Take a look around this festive renovated 1930s home in Surrey

This bright, airy terraced house is perfect for the holiday season.

The owner decided to move out to Surrey from London to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Here she talks us through her home. 'When we came to view this 1930s house in Sutton, we knew it was right for us straight away. It hardly need any work, which was ideal as our son was just one at the time and we didn't want to carry out building works while he was so young.'

1/11 Exterior

home with brick wall

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Lloyd-Davies)

'We loved the open-plan space and large extension that the previous owners had built - it leads out onto the garden and keeps the space feeling really light. As it needed only minimal work - mostly just repainting and changing the colour schemes - I decided to have a go at doing the work myself and I'm really pleased with the results.'

2/10 Hallway 

hallway

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Lloyd-Davies)

'The hallway used to be a pinky-peach colour, which I changed to a neutral stone shade to open up the entry way.' The wood flooring and white accessories add to the light, airy feel that welcomes you into the house.

Wall paint
On Deck by Wilko

3/10 Kitchen

kitchen with wooden flooring

(Image credit: Future PLC/Claire Lloyd-Davies)

'In terms of layout, the property was ideal for us. We were lucky that the previous owners had already extended the house, as we later found out they'd encountered some problems along the way.' Despite facing strict planning permission regulations due to the house being in a conservation area, they managed to work around this and had a large kitchen built to replace the old narrow one, which is now our utility room. 'I really liked the granite worktops and the fresh colours that were already there when we moved in, so we decided to keep those the same.'

4/10 Dining room

dining room with table and chair

(Image credit: Future PLC/Claire Lloyd-Davies)

'I painted a feature wall in the living room, keeping the other walls white to make it look bright. It's made such a difference - it's amazing how a lick of paint can transform a space. Wherever possible, I try my hand at DIY - I put together and painted the radiator covers myself, and also painted the dining room table and coffee table legs to give them a more rustic look. I added a ceiling rose and bought extra beads from eBay to attach to the chandelier to really make it stand out.'

Similar chandelier
Dunelm

5/10 Living room

living room with Christmas tree

(Image credit: Future PLC / Claire Lloyd-Davies)

'My friends can hardly believe our Christmas tree's a fake, which is exactly what I wanted - a natural look with no hassle. I love its large size, too.' Go for baubles in red, white and silver and add a few wintry-looking accessories to transform your space for the season.

Christmas tree and decorations
Dobbies

6/10 Bedroom

bedroom with white wall and curtain

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Lloyd-Davies)

'I love the mixture of Scandinavian and shabby-chic decor, and I get most of my inspiration from Instagram and magazines. I try to buy furniture from second-hand retailers and eBay, and love checking charity shops for interior buys - you can find some really unusual and interesting pieces. I even have a branch on the wall in our master bedroom that acts as a curtain rail - I found it in the overgrown disused land near our house. I also made a voile panel canopy that hangs over our bed. It's easy to change bits, too - if we get bored of any of the furniture or accessories, I sell them on eBay instead of throwing them out.'

Similar duvet set
Very.co.uk

7/10 Child’s bedroom

Child's bedroom

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Lloyd-Davies)

This child's room is painted blue, which has a very tranquil feel. Layer lots of fabrics to create different textures, and scour charity shops for key pieces. 'I found this chair and it goes perfectly with the blue theme.' The plaque in this bedroom is really cute. It reads: 'When it rains look for rainbows. When it's dark look for stars'.

Plaque
Debenhams

8/10 Bathroom

Bathroom with white titles and bathtub

(Image credit: Future PLC / Claire Lloyd-Davies)

The bathroom is modern and fresh, with clean lines, and a contrasting black floor against the white tiles. The mottled finish of the tiles seems to sparkle in the daylight. Keep things minimalist and uncluttered, with maybe just a plant or two to bring a bit of interest to the room.

Similar tiles
Homebase

9/10 Christmas decorations

Living area with wooden table

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Lloyd-Davies)

Red accents add to the Christmassy feel against the neutral back drop. This red vase and birch tea light holder are ideal, and the cute reindeer cushion is perfect for the festive season.

Similar cushion
Wilko

10/10 Christmas decorations

room with white wall and open shelve

(Image credit: Future PLC /Claire Lloyd-Davies)

Faux foliage will last all season long and adds a warmth and festivity to the house. The wreath is also from Dobbies, and the wooden LED house on the top shelf is from Sainsbury's.

LED house
Sainsbury's

Heather Young
Editor

Heather Young has been Ideal Home’s Editor since late 2020, and Editor-In-Chief since 2023. She is an interiors journalist and editor who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for over 20 years, both in-house and as a freelancer.