It was the property’s period features that sealed the deal when the buyers found this Victorian semi-detached house back in November 2022 - and they moved in just in time for Christmas.
‘We just fell in love with all the period features’ says the home owner. ‘It’s late Victorian and there are unique fireplaces in almost every room, along with beautiful period stained glass windows. It also made my dream of owning a house covered in wisteria come true, as the whole façade is covered in winding foliage – and we loved that it had a ready-made wine cellar!'
‘Though the previous owner had really looked after the house and installed period, cast-iron radiators and restored the original floorboards, despite this, the decor wasn’t to our taste - especially the dining room - so we set about putting our stamp on the place.’
The dining room before
‘In the dining room, the colour of the walls was a bold, tomato red which did make it feel quite festive, but it just wasn’t ideal for us year round. We wanted something more versatile, that would still feel cosy for candlelit dinner parties with friends and family.’
The dining room now
‘After a bit of research, we opted for Obsidian Green by Little Greene for the walls, which looks almost black in some lights. I love it as the colour makes it so cosy in the evenings and at dinnertime, but also makes me feel inspired and energised when I work at the dining table.’
‘We also chose a jade-coloured dining room rug from Ruggable, with a whimsical floral pattern on it that works beautifully in this room. It’s machine washable too, so ideal for under a dining table.
The details...
‘The size of the room meant we could include a nice large dining table and this one from Graham & Green was an ex-display – it’s perfect for the space and hopefully we will be able to keep it forever and pass it on at some point. My biggest bargain was the chairs, though, which I got from Mallams auction house. They were sold as a job lot and I got 10 for £250 – they’re all totally unique and in perfect condition.’
‘I also love my French-style armoire, which came from an auction house too. It holds so many treasures, and is perfect for storing extra plates, napkins and cutlery for dinner parties. I prefer furniture items which have a story to tell, and if they can’t be antique then I like things that are at least sympathetic to the period of my home.’
‘As it’s such a nice size room, I can fit a full-size Christmas tree into the dining room alcove, which makes the room feel really festive. I’ve gone for a seven foot, pre-lit design from Balsam Hill, which is a flip tree that is super easy to set up and take down.’
‘I’ve decorated the room with a blue and teal theme with a sprinkle of burgundy red for our Christmas décor this year. I’m obsessed with bows and I’m glad they are having a bit of a style renaissance – I’ve used velvet ribbon to tie bows on the tree as well as adding an oversized one as a tree topper.
‘We’ve really gone wild at flea markets and auctions to fill our home with unique finds and it’s brimming with beautiful things that have so much history. I have an art history background originally and love that I can display my passion for art with so much gusto in this home.’
‘I love to collect original artworks, some of my favourites recently have been from Camilla Perkins, Frankie Thorp and Rachel Bottomly. There is something so joyful about supporting creatives and having something that you know is completely one-of-a-kind.’
‘As it's a pre-lit Christmas tree, there's no worry about wires and tangles when setting it up. This year I used some metallic baubles and lots of velvet ribbon bows to decorate it. I’ve gone for the prettiest gift wrap and velvet ribbon from The Danes.’
‘I adore the fireplace. The original marble makes such a statement and it’s so much fun to change the mantelpiece decor seasonally throughout the year. This year for the garland I used a mix of faux and real foliage and stems, with some red berries and pretty blue hydrangeas. I’ve hung our artwork above it using picture rail chains from Yester Home.’
‘The dining room is perfect for entertaining. We love to invite friends around for winter cheeseboard nights, light a few tapered candles and natter the night away.
‘I love how the room has turned out, it’s cosy and cocooning at night and light and energising in the daytime. I can’t wait to host Christmas here this year.’
