Open plan living is a breeze in this flexible family home

Open plan living may be morphing into broken plan but both are about a flexible home that flows - just like this one

open plan living
(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

THE PROPERTY

A three-storey, five-bedroom Victorian home in south London, which was redesigned as a modern home, with open plan living and respect for its beautiful architectural features at the core of the brief.

The owners, a professional couple with two kids, approached Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors to remodel the layout and dated interior in their new period property. 

See Also: How a small Victorian terrace has been tastefully extended into a modern family home

THE ENTRANCE

Beth, together the couple, formulated a 'master plan', to ensure the elegance and proportions of the original architecture were retained, whilst ensuring the flow of the house was maximised.

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

KITCHEN

Having considered and rejected a basement, the ground floor became the main focus of the redesign. 

A small, dated kitchen extension at the rear was knocked down and replaced with a full width broken plan dining and relaxed living space. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

The kitchen was moved into what was previously the rear living room and now benefits from almost three-metre high ceilings. The original cornicing was copied and reinstated; floor levels were dropped to increase the feeling of height and new engineered oak parquet was laid throughout.

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

DINING AREA

The deVOL kitchen now opens onto a full width dining area complete with a table from Case that extends to seat ten. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

See Also: An 1830's Grade II listed Captain's House in Greenwich is modernised and extended

LIVING AREA

The built in joinery at the other end of the room houses books, objet and conceals a TV. A kids play area is also tucked around the corner, so now the children can play or watch TV whilst the owners cook. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

GARDEN

Oversized Crittal-style steel framed French doors lead out to the garden, where a charming play house has been built for the two children.

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

CLOAKROOM

The staircase was turned at the bottom to improve the long view into the garden from the hallway, and a downstairs loo painted in deep blue was tucked into the corridor. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

LIVING ROOM 

A more formal sitting room at the front of the house retains its beautiful original features and now has custom built storage and a calm, elegant palette. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

BATHROOM

New bathrooms were added on the first and second floors. The family bathroom now features a rolltop bath and bespoke vanity painted in a dirty pink, which keeps the look stylish rather than sugary.

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

MASTER BEDROOM

Soothing greys and soft pinks create a calm space. The velvet bed is from Sofa.com, the bedside table is from West Elm and the lamp from Cox & Cox. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

GUEST BEDROOM

The bedroom is decorated in calm tones of grey and green, with touches of velvet, brass and steel for a contemporary feel, and wool carpet underfoot. 

open plan living

(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors / Photography: Chris Snook)

See Also: Explore a renovated and extended Victorian townhouse in Holland Park

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Jacky Parker is a London-based freelance journalist and content creator, specialising in interiors, travel and food. From buying guides and real home case studies to shopping and news pages, she produces a wide range of features for national magazines and SEO content for websites

A long-time contributor to Livingetc, as a member of the team, she regularly reports on the latest trends, speaking to experts and discovering the latest tips. Jacky has also written  for other publications such as Homes and Gardens, Ideal Home, Red, Grand Designs, Sunday Times Style and AD, Country Homes and Interiors and ELLE Decoration.