UK Houzz Tour: Colour-Rich Rooms Reflect Shadowplay and Light
The warm and generous paint shades in this Georgian home work beautifully with its London aspect and architecture
Julie Butterworth
13 October 2021
Houzz Contributor and homes, architecture and property journalist. I work on a range of homes websites and edit commercial and editorial digital content at the Royal Institute of British Architects Journal. I have managed subbing departments at magazines Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home and web content teams for Time Inc UK’s Homes Network.
Houzz Contributor and homes, architecture and property journalist. I work on a range... More
The owners of this house had moved from an apartment, so they wanted to enjoy all the extra space it gave them. “They were keen to entertain and spread out,” says interior designer Andrew Jonathan Griffiths of A New Day, who the couple contacted soon after they moved in.
The four-storey home has a kitchen, dining room and mudroom on the lower-ground floor and a living room and cloakroom on the upper-ground floor. There are two bedrooms (one is used as a study) and a bathroom on the first floor, plus the main bedroom suite at the top of the house.
The property was in a reasonable state when the owners moved in. “Everything was grey, though,” says Griffiths, “and the owners were keen to add some colour.”
The four-storey home has a kitchen, dining room and mudroom on the lower-ground floor and a living room and cloakroom on the upper-ground floor. There are two bedrooms (one is used as a study) and a bathroom on the first floor, plus the main bedroom suite at the top of the house.
The property was in a reasonable state when the owners moved in. “Everything was grey, though,” says Griffiths, “and the owners were keen to add some colour.”
Photography by Anna Stathaki
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their dog
Location: London, UK
Property: A four-storey Georgian house
Size: Three bedrooms (formerly four) and two bathrooms
Designer: Andrew Jonathan Griffiths of A New Day
Griffiths was struck by how the light fell in the property. “The hallway is light, but the lower-ground floor and the stairwell are considerably darker,” he says. “And the kitchen is cosy rather than light-filled. The living room gets sunlight, but it’s filtered through trees.”
The architecture of the property and the orientation of its rooms inspired his colour choices. “I played into them with the interior design,” says Griffiths. “The look also reflects the owners and how they wished the house to feel.” The result is a home saturated with pockets of rich colour that connect with the local surroundings.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their dog
Location: London, UK
Property: A four-storey Georgian house
Size: Three bedrooms (formerly four) and two bathrooms
Designer: Andrew Jonathan Griffiths of A New Day
Griffiths was struck by how the light fell in the property. “The hallway is light, but the lower-ground floor and the stairwell are considerably darker,” he says. “And the kitchen is cosy rather than light-filled. The living room gets sunlight, but it’s filtered through trees.”
The architecture of the property and the orientation of its rooms inspired his colour choices. “I played into them with the interior design,” says Griffiths. “The look also reflects the owners and how they wished the house to feel.” The result is a home saturated with pockets of rich colour that connect with the local surroundings.
The living room has a Juliet balcony that overlooks the garden. The owners, who have demanding jobs, were after a cocooning, cosy retreat to come home to.
Griffiths used different gradations of blue-green on the walls and a very deep green shade on the cabinetry to create subtle shifts of mood around the space. The vintage Kai Kristiansen Paper Knife chair has been reupholstered in a Rose Uniacke bouclé fabric.
Griffiths used different gradations of blue-green on the walls and a very deep green shade on the cabinetry to create subtle shifts of mood around the space. The vintage Kai Kristiansen Paper Knife chair has been reupholstered in a Rose Uniacke bouclé fabric.
Mouldings have been fitted to the living room walls to create the illusion of traditional timber panelling. The walls and heater are painted in a deep, restful shade that sits somewhere between blue, green and grey.
The owners already had the sofa, so Griffiths designed the room around it. The oversize rattan pendant shade is one of his favourite pieces. “It looks like an art installation; the scale of it is just amazing,” he says.
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The owners already had the sofa, so Griffiths designed the room around it. The oversize rattan pendant shade is one of his favourite pieces. “It looks like an art installation; the scale of it is just amazing,” he says.
Find an architect near you on Houzz to breathe fresh life into your home
The hallway on the upper-ground floor features Victorian-style floor tiles and an earthy-hued stair carpet.
“This is a tall, thin house,” says Griffiths, “and I wanted a coherent thread to link all four floors. The light levels around the stairwell are low, so I emphasised that by using a charcoal-blue paint colour to provide a consistency of design through the middle of the property.”
The telephone table is a vintage find from an online auction and the cushion and seat pad have been reupholstered.
“This is a tall, thin house,” says Griffiths, “and I wanted a coherent thread to link all four floors. The light levels around the stairwell are low, so I emphasised that by using a charcoal-blue paint colour to provide a consistency of design through the middle of the property.”
The telephone table is a vintage find from an online auction and the cushion and seat pad have been reupholstered.
The hallway has a built-in seat lined in tongue-and-groove panelling, with storage for coats and shoes. “This is where you sit to take your boots off,” says Griffiths. “The unit is painted in a fantastic rich paint colour. It has such depth that, depending on the time of day, it can look alternately plum-coloured, brown, reddish and even black.”
To contrast with the stairwell, the walls are painted a stone colour with a slightly different tone on the woodwork and window frame.
To contrast with the stairwell, the walls are painted a stone colour with a slightly different tone on the woodwork and window frame.
The couple inherited a fairly good kitchen on the lower-ground floor, so just wanted the space freshening up a little rather than renovated. The ceiling has been painted in a gloss finish to help maximise the light levels.
The informal dining spot can get cool, so Griffiths used a pink tone to add warmth and atmosphere.
Browse more beautifully designed dining areas to inspire your own
Browse more beautifully designed dining areas to inspire your own
The more formal dining room is next to the kitchen. “This is a pure entertaining space, mostly for evening use,” says Griffiths. “The owners were keen that it felt not only opulent, but fun, too.”
The blue lampshade on the wall of the adjacent kitchen area is a small detail that has a big impact, helping to unify the two disparate dining spaces.
The blue lampshade on the wall of the adjacent kitchen area is a small detail that has a big impact, helping to unify the two disparate dining spaces.
Griffiths met the brief for this room by picking toile wallpaper and Hans J Wegner Wishbone chairs to provide the elegance and formality. “I then undercut that with the fresh blue paint and the bunch-of-balloons pendant light. Those two elements add the fun.”
There’s a skylight above the door, which helps the blue work harder, while upping the light levels in this potentially dark corner.
There’s a skylight above the door, which helps the blue work harder, while upping the light levels in this potentially dark corner.
The mudroom is a practical space for a couple with a dog and is designed for when they come home from a muddy walk in nearby Highgate Wood.
The walls are painted in emulsion at the top and gloss at the bottom from Farrow & Ball, making them easy to wipe down.
The walls are painted in emulsion at the top and gloss at the bottom from Farrow & Ball, making them easy to wipe down.
The flooring on the upper-ground and first floors is engineered oak. “It runs throughout with no threshold plates or profiles breaking up the run of the wood in doorways,” says Griffiths.
This photo looks into the guest bedroom on the first floor, with the bathroom door on the right. The cupboard on the left contains a washer-dryer and linen storage. The paint is the same as the shade used on the stairwell woodwork and walls.
“The brass handles are from a French company that sells fantastic bits and pieces for upcycling projects,” says Griffiths.
“The brass handles are from a French company that sells fantastic bits and pieces for upcycling projects,” says Griffiths.
One of the bedrooms was converted into a permanent home office when the pandemic hit. “The couple were keen to have a mid-century feel in here,” says Griffiths, “a strong, feminine look without it being too pink. I’ve used shades of soft rose to create a sophisticated, grown-up and moody atmosphere.”
The main bedroom is at the top of the house in the converted attic space. Trees visible from the window inspired the colour choices in here.
The eaves make for an interestingly shaped room, but Griffiths was careful that the angle of the roofline didn’t compromise the look. “This is not a big room,” he says, “and the brief here was to create a calm, relaxing, uncluttered space.”
The eaves make for an interestingly shaped room, but Griffiths was careful that the angle of the roofline didn’t compromise the look. “This is not a big room,” he says, “and the brief here was to create a calm, relaxing, uncluttered space.”
Griffiths designed bespoke wardrobes to look like wall panelling. There are no handles to break up the run of storage – the doors are push-to-open – and the cabinets fit perfectly into the awkward space.
Griffiths also designed the dressing table with its tongue-and-groove detailing. The paint colour unifies the storage.
Inspiration for the bed began with the green of the treetops, as the owners were keen to have a connection to their surroundings. “For contrast, I suggested bringing in mustard to make the bed the big feature and focal point of the room,” he says.
Inspiration for the bed began with the green of the treetops, as the owners were keen to have a connection to their surroundings. “For contrast, I suggested bringing in mustard to make the bed the big feature and focal point of the room,” he says.
The headboard is a bespoke piece, as off-the-shelf designs would have been too large to get up the narrow staircase. “The dimensions had to be adjusted based on the journey the headboard had to take to the top of the house,” says Griffiths.
A coral shade in the headboard fabric was picked out for the lampshades. The ceramic bedside table is a clever choice for such a snug space.
Your turn
What do you think of this reimagined Georgian home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images to inspire your own home and join the renovation conversation.
More
Want a peek at another colour-loving house closer to home? Check out this Melbourne designer’s new family home in My Houzz: From Office Space to Intimate & Inviting Family Home
A coral shade in the headboard fabric was picked out for the lampshades. The ceramic bedside table is a clever choice for such a snug space.
Your turn
What do you think of this reimagined Georgian home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images to inspire your own home and join the renovation conversation.
More
Want a peek at another colour-loving house closer to home? Check out this Melbourne designer’s new family home in My Houzz: From Office Space to Intimate & Inviting Family Home
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I love this house! It feels really “designed” but I mean that in a good way - subtly cohesive and interesting. I love the blue toile wallpaper- completely lifts that room up in fun but elegant way.
Great feature lights. Good colour choices - a little ”dirty” rather than too bight or pastel - nice job (even if the toile is not for me)
Wow, just a stunning use of colour. Love it. Weljel I am x