Taking on a house that has been in the family for generations is both a privilege and a responsibility. Do you preserve its spirit or begin anew and make it entirely your own?
The custodians of this graceful Victorian villa in south London chose to do both, and with rare assurance. Passed down through the wife’s family, the house carries decades of memories, but now also hums with the vitality of a young family intent on enjoying it to the full. ‘It was a deeply personal project,’ recalls designer Scarlett Jones, who led the Sims Hilditch team through the renovation and house design.
‘Working with so many family pieces was perhaps the greatest challenge, but also by far the most rewarding.’ The timing could not have been more apposite. Sims Hilditch was in the process of becoming B Corp certified, scrutinizing every aspect of sustainability and longevity in its practice.
The family’s wish to reuse treasured antiques, revive existing pieces, and invest in designs built to last dovetailed seamlessly with that ethos. ‘It felt very special,’ Scarlett confirms. ‘We were learning how to put these principles into practice while creating a home that was rooted in its own history.’
A sense of renewal is apparent in the hallway, where bold wallpaper was replaced with soft white walls and woodwork in Oval Room Blue, a shade that threads through the house like a leitmotif. Underfoot, new oak herringbone flooring brings warmth and character, while a lively stair runner injects fresh energy.
A handful of layout changes brought the house in line with modern family life, the most significant being the decision to open up the kitchen and snug to create an informal dining space. Shaker-style cabinetry in warm gray provides a timeless backdrop, while a rhubarb-pink island delivers a punch of character. ‘This really brought the room to life,’ Scarlett notes.
The house came with an abundance of handsome joinery that required only a light touch. In the dining area, existing bookshelves were reinvigorated with a coat of dark teal paint, a wallpapered back, and a run of new cupboard doors. Brass bamboo handles riff off glossy red faux bamboo chairs, while an oak bobbin table by Alfred Newall anchors the scheme.
Across the hallway lies the elegant living room, stretching the depth of the house. Here, the owners wanted to celebrate their exquisite de Gournay wallpaper. Scarlett’s starting point was a contemporary chequered rug, whose graphic verve set the tone for a fresher scheme.
A George Smith sofa and armchair were reupholstered – one in a dainty stripe, the other in a tobacco-hued check, while at the more informal end, a bespoke L-shaped sofa was designed with discreet toy storage hidden beneath its skirt. ‘We were always thinking about how the room could shift from everyday family life to grown-up entertaining,’ Scarlett explains.
Upstairs, the palette of blues takes on a gentler tone, tempered with buttery yellows in the principal bedroom. Fabrics lead the way: an oversized headboard in embroidered Colefax and Fowler linen recalls a tree of life wall hanging, while curtains pieced from broad bands of cream and blue linen create a bold, tailor-made stripe.
Even the joinery in the new dressing area is softened with fabric-paneled doors. ‘They make this style of cabinetry more interesting,’ Scarlett observes. In the bathroom, indulgence reigns: a sunshine-yellow slipper bath and elegant fluted vanity are softened with a rug and upholstered pieces that lend it the comfort of a sitting room.
Beyond the principal rooms, the house still brims with personality. In the cloakroom, Bengal tigers parade across the walls, while in the study, original joinery was reworked to frame a desk and lined with a print featuring stylised lions, a playful foil to the room’s more traditional bones.
A second desk, a much-loved family antique, sits by the window, its only change a set of new handles, proof that even the smallest interventions can breathe fresh life.
Up under the eaves, the children’s rooms gain their own playful touch with fabric-covered shutters, turning a simple blackout solution into a cheerful burst of color and pattern.
For Scarlett, the project’s triumph lies not in one flourish but in its layering: ‘Every room tells part of the family’s story', she reflects. ‘The house honors its past, yet feels joyfully, unmistakably theirs.'
