Inside a large Victorian house in west London where eclectic meets contemporary

published 15 April 2021

THE PROPERTY

A two-storey Victorian house in west London, built in 1860. The modern home (opens in new tab) comprises a living room (opens in new tab), kitchen-diner, studio and WC on the ground floor, with four bedrooms (two en suite) and a bathroom upstairs.

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KITCHEN

The kitchen (opens in new tab) is without doubt the pièce de résistance of this home.

The clean lines and minimal looks of the cabinetry are softened by the rich, textural warmth of herringbone oak floors and the energetic patterning of a white Quartzite worktop and kitchen island. TheQuartzite imitates the feel of marble, but it is much more hard-wearing.

Double-height paned French doors were installed rather than sliding bi-folds to avoid the space feeling too modern.

DINING AREA

Double-height French doors allow light to flood into the dining space (pictured top), creating a low-key luxe style.

LIVING ROOM

This classic double-fronted 19th-century house in a leafy suburb of west London has unusual proportions. It's only one room deep, but very wide.

With its south-facing garden, tumbledown conservatory at the back – complete with a resident 150-year-old vine originally from Hampton Court – there was enough space to build a two-storey kitchen, bedroom and bathroom extension that wouldn’t affect the light quality.

The renovations stayed true to the house’s original proportions and detailing – from the soothing neutral colour palette to replicating the cornicing and restoring the balustrades. Against this relaxed backdrop, the vibrant colours in the artwork really pop.

Luxe, natural materials such as oak, stone and marble feature throughout – with special handcrafted pieces made by designers John Galvin for Faolchú and Tom Faulkner.

See Also: Living room ideas (opens in new tab) - 24 decorating tricks to inspire

STUDIO

Opposite the living room is a studio. Teamed together are modern and antique lights and classic vintage Saarinen chairs, alongside Alexis Turner’s taxidermy rooks and gazelles.

HALLWAY

When restoring the tiling in the house, tiles were chosen with a small-scale pattern that felt authentic to the period.

MASTER BEDROOM

This part of the new extension is warm and cosy, but very light. A gorgeous spot to lie in with the papers on a Sunday morning, the epic headboard centres the room.

Photography ⁄ Paul Massey

See Also: Master Bedroom Ideas (opens in new tab) - 31 stunning bedroom schemes

Shining a spotlight on the now and the next in home design and decor, Livingetc is the UK's best selling high end and contemporary home design magazine. As a brand, Livingetc showcases the world's very best homes, breaks and makes the trends, and has access to leading international designers for insight and ideas. It was first published in 1998, and is currently edited by Pip Rich.