Emily Canham, London
Lifestyle Blogger Emily Canham renovates her Victorian townhouse in London using White Smoked Oak in plank and parquet for a timeless yet contemporary design.
Lifestyle blogger, Emily Canham, embarked on the exciting project of renovating her Victorian townhouse in the heart of London. Through the use of natural materials, including our White Smoked Oak engineered wood flooring in both plank and parquet, Emily was able to create a home design that felt authentic to her own style, whilst still leaning into the vernacular of the Victoria Townhouse. As Emily went on to say “The style of my home is a blend of modern Victorian with rustic, natural touches. It feels clean, elegant, and eclectic all at the same time. My favourite thing about the design is the warm and inviting atmosphere that it’s created while maintaining a sleek and airy look.”
“I wanted the interiors to feel both traditional and comfortable, with a focus on natural materials, like wood, to bring warmth and texture throughout my home
When it came to gathering inspiration for the design, Emily drew on a number of sources including Pinterest to help create an interior style that combined her favourite design elements – sleek and minimal with rustic features flowing throughout the home. To ensure that this eclectic mix was still sympathetic to the home’s heritage, Emily went on to tell us how she also worked closely with her architect, who understood her ‘desire to lean into the Victorian style and helped translate that into a functional, aesthetically pleasing layout’.
When deciding on what flooring to use in her home, Emily visited the Surrey Design Centre where one of our flooring experts guided her through our vast selection of samples, helping her choose the perfect floor for her space, as Emily explains…
“The visit to the Surrey Design Centre was fantastic and incredibly useful. The range of options available and the expert advice helped me finalise the look I wanted. Seeing the materials in person allowed me to appreciate the different textures and finishes, which really solidified the choice of flooring. It gave me confidence that I was making the right decision for both the style and durability in my home.”
During her visit to our flooring showroom, which you can watch here, Emily chose White Smoked Oak from our Deco Plank and Deco Parquet collections, having fallen in love with its unique tone and texture. Available in both plank and herringbone, this beautiful engineered oak floor has been subtly brushed and smoked, giving the oak a rich aged feel, before being muted with a UV colour oil for a more contemporary look. The UV colour oil also offers a hardwearing layer of protection, making it the perfect choice for Emily’s kitchen!
“Plank flooring provided a seamless, flowing look throughout most of the home, which was key to my goal of creating an open, airy feel. The wide planks made the rooms appear larger and allowed the natural wood grain to become a focal point, adding warmth and continuity. It’s also versatile and complements a variety of design elements like furniture and decor, which I intend on changing with each season – I LOVE a fresh look.”
Although Emily used the White Smoked Oak in plank throughout the majority of her home, she went on to tell us that when it came to her dressing room, she used the parquet style to create a more distinct and elegant touch: “I wanted the dressing room to feel special and distinct from the rest of the house, while still harmonising with the overall design. The herringbone pattern added a touch of luxury and sophistication to the space, which I think makes perfect sense in the dressing room. It’s a classic, elegant design that makes the room feel a bit more refined, giving it a unique character compared to the plank flooring in other areas. Also, it just simply looks beautiful, and I had to have it somewhere!”
When asked if the renovation was complete, or if there was much more to do, Emily joked “The major parts of the renovation are complete, but does it really ever end?!”, before going on to say, “There are always little details and finishing touches I’m looking to add. I’m thinking of maybe upgrading the outdoor space next. But overall, the core of the home is finished, and I’m incredibly happy with the results.”
“I’ve been very happy with the flooring since moving in. It’s durable, easy to maintain, and continues to look beautiful. The White Smoked Oak has held up well in high-traffic areas, and the herringbone pattern in the dressing room still feels like a standout feature! It really brings the whole design together and makes the house feel like home.”
Why not order your own samples of White Smoked Oak in plank and parquet, or follow in Emily’s footsteps, and plan a visit to our Surrey Design Centre, where you can meet with flooring experts, pick up free samples and start your dream design journey today!
Featured Flooring
DC203 White Smoked Oak
With DC203 White Smoked Oak long rustic planks of European oak are stored in a smoke filled chamber that ages the timber and in turn darkens the grain which is then brushed and sealed with white UV cured natural oil which adds a muted earthy hue, whilst maintaining the tactile surface in all its rustic natural beauty. Also available in a matching herringbone.
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