Room Tour: Redesigning the Heart of the Home with Family in Mind
Before and after photos show how an overhaul of an old extension improved the feel, flow and functionality for everyone
Often, people work with an interior designer when they first move to a new place, keen to right its design wrongs and stamp their mark on it. Not here. The owners had already lived in this 1930s semi for more than 20 years when they asked Victoria Newall of Drawn Interior Design to rethink the kitchen, dining area and snug, a space they had extended and kitted out some two decades earlier. “The owner was very frank and funny,” Victoria says. “She said they used to have the best kitchen on the street, but it had been overtaken many times since.”
Creating more storage, boosting light levels and choosing colours and materials that wouldn’t date were all in the brief, as were the dog’s needs. “Teddy the Cavapoo was a top consideration throughout,” Victoria says. With both humans and canine in mind, she created a new design that prioritises flow and usability, so everyone gets pleasure from using this space. “Now,” she adds, “the owner says it’s the best kitchen on the street again.”
Creating more storage, boosting light levels and choosing colours and materials that wouldn’t date were all in the brief, as were the dog’s needs. “Teddy the Cavapoo was a top consideration throughout,” Victoria says. With both humans and canine in mind, she created a new design that prioritises flow and usability, so everyone gets pleasure from using this space. “Now,” she adds, “the owner says it’s the best kitchen on the street again.”
This plan of the original space shows how the kitchen was located at the back, with a dining space and seating area by the exterior wall.
The proportions and footprint of the space stayed the same, but Victoria moved the kitchen into the lighter area near the glazed doors and tucked a snug into the darker corner of the plan where the kitchen used to be.
Ready to revamp your kitchen? Find a reviewed interior designer or kitchen designer on Houzz today.
The proportions and footprint of the space stayed the same, but Victoria moved the kitchen into the lighter area near the glazed doors and tucked a snug into the darker corner of the plan where the kitchen used to be.
Ready to revamp your kitchen? Find a reviewed interior designer or kitchen designer on Houzz today.
This before shot shows the rear wall with two double doors fitted with Roman blinds. “In terms of the light coming in and views of the garden, it was partly obscured by these blinds, but also by a wall in middle of the doors,” Victoria says.
Removing the pillar wall significantly improved the light levels (see the first photo). “We made the aperture as wide as possible, so there was much more light and the space was more connected to the garden,” she says.
Removing the pillar wall significantly improved the light levels (see the first photo). “We made the aperture as wide as possible, so there was much more light and the space was more connected to the garden,” she says.
This before shots shows the space that’s now the kitchen. “They had a dining table here, but there was no definition to that area – it hadn’t been zoned,” Victoria says.
Now, the bespoke kitchen sits at the rear, enjoying lots of light from the doors and the rooflight above. It was carefully designed to make the most of every scrap of space. “The owner was adamant there needed to be storage everywhere, based on the amount of stuff they have,” Victoria says. “She was right. Crunching that space planning, so that every millimetre was considered, was in my mind throughout this project.”
This included building a ‘secret’ cupboard – the slender strip of storage with a push-to-open door running down the pillar beneath the ceiling steel. This is where the extension was built on, and there was already a wall nib there, so Victoria designed a cupboard to fit in front of it. “It could be filled with storage, so it was filled with storage,” she says.
The kitchen company was not convinced it was a worthwhile job, though. “Their way of demonstrating how little storage it would house was to send the owner a photo of a packet of Jacob’s Cream Crackers – that’s how deep it would be,” Victoria says. “She thought that was hilarious, and said, great, I’m going to fill it with Jacob’s Cream Crackers, thank you very much.” In fact, Victoria says, it’s now mainly home to Diet Coke. “Maybe three cans deep,” she laughs. “And dog treats.”
Pendant lights, Pooky.
This included building a ‘secret’ cupboard – the slender strip of storage with a push-to-open door running down the pillar beneath the ceiling steel. This is where the extension was built on, and there was already a wall nib there, so Victoria designed a cupboard to fit in front of it. “It could be filled with storage, so it was filled with storage,” she says.
The kitchen company was not convinced it was a worthwhile job, though. “Their way of demonstrating how little storage it would house was to send the owner a photo of a packet of Jacob’s Cream Crackers – that’s how deep it would be,” Victoria says. “She thought that was hilarious, and said, great, I’m going to fill it with Jacob’s Cream Crackers, thank you very much.” In fact, Victoria says, it’s now mainly home to Diet Coke. “Maybe three cans deep,” she laughs. “And dog treats.”
Pendant lights, Pooky.
The owner’s brief for the new kitchen was that it should be neutral and timeless. “She was keen to avoid trends, because she wanted it to last 20 years or even more, like her last kitchen,” Victoria says. “She almost said, make it boring! It had to be really quiet, with nothing standout.”
They settled on classic oak Shaker cabinets with solid brass handles and marble-effect composite worktops and splashback.
Kitchen, Alexander Lewis. Island painted in Lamp Black; remaining cabinets painted in Portland Stone Light, all Little Greene. Tap, Quooker. Worktops and splashback, Natural Stone Surfaces.
They settled on classic oak Shaker cabinets with solid brass handles and marble-effect composite worktops and splashback.
Kitchen, Alexander Lewis. Island painted in Lamp Black; remaining cabinets painted in Portland Stone Light, all Little Greene. Tap, Quooker. Worktops and splashback, Natural Stone Surfaces.
Victoria redesigned the rear elevation, creating space for a new window on one side. Around this, she built the dining nook. “The banquette seating is a space-saver,” she says, “but also, by putting the dining area here, with a window overlooking the garden, it has its own meaningful place in the room.”
The banquette seating also contains integrated storage, now full of dog paraphernalia. “Blankets, toys, bits and bobs,” Victoria says.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
The banquette seating also contains integrated storage, now full of dog paraphernalia. “Blankets, toys, bits and bobs,” Victoria says.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
Teddy enjoying the new banquette seating mid-build.
The dining area is opposite the kitchen and has its own unique character. “The owner had given me permission to have fun over here,” says Victoria, who chose vintage wooden cigar presses to line the wall above the banquette. “It was important that even that small area blended with the rest of the space, because it’s open plan, but also that it had as much texture and personality as possible,” she says.
Rise & Fall pendant light, Original BTC.
Rise & Fall pendant light, Original BTC.
“The vintage cigar presses are random, but I love them,” Victoria says. They are wooden blocks, each measuring around 60cm long, which were used to mould cigars. “I really love the texture and how it warms up this corner, bringing soul and character to the space,” she says.
A bank of cabinets provides handy storage above the banquette. Reeded glass doors inject character and texture, but sit beautifully within the overall scheme.
To the right of the seating area is a large breakfast cupboard containing a toaster, coffee machine and various foods, on shelves and in drawers.
More: 19 Kitchens With Reeded Glass Doors
To the right of the seating area is a large breakfast cupboard containing a toaster, coffee machine and various foods, on shelves and in drawers.
More: 19 Kitchens With Reeded Glass Doors
Vertical lines crop up all around the dining nook. “I really like the linear story here, with the reeded glass, the lines of the cigar presses and the lines on the upholstery seat backs,” Victoria says.
Victoria sourced a midcentury table and chairs for the space. “It’s an extending table,” she says. “It’s usually just the four of them, but this can pull out so they can seat more people.”
New oak floorboards replaced the original tiles. “There was a stone floor here that [the couple] said was a mistake from the minute it went down,” Victoria says. “It never looked clean. That all came up and new underfloor heating went down, too.”
Oak flooring, Broadleaf Timber.
Oak flooring, Broadleaf Timber.
This ‘before’ shot shows the tiled flooring and how the sofa used to sit in the middle of the room.
The relaxed snug area is warmed by spicy colours, including a vintage artwork and mustard sofa and footstool. “This part of the room obviously got the least natural light, so we leant into that and made it the snug,” Victoria says.
Teddy’s dog crate is next to the sofa, with a piece of reclaimed science bench on top so it can work as a coffee table, too. It has a calico curtain around it for when it’s Teddy’s sleep time.
“I also used the reclaimed iroko science bench to make the shelves above,” Victoria adds.
Sofa and footstool, both Love Your Home. Art, McIntosh & Light. Wall light, Etsy.
Teddy’s dog crate is next to the sofa, with a piece of reclaimed science bench on top so it can work as a coffee table, too. It has a calico curtain around it for when it’s Teddy’s sleep time.
“I also used the reclaimed iroko science bench to make the shelves above,” Victoria adds.
Sofa and footstool, both Love Your Home. Art, McIntosh & Light. Wall light, Etsy.
The new space is a huge success. Through working with Victoria on other rooms, the owner understood the value of getting a professional interior designer to consider the space.
“Before, she had builders and architects who would sign off on the footprint and how much space could be added, then a kitchen company that could fill that space with a good kitchen, but no one was looking at the whole thing,” Victoria says.
What is most gratifying for Victoria is the human story behind this project, and how it’s changed the way the family lives. “The owner really appreciated how the renovation not only looks good, but has improved their family life, because they all want to spend time in the new space,” she says.
The dining nook is a favourite spot. “It’s perfect for sophisticated dinner parties, but also the place my tweens most like to hang out,” the owner says. “Fine by me, as otherwise they’d skulk off to their bedrooms. We love it!”
More: How to Choose an Interior Designer
Tell us…
What do you like best about this redesigned family hub? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
“Before, she had builders and architects who would sign off on the footprint and how much space could be added, then a kitchen company that could fill that space with a good kitchen, but no one was looking at the whole thing,” Victoria says.
What is most gratifying for Victoria is the human story behind this project, and how it’s changed the way the family lives. “The owner really appreciated how the renovation not only looks good, but has improved their family life, because they all want to spend time in the new space,” she says.
The dining nook is a favourite spot. “It’s perfect for sophisticated dinner parties, but also the place my tweens most like to hang out,” the owner says. “Fine by me, as otherwise they’d skulk off to their bedrooms. We love it!”
More: How to Choose an Interior Designer
Tell us…
What do you like best about this redesigned family hub? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A couple with two teenage sons, plus Teddy the Cavapoo
Location Beckenham, Greater London
Property A 1930s semi-detached house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Room dimensions Around 6m x 6.5m
Interior designer Victoria Newall of Drawn Interior Design
Photos by Chris Wharton Photography
Victoria had worked with the home owners before on a garden studio and one of the son’s bedrooms. This time around, she was asked to rethink the much-used rear of the house, which included an extension they’d added in the early Noughties. “They had a good-quality kitchen in there, but it was quite dated and the floor plan was suboptimal,” she says.