Houzz Tour: A Clever Rejig Adds a Bedroom to a Victorian Terrace
A one-off colour consultation turned into a whole house renovation packed with family-friendly and sustainable ideas
When interior designer Claudia Dorsch first met her clients – a couple with three small children – their house was in good shape. They just wanted some ideas on adding colour to their home, so had booked her for a consultation. However, the conversation revealed the house might need a little more attention after all; though it’s large, the layout meant two of the children were sharing a room and there was a wonderful upstairs terrace that never got used.
Claudia redesigned the entire first floor to rectify these issues – with such great results the owners asked her to revamp the rest of their house. She meticulously timed each part of the nine-month project (which also included repair works, gaining Planning Permission for a new roof window, installing a new garden fence, repainting the façade and rehanging windows) so the family never had to move out. “It really was a logistical feat,” she says.
Claudia redesigned the entire first floor to rectify these issues – with such great results the owners asked her to revamp the rest of their house. She meticulously timed each part of the nine-month project (which also included repair works, gaining Planning Permission for a new roof window, installing a new garden fence, repainting the façade and rehanging windows) so the family never had to move out. “It really was a logistical feat,” she says.
Claudia’s first suggestion was to repaint the previously pale grey shutters at the end of the kitchen, seen here, in “an amazing colour”.
The homeowner loves blue and Claudia picked two shades, one for the shutters and another for the snug (seen later).
Shutters painted in Marine Blue, Little Greene.
The homeowner loves blue and Claudia picked two shades, one for the shutters and another for the snug (seen later).
Shutters painted in Marine Blue, Little Greene.
This view shows the other end of the kitchen-diner.
The large folding doors between the kitchen and hall (seen on the left) have been painted black and yellow to pick up on the bananas artwork on the end wall. Yellow bar stools – seen in the previous picture – echo the same colour theme.
The window at the end of this room is part of a larger view onto the garden from the snug.
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The large folding doors between the kitchen and hall (seen on the left) have been painted black and yellow to pick up on the bananas artwork on the end wall. Yellow bar stools – seen in the previous picture – echo the same colour theme.
The window at the end of this room is part of a larger view onto the garden from the snug.
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Claudia chose foxed mirror glass for the splashback behind the range cooker. Just designing how this would fit became quite a job. “The surround is plastered, but you had to make sure you couldn’t see the front edge of the mirror,” she explains. “It’s a small detail and was a challenge, but it’s nice to work with someone who appreciates when things are made really well.”
A before photo of the cooker with its original white splashback tiles.
A view of the hall showing the other side of the double doors into the kitchen.
In the snug at the back of the house, Claudia saw an opportunity to add more colour – another blue. She continued the paint onto the ceiling, too. “It’s so enveloping and cosy to do that,” she says.
Claudia moved this big Marilyn print from the hall. “You couldn’t step away from it enough to let the picture resonate where it was,” she says.
It was one of many items she moved into different rooms or positions. The owner is very sustainably minded and didn’t want anything to go to landfill if it could be avoided. So there was a lot of repurposing, moving, reframing of pictures, charity shop donating and vintage shopping. Part of Claudia’s brief was also that any items that were bought new had to be well made and long-lasting, as well as made only with natural, sustainable materials.
Walls and ceiling painted in Burlington Arcade, Mylands. Black shelving, Vitsoe.
Claudia moved this big Marilyn print from the hall. “You couldn’t step away from it enough to let the picture resonate where it was,” she says.
It was one of many items she moved into different rooms or positions. The owner is very sustainably minded and didn’t want anything to go to landfill if it could be avoided. So there was a lot of repurposing, moving, reframing of pictures, charity shop donating and vintage shopping. Part of Claudia’s brief was also that any items that were bought new had to be well made and long-lasting, as well as made only with natural, sustainable materials.
Walls and ceiling painted in Burlington Arcade, Mylands. Black shelving, Vitsoe.
Claudia encouraged the owners to go for a black sofa to tie in with the vintage Eames lounge chair seen here – a wedding present the couple bought themselves, which had previously been upstairs, covered in toys. Now it provides a vantage point for lovely views across the garden.
Claudia also painted the bookshelves black and had new lighting wired in, which shows off the artwork.
Sofa, Maker&Son.
Claudia also painted the bookshelves black and had new lighting wired in, which shows off the artwork.
Sofa, Maker&Son.
This shows the shelving and colour scheme in the snug before Claudia got to work.
Claudia created an additional outdoor snug in the garden, under the overhang of the extension that forms the back of the house, which had previously been a bit of a toy and junk hotspot.
The sofa has bespoke outdoor covers with elasticated bottoms to protect the whole item of furniture when it’s not in use and save the homeowners having to carry the cushions inside daily.
The giant pink lamp is a fun addition Claudia also introduced. “It’s British-made, which was important to the owner in terms of carbon footprint,” she says.
Sofa, Dedon. Sofa fabric, Pierre Frey. Lamp, Anglepoise.
The sofa has bespoke outdoor covers with elasticated bottoms to protect the whole item of furniture when it’s not in use and save the homeowners having to carry the cushions inside daily.
The giant pink lamp is a fun addition Claudia also introduced. “It’s British-made, which was important to the owner in terms of carbon footprint,” she says.
Sofa, Dedon. Sofa fabric, Pierre Frey. Lamp, Anglepoise.
The main living room in the house is on the first floor. “It was a bare and sorry room, a jumble of old furniture and Lego,” Claudia says.
“It did have this really nice bookcase, though,” she adds, but she could see room for improvement. “Everything was open shelving at the same depth, so there was nowhere to hide anything. It made the whole bookcase look a mess.” She got a carpenter to deepen the shelves at fireplace level and add doors.
This took away the spot where a television had previously sat. “We had a lot of discussion about where to put the TV,” she explains. Eventually, the choice was above the fireplace, but disguised behind a special mirror that becomes transparent when the TV’s on.
Mirror television, Overmantels. Bookshelves painted in Stiffkey Blue, Farrow & Ball. Chandelier, Tigermoth Lighting.
“It did have this really nice bookcase, though,” she adds, but she could see room for improvement. “Everything was open shelving at the same depth, so there was nowhere to hide anything. It made the whole bookcase look a mess.” She got a carpenter to deepen the shelves at fireplace level and add doors.
This took away the spot where a television had previously sat. “We had a lot of discussion about where to put the TV,” she explains. Eventually, the choice was above the fireplace, but disguised behind a special mirror that becomes transparent when the TV’s on.
Mirror television, Overmantels. Bookshelves painted in Stiffkey Blue, Farrow & Ball. Chandelier, Tigermoth Lighting.
Claudia also boosted the room’s lighting, which had previously been confined to four spots in the ceiling. Now there’s a trio of brass library lamps at either end on the bookcases and a dramatic chandelier hanging from a newly reinstated ceiling rose. The room’s cornicing was also put back in.
The owners wanted a modern, clean-lined sofa, but British-made and without foam – only natural materials. “I spoke to many sofa-makers, who said you can’t make something like that without foam.” This less clean-lined but still modern, all-natural design was the stylish compromise. “It’s handmade in a traditional way, with webbing, springs, horsehair, and feather and down,” Claudia explains.
The wallpaper was a different kind of compromise, as it came from the States, but was almost the only concession made on this front (the bathroom wallpaper, see last photo, was the other).
Sofa and ottoman, Dudgeon; upholstered in fabric from Fermoie. Wallpaper, Thibaut. Midcentury side table, vintage.
The owners wanted a modern, clean-lined sofa, but British-made and without foam – only natural materials. “I spoke to many sofa-makers, who said you can’t make something like that without foam.” This less clean-lined but still modern, all-natural design was the stylish compromise. “It’s handmade in a traditional way, with webbing, springs, horsehair, and feather and down,” Claudia explains.
The wallpaper was a different kind of compromise, as it came from the States, but was almost the only concession made on this front (the bathroom wallpaper, see last photo, was the other).
Sofa and ottoman, Dudgeon; upholstered in fabric from Fermoie. Wallpaper, Thibaut. Midcentury side table, vintage.
There had originally been a window seat here. “It looked pretty, but it wasn’t useful, as no one sat on it,” Claudia says. The radiator was made to match the reclaimed Victorian one that was already in the room (see previous photo).
Halabala chairs, vintage; covered in sheepskin.
Halabala chairs, vintage; covered in sheepskin.
This is the original bathroom, now transformed into a study (see below).
This is the husband’s home office and had previously been the family bathroom. “It had this wonderful terrace,” Claudia says, “but as it was off the bathroom, no one used it. Now he has a lovely space to stretch his legs and get some fresh air.”
She also cut into the ceiling (which goes into an unused void next to the boiler on the floor above) to give more height – a luxurious three metres – over the desk. Claudia added a remote control Velux window here, too.
Wood-effect floor tiles (inside), Fired Earth. Green wall painted in Arsenic, Farrow & Ball.
She also cut into the ceiling (which goes into an unused void next to the boiler on the floor above) to give more height – a luxurious three metres – over the desk. Claudia added a remote control Velux window here, too.
Wood-effect floor tiles (inside), Fired Earth. Green wall painted in Arsenic, Farrow & Ball.
As you can see from this ‘before’ floorplan and the ‘after’ version, below, Claudia freed up a bedroom by turning the original bathroom into a study.
She didn’t stop there, though, and enhanced these rooms, making the two original bedrooms smaller, but putting a large walk-in cupboard between them, accessible from the hall.
She also boosted the size of the smallest room of the three by stealing space from the adjacent room.
She didn’t stop there, though, and enhanced these rooms, making the two original bedrooms smaller, but putting a large walk-in cupboard between them, accessible from the hall.
She also boosted the size of the smallest room of the three by stealing space from the adjacent room.
The ‘after’ floorplan.
This is the study as it was before the reconfiguration.
It is now the youngest girl’s bedroom.
“It was previously like a long corridor,” Claudia says, “so we broke into the room next door and created a nook for the bed.”
After a fruitless search for the right size beds to fit each room, Claudia had them made. Each features a trundle bed and storage drawers.
After a fruitless search for the right size beds to fit each room, Claudia had them made. Each features a trundle bed and storage drawers.
This is the other side of the nook, seen from the oldest girl’s room.
Window wall painted in Blue Ground, Farrow & Ball. Balloon lights, Brokis.
Window wall painted in Blue Ground, Farrow & Ball. Balloon lights, Brokis.
This room belongs to the middle child. Each of the girls was encouraged to pick their own wallpaper, colours and fabrics. Claudia had wardrobes with sliding doors made bespoke for each room.
A structural engineer was needed to supervise the changes on this floor.
Wall light, Anglepoise.
Read about what structural engineers do and when you might need one.
A structural engineer was needed to supervise the changes on this floor.
Wall light, Anglepoise.
Read about what structural engineers do and when you might need one.
This is the previous room in its original incarnation as the youngest girl’s room.
These cheery yellow doors belong to the new cupboard created between two of the girls’ bedrooms.
This is the master bedroom on the top floor. The biggest changes were the colour on the far wall – inspired by the two artworks – and the black carpet. “It was previously a neutral beige floor in here and throughout,” Claudia says. “The black’s added contrast and vibrance and transformed the space.”
The carpet from the entire house was in good condition and was successfully re-homed. The owners already had the bed, but Claudia had the frame re-covered.
The door in the blue wall goes into a dressing room and the door on the right goes into the room’s en suite (see below).
Wardrobes and back wall (scroll down) painted in Burlington Arcade, Mylands. Wall lights, Original BTC.
The carpet from the entire house was in good condition and was successfully re-homed. The owners already had the bed, but Claudia had the frame re-covered.
The door in the blue wall goes into a dressing room and the door on the right goes into the room’s en suite (see below).
Wardrobes and back wall (scroll down) painted in Burlington Arcade, Mylands. Wall lights, Original BTC.
The bedroom as it used to look.
This and the next photo show the other end of the master bedroom.
Claudia moved the mirror that used to be above the fireplace up here to hang over the stairs. The dressing table is a vintage desk.
“We did very little to this bathroom other than repaint it,” Claudia says. She also added the wallpaper. “It’s really famous – designed for the Beverly Hills Hotel in the 1940s,” she says.
Claudia also added downlights and had the existing marble vanity countertop repolished.
Wallpaper, Martiniquewallpaper.com.
Tell us…
Which are your favourite changes in this cleverly updated family home? Let us know in the Comments.
Claudia also added downlights and had the existing marble vanity countertop repolished.
Wallpaper, Martiniquewallpaper.com.
Tell us…
Which are your favourite changes in this cleverly updated family home? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? A family of five with three young girls, aged 9, 7 and 4
Location North London
Property A Victorian end of terrace with an existing converted loft and rear extension
Size Five bedrooms and two bathrooms (previously four bedrooms and three bathrooms)
Designer Claudia Dorsch of Claudia Dorsch Interior Design
Contractor Romualdas Dovydenas at Go Smartbuild
Photos by Brendan Cox
One of the benefits of talking to a design professional is the fact they can come up with solutions you’d never have thought of. “I only went in for a colour consultation,” Claudia says.
“The owner had put a deposit on a new sofa for the ground floor snug, but wasn’t sure about it,” she says. “So we talked about colours, fabrics, the shape of the sofa – and this expanded to talking about the whole ground floor. Apart from a stainless steel cooker, it was a white box. The owner loves colour, but wasn’t sure how to introduce it.”
This is where paying for a consultation can really provide benefits and open things up, Claudia explains. “If you’re unsure about one thing, you probably need to consider the whole room, not just pick a new sofa, because otherwise you won’t get the full benefit of that new sofa,” she says.