Family House in North LondonTransitional Living Room, London
The front reception room has reclaimed oak parquet flooring, a new marble fireplace surround and a wood burner and floating shelves either side of the fireplace. An antique decorative mirror hangs centrally above the fire place.
Photography by Chris Snook
What Houzz contributors are saying:
At number 4…Interior designer Holly Canham of Canham & Hart enlisted the help of Vorbild Architecture to help her create a dream home for herself and her young family. Canham’s aim was to give the two-storey, four-bedroom Victorian terrace a contemporary feel, but to retain as many of the original features as possible. Boosting light and space was key, too – though looking at the house now, it’s hard to imagine it ever having been “dark and dingy”, as Canham described its pre-renovation appearance.How did she do it? Downstairs, a wall was removed to create an inviting double reception room; the kitchen was expanded with a new side-return extension, and beautiful finishes, including reclaimed oak parquet flooring and soft-hued cement floor tiles add serious style.
Rotate and donate toysChildren love toys and a toy collection can grow at an alarming rate, especially with kids of different ages in the same home.For younger children, a toy rotation system (when you store some of the toys away for a month at a time and then swap them around) can work well. A more limited collection will help prevent little ones from becoming overwhelmed with choice and help them stay more focused during playtime. Even at a young age you can start to introduce the concept of ‘one in one out’ when considering a new toy purchase: encourage your youngsters to think about any toys they have outgrown that they can then donate to the local charity shop. This way, other children can continue to love and enjoy them.
Open up living spacesOlder properties with several small rooms can sometimes feel dark and cramped, so opening up the interior is an instant way to bring a breath of fresh air to a period home.One of the first things Canham decided to do when renovating her home was to knock through downstairs to create an inviting double reception room with a dual aspect. The ground floor still has two clearly defined areas, but each room now benefits from the light flooding through the connecting archway.If you’re interested in opening up the ground floor of your period home, talk to a structural engineer or design professional and think carefully about the way you will use the new space. Retaining a section of the dividing wall, as here, can help to maintain the feeling of two separate rooms, while still helping to get plenty of extra daylight into both spaces.Find the right local expert to help with your renovation in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Houzz at a GlanceWho lives here Interior designer Holly Canham, husband Hugh, an asset manager, and their children, Zac, 3, and Theo, 15 monthsLocation Queen’s Park, northwest LondonProperty A two-storey Victorian terrace Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathroomsArchitects Vorbild Architecture Interior designer Holly Canham of Canham & HartPhotos by Chris Snook and Verity CahillWorking closely with Vorbild architects, Holly Canham’s brief was clear. “We wanted the house to have a contemporary feel, but to retain as many of the original features as possible.” One of the first things the family did was knock through downstairs to create an inviting double reception room. The reclaimed oak parquet flooring, which adds warmth and character, is one of Canham’s favourite things about her finished home.Parquet, The Natural Wood Floor Company. Sofa, The Conran Shop.
What Houzz users are commenting on:
Back reception with shelves on rear wall not alcoves
VORBILD Architecture
Susie S