They say good things come to those who wait, and for Louise, owner of a PR consulting business, and Ryan, a graphic designer, that sentiment couldn’t be more true. Louise and Ryan had such a clear, and specific list of dream-house wishes that it took them 13 years to finally land the North West London home they’d always wanted. Their list was pretty simple but narrow: they were looking for a south-facing Edwardian home that was in need of a renovation, located in a particular area that included just five streets. After a year of calls to real estate agents, letters written, and watching the market like hawks, Louise, Ryan, and their children Arthur and Ivy bought this home five years ago before it even went on the market. “The local estate agents knew us and what we were looking for and I was the first to view the property and made an asking price offer on the spot, even before Ryan had a chance to view it,” Louise recalls.
“It was the nicest, most central neighborhood that we could afford and it was as close as we could get to the area in which we were [brought] up and to where many of our friends and family lived,” Louise shares. “Our first flat was just around the corner from the house we live in now (we can actually see it from our garden) and even then, as cash-strapped first-time buyers, we always said that one day we would love to own one of these Edwardian houses and we feel very lucky that we do now. It’s a lovely community, a mixture of young families and people who have been here for decades. We have a beautiful park on our doorstep and a parade of independent shops and we’re less than five minutes from the subway station.”
Once the family had this 1,619-square-foot Dollis Hill home to themselves — nearing 130 years old — they devised a reno and design plan. “When we bought the property it hadn’t been renovated for more than 40 years,” Louise says. “This was a blessing and a curse — lots of original features, great floorboards hiding under really nasty carpets and no central heating. The vast majority of our budget was spent on (re)building and repair and behind the walls before any interior design was considered. We really had to go back to basics first, make good and then started to make it look pretty.”
They brought in Lisa Mettis of Born & Bred Studio to add a fresh, new spirit to the old home while keeping with the structure’s original ethos. Lisa both energized the home’s rooms with unexpected pops of color while maintaining the Edwardian personality with a mix of traditional and modern pieces. The result is a refined and playful mix — one that the family is thankful to have in their long sought-after home. And after 13 years of chasing their dream, Louise has a design tip for others weary from the pursuit: “Get someone else to do it, there is no harm in calling in the professionals.” —Kelli
Photography by Anna Stathaki / @annastathkiphoto
Image above: “A friend of mine says that our kitchen does funny things to people,” Louise shares. “You know, you come for lunch and stay for dinner, but that’s where all the best parties happen, right?”
from Design*Sponge https://www.designsponge.com/2018/10/in-london-an-old-edwardian-home-with-a-fresh-new-spirit.html
from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/179211958044
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