Renovated Victorian London home

published 13 January 14

Clever juxtaposition is the key to success in this London home. Beneath highly decorated, Victorian ceilings sits an array of mid-century (opens in new tab) and modern furniture, alongside the occasional antique added for good measure. 'I wanted to modernise the space,' says the owner of the listed property, 'but I was conscious that it was a beautiful old building that needed to be preserved. Any changes would have to encompass both elements.' The landing, seen here, serves as a dining space and a dance floor for parties.

1/12 Dining table and pots

dining table with chairs and bowls on plates with frames on wall

Sigmar (opens in new tab)

2/12 Reconfigured sitting room layout

living room with chandelier and curtains on window

Two earlier conversions meant there were rooms scattered over four levels, so the owner and architect restored the sitting room (seen here and next) and kitchen to full size, and moved the bedrooms to the top floors, reached via new a new staircase (opens in new tab). Here in the sitting room, the owner created two focal seating areas - around the fireplace and the television (see next picture) - as he felt that putting the two together would create a distracting effect.

Wingback sofa
Tom Dixon (opens in new tab)
Vintage industrial clock
Andrew Nebbett Antiques (opens in new tab)

3/12 Sitting room TV area

living room with chandelier and sofa with cushions and curtains on window

The owner says of the newly reformed sitting room (opens in new tab): 'This room is all about comfort. I travel frequently and crave my own space; being away makes me realise exactly how I like to live when I return.'

Marie Theresa chandelier
The French House (opens in new tab)
Modular sofa
Twenty Twenty One (opens in new tab)

4/12 Adaptable sitting room seating

seating area with slide window and curtains on window

The sculptural forms in front of the window are double-sided stools designed by Alister Robinson, of FT2, who also worked as architect and designer on the house. The stools are made from brushed steel and squash balls and are meant to be picked up and used as shared seating, wherever needed, with the movable rubber balls as their upholstery (opens in new tab).

Game sculpture/seat, architecture and design
FT2 Architects + Designers (opens in new tab)

5/12 Sitting room TV console

seating area with tv console and white wall

The bespoke, cantilevered television console (opens in new tab) was designed specifically to sit in front of the modular sofa. It has been sprayed a high-gloss walnut so that it melds sweetly with the rest of the room.

Bespoke cantilevered television console
Dickinson Woodworks (opens in new tab)

6/12 Art gallery styling

white wall with relaxing chairs and cushions

Pale walls and the art gallery-inspired positioning of each piece of furniture, including this pair of 1950s (opens in new tab) Poul Kjaerjolm PK22 chairs, are the secret to making a diverse range of styles work well together.

Help sourcing similar Poul Kjaerjolm PK22 chairs
Mid-Century Online (opens in new tab)

7/12 Beautiful, practical kitchen

kitchen room with wooden flooring and dining table with flower jar

The lean-lined kitchen cabinets (opens in new tab) allow the original structural details of the room to shine, while at the same time providing another architectural feature.

Peg chairs
Tom Dixon (opens in new tab)
Paint on walls
Dove Tale Modern Emulsion, Farrow & Ball (opens in new tab)

8/12 Special kitchen finishes

kitchen room with sink and mirror on wall

For a unique finish and to provide a brilliant foil for the ornate strapwork on the ceiling, the timber island unit (opens in new tab) has been covered with pewter.

Kitchen
Made to FT2’s design by Dickinson Woodworks (opens in new tab)

9/12 Old and new on the landing

artwork with white wall and frames on wall

Among the various artworks specially commissioned by the owner for his home is this wall installation (opens in new tab) composed of ceramic hexagonal cells that bleed around the corner. Beneath it are framed Olympic prints, which were found at auction.

Ceramic wall installation
Kuldeep Malhi (opens in new tab)

10/12 Guest bedroom with built-in storage

guest bedroom with cushions on bed and frames on wall

The relocated bedrooms - this one is for guests (opens in new tab) - are modestly sized and decorated to be reminiscent of a boutique hotel, but with plenty of built-in storage.

Throw
Melin Tregwynt (opens in new tab)
Cushions
Melin Tregwynt (opens in new tab) and Margo Selby (opens in new tab)