Before & After: A once light-starved London home now bursts with colour
This 2,000 sq.ft. Victorian home in west London had been untouched for over a decade before water damage from a leak prompted a full renovation. Its sober interior has since been transformed with a joyous mix of colour, layered textiles and original touches.
The team at Oakley Moore Interior Design were tasked with breathing new life into the property, and upon finding a sound structure and sensible layout, focused on brightening and invigorating its otherwise grey and light-starved spaces. The project was a finalist in the 2023 SBID Interior Design Awards.
Kate Aslangul, founder and creative director of Oakley Moore, takes us through the renovation process, and details the Provence-inspired paint colours that transformed her client's home...
Tell us a little bit about the original design of the home and why your clients chose to renovate?
KA: We were first contacted by the client with a view to redecorating their guest bedroom which had water damage from a leak, but very quickly the brief was extended to encompass the whole house which had last been decorated 10-15 years earlier and was looking tired. The house is a Victorian terrace in west London which has been owned by our client for over 30 years and this was their third overhaul of it. Previously they had worked on the layout of the rooms so there was no need to move any walls or do anything more structural than replace windows and the glass roof of the side extension.
How did you start the renovation and how did it progress?
KA: We begin each and every project by compiling a clear brief from the client, building up a picture of how they want to use the space, who will use the space, how they cook and entertain, how they relax, and what their interests are. This way we tailor our research and design to each project starting with a blank canvas as every home should tell a personal story. I love to draw inspiration from seemingly unlikely sources and here I was very lucky in that the client has a large collection of paintings which needed to be rehung and from which we were able to take inspiration for each room.
What challenges did you face in the process?
KA: The biggest challenge of this project was that much of the works were carried out during the Covid pandemic, which resulted in absences in the team on site from time to time and delays to supplies.
What is your favourite part of the transformation?
KA: My favourite part of the transformation has to be the overall sense of wellbeing that comes from the flow of the colours, textures and materials in the house, it has a real 'feel good' feeling about it.
Ross Allan redesigned the garden during the same period and we worked closely together to ensure that there was a flow from the interior through to the garden, and to bring the outside in. We used a leafy Raoul fabric on the kitchen window to reflect the greenery and life beyond the window panes. On the long wall of the side extension, which makes up the dining part of the kitchen/diner and is visible from the sitting room, we designed a mural inspired by the artist Etel Adnan, whose work invokes happiness as beauty, simplicity and a feeling for nature.
We chose strong Provençal colours which glow with summer warmth whatever the season and whatever the weather – particularly uplifting on a typical grey London day. We used Bauwerk limewash paints for the mural which was painted by Holly Hamlyn.
Is there anything you would change if you were to tackle it again?
KA: No, I love this house and I feel very lucky to have worked with the dream client who allowed me creative freedom. The finished house reflects the client's bravery, trust and a great collaboration between the interior designer, the garden designer and the contractor.
What are your favourite pieces of furniture in the home?
KA: We commissioned Margit Wittig to make a pair of chandeliers for the sitting room – the colours of the resin pearls we chose tie in to the palette of the whole scheme, adding a splash of colour and bringing a sculptural dimension to the room.
The guest bedroom has to be a firm favourite too. It is a small bedroom and I often find that spatially challenged rooms end up being the most enchanting as the smaller the space, the more you need to work out in advance.
I particularly love the custom made headboard which we designed to fit in to the space between the cupboards. We cut out niches in the cupboards to create just enough space for guests to keep their book and water glass. We have received very warm feedback via the client from the many guests who have been to stay which is extremely rewarding.
What were the main paint colours used?
Staircase spindles: Beetlenut by Paper and Paint Library – 'they run happily alongside Sinclair Till’s Peacock Coir flooring, which we have used on the stairs and landings.'
Sitting room: Setting Plaster by Farrow and Ball – 'always a favourite colour.'
Kitchen cabinets: Chelsea Green by Paper and Paint Library
Kitchen walls: Lilac Pink by Edward Bulmer
Tour the rest of the home...
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