Take a look around this colourful 1920s house in Surrey

The owners, who work for a charity and a marketing company, bought this five-bedroom detached 1920s property in 2014. A local estate agent mentioned that a house that had been in the same family for 40 years was about to go on the market so the couple decided to take a look. ‘We fell in love with the exterior and liked that it had room for improvement inside.’ Although the interior had been well looked after, it was freezing cold, due to an ancient heating system and single glazed windows.

The couple felt that the house was large enough so that they didn’t need to extend, but there were a multitude of small rooms and a layout that felt very disordered. ‘We were super keen to get on with renovating and remodeling, to make it feel more spacious, as well as bringing it up to date.’

Employing a builder recommended by a friend, work began to remove walls and create a more open plan layout - during which the family moved into a camper van on the driveway. Although the build went fairly smoothly, it wasn’t without setbacks and took almost six months to complete with a winter spent living on a building site and the threat of Christmas in a camper van.

1/12 Exterior

Once the family were in, the interior décor came easily, with all the rooms decorated and furnished in a fresh and contemporary style. To create a sense of harmony, all the walls have been painted white with colour added in the use of furniture, furnishings and accessories. ‘We’ve built on the neutral backdrop by adding natural materials and vibrant colour accents to add zing to a room.’

2/12 Kitchen

A new, open-plan kitchen and dining space works beautifully, with its classic kitchen cabinetry finished in an on-trend grey and white Corian worktops adding a contemporary element. This multifunctional kitchen caters for food prep, home working, casual and more formal eating occasions.

Stools
Tesco (opens in new tab)
Cabinets painted in Grey Teal Intelligent Emulsion
Little Greene (opens in new tab)

3/12 Kitchen island

The pantry doors in the kitchen-diner have been painted in a sunny shade of yellow which adds an energising feel to the space. The owners have incorporated a few show-off pieces to keep out on display even when not in use.

Corian worktops
UK Worktops Direct (opens in new tab)
Pendant lights
B&Q (opens in new tab)

4/12 Dining area

A pair of pendant lights in the eating area turn a simple dining table into a really focal point.

Pendant lights
B&Q (opens in new tab)
For a similar dining table
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5/12 Work space

Turning a spare corner into a useful office nook utilises every space within the newly created kitchen-diner.

Door painted in Lemon Drizzle interior and exterior paint
Dulux (opens in new tab)
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6/12 Open-plan living room

Glazed double doors between the kitchen and living room allow natural light to move through the ground floor. The glazed doors are suggestive of Shoji screens, while the side table and lamp also have an eastern feel.

Dashing Duke sofa
Sofa Workshop (opens in new tab)
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7/12 Living space

A mix of colourful fabrics and accessories brings the living room to life.

Dashing Duke sofa
Sofa Workshop (opens in new tab)
For a similar coffee table
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8/12 Home office

A multicoloured rug brings an energising feel to the all-white scheme in the home office space.

Funk multicoloured rug
The Rug Retailer (opens in new tab)
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9/12 Staircase

The couple painted the original wall panelling dark grey for a more contemporary look in the hallway and on the staircase.

Panelling painted in Mercury eggshell
Fired Earth (opens in new tab)
For a similar side table
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10/12 Master bedroom

Walls were removed to create a large master bedroom which has been furnished in a soft pink palette - the flamingo head adds a quirky touch.

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Bumble side tables
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11/12 Boy’s bedroom

A hand-built Austin J40 pedal car takes pride of place in their son’s bedroom, teamed with cheery red and white striped blinds and fun cowboys bedlinen.

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For a similar blind
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12/12 Bathroom

Geometric vinyl floor tiles add a contemporary and colourful element in the bathroom, as well as being highly practical. An open basin washstand in stripped wood is a nice touch that helps keep the room looking relaxed.

Floor tiles
Harvey Maria (opens in new tab)
For a similar wash stand
Ikea (opens in new tab)