s designs.
Mabel shares her room with goldfishes Crystal and Flippy.
Fairy lights, Cable & Cotton. Apple container, Couverture & The Garbstore. Bed linen, Secret Linen Store.
The shallow alcove used to contain a built-in wardrobe, which Molly and Spencer removed and replaced with floating shelves. They then added plenty of textiles, coloured fairy lights and furry friends to create a warm and inviting space.
The quirky green apple next to Mabel’s bed is a container Molly fell in love with when she picked it up ‘years and years ago’. The rug on the floor is a sample from one of Molly’s designs.
Mabel shares her room with goldfishes Crystal and Flippy.
Fairy lights, Cable & Cotton. Apple container, Couverture & The Garbstore. Bed linen, Secret Linen Store.
‘The bathroom is the only room in the house we painted in a colour,’ Molly reveals. With a dark grey from Dulux, she created a cosy yet atmospheric space.
A new shower screen and a fresh marble top for the vanity unit were the only other updates the bathroom needed.
A new shower screen and a fresh marble top for the vanity unit were the only other updates the bathroom needed.
The master bedroom was no lighter than the rest of the flat when the family moved in. ‘It was really dark brown, like a mocha brown,’ Molly says.
They painted both the walls and the floorboards white. ‘We wanted it to feel slightly different from the rest of the house,’ she says.
Molly picked up the striking pink trunk and stool years ago at a car-boot sale. ‘They were already painted that colour,’ she adds. She designed the rest of the colour scheme around these two pieces. The light blue bed linen and small touches of colour on the shelves complement the pastel pink beautifully.
Bed linen, Secret Linen Store. Bed, Feather & Black.
They painted both the walls and the floorboards white. ‘We wanted it to feel slightly different from the rest of the house,’ she says.
Molly picked up the striking pink trunk and stool years ago at a car-boot sale. ‘They were already painted that colour,’ she adds. She designed the rest of the colour scheme around these two pieces. The light blue bed linen and small touches of colour on the shelves complement the pastel pink beautifully.
Bed linen, Secret Linen Store. Bed, Feather & Black.
Molly’s matching bedside lamps are a composite creation. She made the lampshades herself with pieces of Romo fabric, and attached them to lamp bases she bought at a second-hand shop.
The shelves hold a collection of personal memorabilia. On the bottom shelf is a framed piece of embroidery from Molly’s grandmother, which congratulates her on graduating. ‘It’s really special,’ Molly explains. ‘The circle is a vintage silk scarf that I framed,’ she adds. Like the rest of her home, Molly has infused this room with her personal touches and taste.
TELL US…
What did you like about this house? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
The shelves hold a collection of personal memorabilia. On the bottom shelf is a framed piece of embroidery from Molly’s grandmother, which congratulates her on graduating. ‘It’s really special,’ Molly explains. ‘The circle is a vintage silk scarf that I framed,’ she adds. Like the rest of her home, Molly has infused this room with her personal touches and taste.
TELL US…
What did you like about this house? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.