Relocating to an ex-industrial space near their previous west London home was the per fect move for one couple and their grown-up family
HOME PROFILE
WHO LIVES HERE
Recently retired couple Deryn and Tim Wright. Their three grown-up children visit frequently
THE PROPERTY
A 1920s three-bedroom home in west London, previously a builders’ yard, then a photographic studio
OUTDOORS
The couple are training wisteria along the side of the house. A table and chairs provides the perfect spot for morning coffee. Bistro set, Ikea. Henley outdoor fireplace, Ivyline
GARDEN
Tim built the modular outdoor furniture many years ago and it has been repainted to match different schemes. The couple added a row of bamboo along the garden wall for instant privacy
DINING AREA
An abstract artwork adds warmth to the dining area, while a handy blackboard painted by Deryn conceals cupboard storage. Dining table and bench, Robert Gates Furniture. Dining chairs, Homebase and vintage finds. Artwork, Harry Wade (@hittheroadharry). Woven bowls, TK Maxx
t’s a conundrum many people face after their children have flown the nest: stay in a house that now seems strangely empty, or downsize? And if downsizing, how do you find a smaller space that doesn’t feel cramped and still has room for visiting family?
Deryn and Tim Wright had spent 20 happy years in a spacious Edwardian villa in Kew, west London, where they brought up their three children while both working full time. ‘The house was always buzzing with people and pets,’ says Deryn. ‘But when everybody left, it felt too big for us. I hated having all these empty rooms, and we suddenly realised how noisy it was, near a busy road and railway. We were out much more before and too tired to notice!’
The hunt for a house that would suit their new retired lives left them in a quandary. ‘We didn’t want to feel as though we were going backwards by moving into the type of small terrace we’d lived in when we were younger,’ explains Deryn. But the more modest-sized options in their preferred areas were either compact terraces or cottages with low ceilings, or new-build flats that lacked the character they wanted.
So many couples might consider this to be the time to retire somewhere quieter – a country village or seaside town, perhaps – Deryn and Tim took the opposite approach and headed more centrally into London to a vibrant area of Islington. ‘We were by far the oldest people there,’ laughs Deryn, ‘and we loved it! There were so many fun things around and new restaurants opening all the time. It was good to get out of our comfort zone.’
But after a while, they found themselves missing the greenery of west London and being close
