Christmas Decorating Goals! This Contemporary yet Cozy London Home Goes Big for the Festive Season

When you’ve got a large house, it would be remiss not to go big on Christmas. "We had only just moved in last December but we had three trees – in the hall, the living room and the basement entertainment space – so I guess we’ll do this same this year," laughs Gill Martin who, together with husband Jonny, created this characterful home which, hard to believe, is actually a new building.

Last year, with the paint just dry and Christmas decorating just finished, they invited 20 family members for the festivities. "Yes, it will be the same this year," she says, "but now we’re happily ensconced, hopefully less stress, more fun."

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It’s rare, especially in urban South West London, that you get the chance to build your own home, but Jonny, a developer, tracked down this plot in a street of unusually mixed dwellings. "It took two years to get permissions, dig out the basement and construct this, which is actually a semi, plus a mirror-image house next door, which we sold," says Gill, remembering how the family camped out in a "weird little bungalow" for the duration.

Prior to this they had lived locally in a Victorian terrace, bought 10 years ago, which gave them their first taste of working together. "Jonny did the architectural side and I did the interiors," says Gill, who was previously a lawyer but who had a passion for design. She learned "on the job" and worked on further joint projects before switching careers to interiors after their daughter Lexi was born.

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For this house, they took their inspiration from the design language of Californian homes — all neutral colors and natural materials, with rooms flowing into one another. "We wanted to keep it simple, yet warm and characterful, with paneling, cladding and arched entrances; the antithesis to a new-build square box," says Gill.

For the all-important millwork, the couple collaborated with Blakes London to create the modern kitchen, bathrooms, storage and even some of the furniture. "It was a great relationship – we would come up with ideas and they would make them happen," says Gill.

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Of course, the joy of being able to design a home for your lifestyle is that you get what you dream of: a grand entryway ("our last one was poky and narrow"); a comfy living space within the kitchen ("we never used the separate one previously"), and masses of storage.

Not to mention a whole basement dedicated to entertainment – complete with a cinema, a piano, a snug filled with furniture that the children can climb on, and a grown-up bar straight out of a London club.

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With Christmas just around the corner, the family are anticipating the celebrations to come. "The children have their stockings in the morning. Then it’s breakfast with bucks fizz; a bit of a walk, then family presents," says Gill. That’s followed by nibbles – "I love a prawn cocktail starter" – with dinner served around four o’clock. After a little catnap, it’s down to the basement for music. "My husband’s family are quite musical and my nephew plays guitar, so it’s a lot of fun," she adds. It all sounds like the kind of celebration we can get on board with.