STYLE HOME
OLIVE HALLER-NUAMAN AND HER HUSBAND MEJD HAVE TURNED THEIR BOXY, CHARACTERLESS 1950S COUNCIL HOUSE IN SOUTH-WEST LONDON INTO A WARM AND WELCOMING LIGHT-FILLED OASIS
FEATURE MARISHA TAYLOR
1 “Open-plan spaces suit modern living”
We knocked through the three small, dark rooms on the ground floor of our 1950s ex-council house and added a small two-metre extension at the back to create an airy, open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. The house lacked period features, but this gave us free rein to completely re-imagine the space.
EXPOSED BEAMS
Revealing the ceiling beams adds height and character to a room
2 “Getting our lighting right was a challenge”
‘As the new electrics were part of the build process we really had to think about the lighting in each area and how we wanted it to feel. We opted for target, pendant lighting above the dining table and sofa, and for softer lighting options, dimmable wall lights in the kitchen. I also added many lamps around the house, which create a warm glow in the evenings.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES. Amalfi dining table in Natural Wood, £545, and Amalfi woven dining chairs, £160 each, both French Connection. The Light & Living beaded chandelier in Antique White, £320, Ideas4lighting has this look
3 “Not everything needs a high price tag”
‘We had initially bought this property with the intention of renovating it and moving on in a few years, so wanted to avoid spending lots of money on things like marble or Corian worktops in the kitchen. Mejd fashioned our worktops from lengths of plywood which he doubled up and stained as a cheap, short-term solution, but we have grown to love them! The plywood is surprisingly robust and I love the aging patina of the work surface – it really adds to the character of the space.’
4 “We’ve created an illusion of more space”
‘The ceilings in this house are lower than in older properties, so to gain height, we dec
