No.1
| HOUSE OF THE MONTH |
A 1930s home in need of love offered Sophie and Carl Brennan the space they craved for their growing family
STYLING RACHEL MOREVE
DINING AREA
Eye-catching fabric pendant lights help define the eating area within this large space. Afluted side cabinet lends a pop of colour.
Single column reclaimed elm dining table; extra-large round pink glass table lamp and raffia lamp shade, all Graham and Green. Fabric pendant lights, Abigail Ahern. Avalon four-door sideboard, Trove
It was the impressive lateral space that drew Sophie and Carl Brennan to this 1930s house in north London. ‘We had outgrown our small terraced house, which was just around the corner,’ says Sophie, who was expecting her third child when the pair embarked on their property hunt. ‘This house had an old extension and the spaces didn’t connect very well, but we felt it had the potential to be a sociable home.’
Before they took the plunge, the couple were keen to get a second opinion, and they asked interior designer Joanna Williams to visit the property with them. ‘Joanna had worked with a friend of ours, and she also lived in the area,’ says Sophie. ‘We knew we would need help with the renovation and she was the perfect fit.’ Joanna didn’t hesitate to give the property her approval: ‘I could see that with tweaks to the layout and a new extension, we could create a wonderful home,’ she says. ‘The house has a fabulous hallway which was another massive plus – it is such a rarity in London.’
Joanna worked with architect Felix Padfield of Felixdb to design a light-filled extension incorporating a kitchen and informal eating area. One of two large openings from the living area to the extension was blocked up to enable Joanna to maximise cupboard space and create a wall of joinery in the seating area.
The house came with some lovely period features, including cast-iron radiators, handsome oak doors and oak flooring, which was sanded back and given a limed finish. These original details helped inform the colour palette of smart neutrals punctuated with accents of green, pink and soft red. ‘I told Joanna that if I were left to my own devices I would probably end up painting the entire house white but that’s because I’m nervous about using colour; I knew I wanted to be more adventurous and I asked her to help me,’ Sophie explains.
In the hallway, Joanna picked out the woodwork and stair treads in sage green, while the joinery in the living area was painted a warm terracotta. In the kitchen, the island and larder units were painted plaster pink to chime
