There wasn’t a removal van in sight when Emily and her family moved into their new home. Instead, their furniture and possessions were carried on foot from one house to another, across a leafy north London street.
The family had been renting in Highgate while looking for a suitable property to buy.
‘I was enjoying the area and the children were settled at the local school, so I was delighted when one of the big Edwardian houses on the same road came up for sale,’ says Emily.
‘I’ve always been drawn to older properties, although this one was a bit of a mix of styles, having been altered in the 1970s or 1980s. The décor clearly hadn’t been touched since the 1990s.’
The five-bedroom, four-bathroom Edwardian home offered everything they were looking for, and so they set about renovating throughout, reinstating period features and updating the décor.
Kitchen extension
Bespoke David Salisbury orangery extension. Kitchen units by Kitchens by Khan
From agreeing the purchase to that unconventional moving day was a long process. Planning applications and the subsequent renovation and structural work were delayed by the Covid pandemic, and the house stood empty for two years before any work began.
Emily used the time to fine-tune her ideas for the new home’s layout and décor. ‘I wanted to bring this house closer to its Edwardian state,’ she says.
Emily enlisted the help of an interior and garden designer friend, Stine Jensen, who Emily says is responsible for the finesse of the project’s finished look.
A new open-plan kitchen was fitted, with the steel supports clad in reclaimed pine for a warmer finish.
An orangery-style dining space and family room was built, which replaced a dated conservatory that had blocked rather than increased the amount of light into the back of the house.
Dijon tumbled limestone floor tiles from Mandarin Stone.
The improvements were dramatic, and the living-dining space is now Emily’s favourite part of the home.
Filled with houseplants, the green kitchen cabinetry painted in various shades, it is a place where indoor and outdoor worlds merge, and she can enjoy garden views in all weathers.
Antique table, chairs and pine dresser from Belvoir Antiques. Pagoda lanterns from Richard Hathaway Lighting
‘I chose the biggest possible rooflight for the dining space with a smaller one positioned above the kitchen island,’ says Emily.
‘When the conservatory company offered me blinds to keep the room cool in summer, I just laughed. Coming from Texas, I was going to make the most of every second of British sunshine!’
Neatly concealed behind barn-style sliding doors is a walk-in pantry, the well-organised shelves and cupboards making catering for a large family much easier.
Hallway
For similar Victorian-style floor tiles try Original Style. Arched window by Coriander Stained Glass. Wooden framed sofa is from Penderyn Antiques.
Both Emily and Stine agreed that the ground floor felt dark and closed up.
Stine advised widening the hallway and removing some walls, along with a badly placed utility room.
‘That created a view right through to the back garden from the front door,’ says Emily.
‘The builder’s suggestion to raise the height of the doorways dramatically changed the feel of the rooms and added to the sense of space.’
The staircase was deemed unsafe, so new spindles were added to match the original dark oak.
The arched window features a yellow rose of Texas design, a reminder of Emily’s childhood home. The old tiles of the hallway flooring were damaged and couldn’t be salvaged, so the architect sourced replacements with a traditional Victorian pattern and colours.
Living room
Parquet flooring from The British Wood Flooring Company
The yellow rose motif stained glass design is replicated in the unusual windows on either side of the fireplace in the neutral living room.
‘The original Art Deco design seemed very garish to me, and I felt it wasn’t in keeping with the style of the house,’ says Emily.
Together, she and Stine came up with the new rose design in a palette of softer colours.
'It’s more of an Arts and Crafts style, which I really like,’ says Emily.
Calm, neutral shades showcase the living room’s striking period features, including the original fireplace alcove.
Stine advised adding wall panelling, as well as a new ceiling rose and cornicing to break up the flat expanse of walls
Emily was delighted to discover that the new parquet wood flooring from The British Wood Flooring Company is made from oak salvaged from the underside of carriages in France
Music room
Bookcases painted in Sage Green from Little Greene. Bird wallpaper by Morris & Co
Emily grew up surrounded by music, and all three of her own children play instruments, so creating a music room and home office space was important.
Bespoke shelving and richer colours were introduced for the smaller space, and Emily’s choice of a wallcovering, inspired by an 1887 William Morris tapestry, creates a cosy backdrop in this busy room.
‘None of us plays the piano, but my mother was a piano accompanist and came with me to choose the antique piano from a specialist shop in Regent’s Park,’ says Emily. ‘She loves to accompany the children on it when she visits.’
Pocket doors connect the music room/study to the living room.
Main bedroom
Charnwood woodburner. Wrought iron and brass bed frame from Bedsteads. Walls painted in Stone-Pale-Cool from Little Greene
The first-floor bedrooms were reconfigured to create a main bedroom suite and two smaller bedrooms for the children.
The original fire surround was still in place in the main bedroom, but the chimney had been blocked off and a safe fitted in the opening.
The chimney has since been opened up and lined for the woodburner, which Emily says makes the room extra luxurious.
The bedroom colour scheme is warm neutrals, with a beautiful Jaipuri block-printed bedspread found on Etsy.
En suite bathroom
Wallpaper Pink & Rose by Morris & Co. Ivory subway tiles and embossed tile border from Original Style.Low-level cistern WC from Thomas Crapper. Wall lights from Jim Lawrence.
Reconfiguring the first floor created room for a spacious en suite bathroom.
The arts and crafts design wallpaper, and embossed tile border elevate the simple ivory subway tiles.
A decorative round basin sourced in Turkey is paired with a repurposed 18th-century cabinet.
Polperro slipper bath from Albion Bath Co
A freestanding slipper tub at the other side of the bathroom completes the luxury bathroom scheme.
Children's bedroom
Rainforest mural from Bonnie & Bold
Since discovering gardening in lockdown, Emily’s green-fingered 11-year-old requested a garden-themed bedroom.
Stine was only too happy to oblige. She designed a neat cabin bed and desk that was bespoke-built, with woodwork painted in a leafy green. A botanical wall mural enhances the garden feel.
Attic bedroom
Armchair and footstool from Rowen & Wren
No room was untouched in this huge renovation project.
The eldest son’s attic room at the top of the house now has a more authentic period look since an ugly flat-roofed dormer was replaced with two more traditional pitched-roof attic windows.
‘We moved into this house when the kitchen and one bathroom were the only finished rooms. It was hard living through the build as we reconfigured the upstairs layout to create a main bedroom suite and rooms for each of the children,’ says Emily.
‘I wouldn’t do it all again, but now it’s finished, I love my house and appreciate it every day.’
This feature first appeared in Period Living Magazine. Click here to subscribe.