Before & After: How to add vintage character to a modern home
How do you make a modern home feel a little less modern? This is the conundrum that designer and upholsterer Anna Hope (@hope_and_the_house) faced when she bought her home in Bristol. While it was once a handsome Victorian property, its previous owners had modernised it throughout, sacrificing character for convenience.
We recently looked at how Anna tackled her kitchen renovation, turning the modern rear extension into a vintage-infused space, and we were keen to explore the rest of the home. The transformation was largely DIY, and it is this handcrafted touch that has contributed to making something modern feel considerably less so.
Since moving in, Anna ripped up the carpets and stained the original floorboards below, installed coving and ceiling roses sympathetic to the age of the property, and covered modern eyesores like boilers and radiators with built-in cupboards and cafe curtains. A vintage-inspired palette was used throughout (all the paint details are below), and her background in upholstery – Anna runs Hope and the House, making sustainable and ethical upholstered homeware – is evident in her abundant use of fabrics.
Below, Anna shares a peek into her home, talks us through the process of 'un-renovating' and shares her dos and don'ts for adding character to a new build.
Tell us a little bit about the original house and why you chose to renovate
AH: When we moved in, the house had lost a lot of its character from various modernisation attempts. It was also devoid of colour, and the layout had changed from its original in a way that felt clumsy, so we wanted to rectify all those things.
Take us briefly through the process.
AH: Almost everything has been DIY except the kitchen, as that definitely required professional tradespeople. Generally my process starts with a combination of using Pinterest and interiors books or magazines for inspiration and tapping into my knowledge of colour to guide each room's aesthetic in the right direction.
I also make scaled floor plans of a room with furniture cut outs before I start making changes so I can play with layouts in the space and make sure everything fits comfortably before making purchases. I am trained in colour consultancy, so choosing the right colours for the light and use of the spaces has been really fun, as it was all white and grey before giving me an excellent blank canvas to work from.
Did you update the layout?
AH: There were also some odd layout choices, like the front porch being used to house the boiler and utility appliances and the downstairs toilet sharing the floorspace of the kitchen. So we knew we wanted to remove those as a priority. The middle two rooms had also been opened up, forcing the two rooms into each other when in fact it is hard to find a use for a very large rectangle space, so we have added internal doors to divide them back up again.
Essentially, we were keen to restore the house to its originally intended layout, and it feels so much better as a result. I am a big believer in leaning into a house's original architecture and style because it never sits right if you fight against it. More un-renovating than renovating essentially!
Hope and the House Clouds Cushion
Yonder by Farrow & Ball
Hedera Wallpaper, Viridian
Country Living Witcombe Footstool
Marbleized Velvet
Gold Leaf Candlestick Wall Sconce
$45.00 at rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Marbleized Velvet
Gold Leaf Candlestick Wall Sconce
$45.00 at rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Did you face any challenges in the process?
AH: We really wanted to remove the boiler from our front porch but the cost was too prohibitive, hence building a tall cupboard to hide it. The coving was exceptionally hard to install, so next time I will definitely call in a professional. Other than that, everything has been quite straight forward.
What’s your favourite part of the transformation?
AH: Definitely the porch, it was a hideous utility room living behind the most beautiful Victorian stained glass doors, so to create something that is beautifully welcoming through the front door and a lovely view when you walk down the stairs has been a game changer. The kitchen is a very close second because it went from a narrow cold corridor to a really social space that I'm sure will be the centre of many family memories in years to come.
Is there anything you would change if you were to tackle it again?
AH: There are a few places I wish I had put sockets in the kitchen to allow the layout of appliances and lighting to be more flexible as I like moving things around, and I probably didn't future-proof for that as well as I could have.
What are your favourite pieces?
AH: I adore our worktops, which are engineered quartz with the most beautiful translucency that allows you to see marbling all the way through it, and it reminds me of wispy clouds. I can't imagine ever getting bored of them. The unlacquered brass hardware has also been excellent, gaining lots of lovely patina over the last few years that gives them character and stops the kitchen looking too modern.
What advice would you give to homeowners who want to ‘age’ and add character to their new builds?
AH: If you're in a new-build but want to give it a more traditional feel, I think layering fabrics and soft furnishings can go a long way. Voluptuous curtains, patterned throws, a traditional-style sofa with blankets and squishy scatter cushions, and Persian rugs will all add depth, interest, and character to a room. Investing in a bit of original artwork goes a long way too. I absolutely love hunting down beautiful antique oil paintings on eBay, which you can often get for less than £50. And finally, small details can add a lovely characterful touch – brass light switches and sockets, unlacquered brass knobs on cabinetry and doors so it gets a worn look over time, and adding deep skirting boards and architrave around doors if that isn't there. I would avoid replicating Victorian or Georgian period features too directly, though, as if your new-build is very modern, you are fighting the period of the architecture too hard, and it can look a bit odd!
What were the main paint colours used?
• Kitchen: Castell Pink by Little Greene
• Porch: Hedera by House of Hackney, woodwork is colour matched by House of Hackney
• Dining room: Jane by Atelier Ellis
• Snug: Yeabridge Green by Farrow & Ball
• Study: Yonder by Farrow & Ball
• Hallway and landing: Clunch by Farrow & Ball and woodwork is Lulworth Blue by Farrow & Ball
• Main bedroom: Clunch by Farrow & Ball, door is Incarnadine by Farrow & Ball, and wardrobes are Lute by Edward Bulmer in Gloss Finish
• Teen's bedroom: wallpaper is Hopping Hare by Lucie Annabel and ceiling is Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball
• Child's bedroom: wallpaper is Jangala in Willow and window is Beetlenut, both by Paint and Paper Library.
Tour the rest of the home...
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