Millie Mackintosh, Chelsea

Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor renovate their Chelsea townhouse to create a family home filled with character, complete with our Powder White Oak Bjelin plank flooring.
Millie Mackintosh and her husband Hugo Taylor recently renovated their family home in the heart of Chelsea, using Powder White Oak from our Bjelin Hardened Wood Flooring collection. We spoke with Millie, who explained to us how this exciting project saw a complete reshuffle of the interior space, as Millie went on to explain: âA couple of the key places we wanted to start with were the kitchen, we moved it from the back to the front of the house to make an open-plan kitchen and dining room. We also knew we needed to add a bathroom. We didnât have to do anything structural, but a big thing was replacing all the floors, electrics, pipes and some of the windowsâ.
âThe house is a nineteenth-century Chelsea Townhouse. We renovated the whole property, stripped everything out apart from structural walls, and started again. We wanted to keep and restore some of the old features and character of the house, mixing it with our personality to create our family home.â
When it came to the design, Millie collaborated with Interiors Designer, Chloe from Little Mellows, who as Millie described âbrought so many of our ideas (not to mention my Pinterest boards) into 3Dâ. She also worked closely with Will from Fore Projects, who managed the build to ensure the project ran smoothly. To give the Chelsea townhouse a contemporary twist, Millie selected colours and textiles that gave each room its own identity, perfectly reflecting the familyâs personality while respecting the architectural heritage of the house.
âItâs a real mix of old and new, with lots of character, and each room has a different feel. The kitchen and dining area are airy and bright, with pops of pink and green. The snug is cosy, calm, and comfy. I wanted the master bedroom to feel like a hotel, a real treat to go to bed. I wanted it to feel like our family and bring in all the elements of us, which Iâm proud to say I think it does.â
When selecting a floor, Millie needed something that would complement the home’s character while standing up to the demands of family life. She chose VL104 Powder White Oak from our Bjelin Hardened Wood Flooring Collection. Crafted in Sweden, this engineered wood floor is the first of its kind, featuring patented technology that strengthens the wood for three times more impact protection and improved moisture resistance. The generously sized planks in the Bjelin collection bring clean lines to your design â perfect for balancing Scandinavian design with the needs of a busy family home, click here to order your free sample today!
âBecause itâs a Victorian build, wood floors lend themselves to the house’s tradition and history, maintaining that character that I was so keen to keep. We also wanted underfloor heating, which wooden floors are brilliant for as they hold onto the heat, keeping the house extra toasty! Then, the VL104âPowder White brings a lightness to the house, which contrasts beautifully with the walls. I knew I wanted a pink kitchen, and the plank floor style goes gently alongside the colour. It was super easy to install, which was a massive sell; as the original floorboards had to be completely removed, we needed something easy to set down for such a big job!â
When asked how she has found the floor since moving in, Millie went on to say, âItâs been great. We love it, especially now that itâs getting colder. The underfloor heating is an amazing feature, making it so cosy. Itâs also very practical, and the design means itâs a very smooth surfaceânothing for the girls to trip over. Itâs also very easy to clean, which is great for a busy familyâand weâre just about to get a puppy!â
If you would like to start your own renovation journey, why not order free samples of Bjelin Hardened Wood flooring today or plan your visit to our Surrey Design Centre where one of our flooring experts can guide you through the Bjelin collection, answering any questions you may have!
Featured Flooring

VL104 Powder White Oak
Real wood but stronger. A real wood floor with great design, durability and water-proof characteristics. Built for a worry-free life. The unmistakable feel and luxury of a real wood floor combined with next-level durability and high water resistance.
Made in Sweden, Bjelin Hardened Wood Flooring uses Woodura, a world-first â a unique, revolutionary technology that hardens wood to produce beautiful real wood floors with superpowers. The patented process results in a significantly stronger surface with up to 3x more impact protection and enhanced water and moisture resistance compared to traditional parquet floors â while being both cost-effective and sustainable.
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