Georgian Villa
As a prior rental property, this listed Georgian ‘townhouse’ had enormous potential but had suffered from decades of neglect. We dramatically renovated and reinvigorated the entirety ensuring the property fulfilled its potential as an uplifting and joyful home for the years to come.
A decaying lean-to on the front elevation housed utility appliances, selling short the first impressions of the property. In its place, a new enlarged Crittall porch, including downstairs cloakroom, was erected providing a striking, spacious and period-appropriate entrance.
We reimagined the kitchen layout – closing off an ancillary doorway to make way for a floor-to-ceiling pantry and ample storage cupboards. An Everhot range oven was recessed into the historic chimney breast to accommodate circulation space around a newly installed island topped in maple wood. As the beating heart of the home, comfortable window seating and ergonomic bar stools were added to give space for the family to relax and spend time in each other's company. A pink and green palette was chosen to marry a set of reclaimed encaustic tiles and frame the room’s centre-piece – a ‘ruby chard’ painting.
A hand-painted naturalistic wallpaper lines the hallway and leads to a back room that we repurposed from a dark and damp bathroom into a well-ventilated, space efficient utility room.
Upstairs, on the landing, a wall of books in rich bronze-red provides intrigue and drama. It frames the drawing room beyond, with its custom banquettes made to maximise useable space and low profile sofas serving to accentuate the generous ceiling height and architectural form. Overscale windows with views through the tree canopy outside and to the sea beyond inspired the costal landscape hues of this reception space. These tones create an atmospheric and responsive backdrop for displaying bold and impressionistic artwork.
The top floor was remodelled to allow for sub-division of the master bedroom and the creation of an ensuite bathroom, resplendent in authentic Zellige tiles and brass fittings.
Overall, a rich and varied palette of heritage colours, together with select architectural lighting, brought warmth and visual stimulation to rekindle the life of this gracious property. Pairing these design elements with new fabrics and furniture, as well as older personal belongings, created different atmospheres and moods throughout that inspire the owners and reflect their individuality.
