Tour This Victorian Terrace In North London Updated By A Designer

The couple simply added personal touches to this space, which had been updated only a few years earlier by the houses’s previous owners. The amber glass pendants that hang above the sleek island are from Swoon, while all the appliances are by Miele

‘The previous owners were pragmatic people and had already altered the layout to maximise living space,’ explains Victoria. ‘They had extended upwards and outwards, making the property larger and brighter, had built-in hidden storage and laid new flooring, and installed a modern bathroom and kitchen with high-end appliances. But in doing this, they had ripped out all the property’s original features; what we needed to do was put the character back in.’

The sitting room is an eclectic, romantic space decorated with an abundance of potted plants, velvet upholstery and an ornate gilded mirror that was sourced from Floral Hall Antiques. The emerald sofa is from Made, the ochre armchair from DFS, and the rug is from Anthropologie

With no building work to worry about, the couple were able to use their budget on getting the decoration exactly as they wanted it.

‘The month we moved in, we kick-started the interior design,’ says Victoria. ‘My close friend Barbara Ramani, who lives on a neighbouring street, was about to launch her interior design business, so the timing was perfect. She knows our family intimately – our interests, likes and dislikes, and way of living, and she has creative vision, passion and flair, so we embarked on a creative journey together.’

The playroom is a bubble of colour, where a lively turquoise wall, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Vardo, adds a striking contrast to an orange sofa from Sofa.com and vibrant rug from Anthropologie. Quirky pieces, such as the ice-cream cone light and zebra vase, create a fun and flamboyant feel

They began with the areas of the house they knew would be used most – the living room, dining room and kitchen, followed by the bedrooms. ‘Phasing the work was crucial for us, as it meant we always had somewhere to sleep as well as the room to store things, all without getting in the way of the work. It also had the added benefit of helping us to think about how to best use the spaces in the future,’ explains Victoria.

A serene colour palette combined with unfussy pieces, such as the West Elm bed frame and suspended black pendant from Made, create a pared-back Scandi twist. The khaki-painted ceiling creates a cosy reading nook, complete with comfy armchair from Swoon, Cox & Cox pouffe and Graham & Green wall light

Both Victoria and Barbara are firm believers in getting the maximum use out of all areas in a home. So, converting one of the reception rooms back into a dining area using a Crittall- style divider to zone it off, was the obvious thing to do.

‘We didn’t need two lounge areas side by side’, says Victoria. Similarly, the couple decided to turn their spare room into an open workspace, rather than have a fourth bedroom. ‘We don’t have guests regularly enough to justify dedicating a whole room to it.’

Simple but stylish, the pale blue and white scheme is given a touch of luxe with beautiful marble flooring

Victoria says some of her favourite things about the refurbishment are the unexpected touches. ‘I love the hidden mice in Selma’s mural and the brass woodland creature handles on her cupboards. I’m also so proud of the workmanship applied to the geometric design in Ezra’s room. Our bedroom is probably my favourite space of all, though – it has a romantic, botanical feel and the lighting bounces off the walls to create different hues and moods. This is my calm space, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.’

Look around a little more…

Sitting room

The ochre armchair in the sitting room is from DFS and the rug is from Anthropologie

Dressing room

With a boutique hotel feel, this space combines natural textures of wood and brass alongside a statement cowhide rug, bought on Etsy from Vachet London. The table mirror is from Graham & Green

The dressing room has a glamorous feel with a beautiful dark wood dressing table and decorative chair. Touches of brass, full-length curtains and a cowhide rug add to the luxe look

Children’s bedrooms

Existing cupboards in the alcoves were transformed into open shelving and filled with Selma’s books and treasures, while a pendant light and Quill brass mirror, both from Graham & Green, add quirky touches of grown-up glam. The wall is painted in Inchyra Blue and the shelves in Pink Ground, both from Farrow & Ball

The bold mural in Ezra’s bedroom creates a playful look. A comfy armchair and striped side table are both from Swoon and the wall lamp is from Made

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