Edwardian Home, London

When it came to settling on the design goal for this space, they wanted to achieve a design that nodded to the traditional features whilst creating a contemporary home. Belle explained, We like clean open and light spaces, whilst being sympathetic to the original style of the house but also creating a modern home to live in”. In achieving this, Belle drew upon her previous experience in property developments as well as taking inspiration from Instagram and Pinterest for the design concepts – planning everything themselves.

“We have a ‘build and design’ approach rather than a ‘design and build’ approach. We have basic plans and then like to strip everything out and actually design and finish everything as we go to whatever suits and fits the space. It’s a very fluid process. We get a lot of inspiration from Instagram (where we document the builds) as well as Pinterest. We like to screengrab and save pictures in a file and pick out elements we like.”

The use of light was very important to the design and is brilliantly executed with the installation of the large glass windows at the back of the house. Belle recalls that We started by looking at renovation pictures from Instagram and Pinterest with the remit of finding a glass system that could let in as much light as possible”. Not only does the large window feature allow a plethora of light to flood into this large living space, but it also opens up the view of the garden, allowing the engineered oak planks to draw your eye along to the beautiful scenery outside.

With the use of wood flooring being an important design feature across the couple’s property developments, Belle knew that they would be looking for a real wood flooring once more for their design. Having used V4 wood Flooring on previous projects, they once again explore our Engineered Oak collections to find the perfect wood floor for this space. The floor chosen for this London home was Nordic Beach from V4’s Deco Plank collection.

Brushed, stained & hardwax oiled, these beautifully long planks offer a modern twist on traditional oak planks through the application of Wood Lye. Not only does Nordic Beach perfectly compliment the design goal of creating large light spaces, but also adds a homely warmth throughout thanks to the rustic nature of the wood.

“We like big planks and European oak. We have actually used this wood before in a previous project as we like it so much. It is a beautiful oak with a tinge of white (not too much) which matches our design goals of keeping everything clean and bright. It is fantastic quality with a very high finish. There is also a huge range of flooring available to suit any taste and style of house.”

The 1900mm length of the boards can open up any space. Belle comments on one benefit she has found of using a plank style in renovating, stating It can help a room feel less cluttered and busy (the larger the plank you go). They carry the eye nicely as you look into a room”. Nordic beach is also available in a herringbone, offering you a great amount of flexibility when planning your designs. To explore Nordic Beach herringbone, click here.

When it comes to the interior design of the renovation, belle explains their intention was to create a modern-heritage décor, she explains:

“The overall theme would be a modern-heritage theme. A nod to the Edwardian architecture and style of home in conjunction with modern living. Using this theme as inspiration for furnishing, Belle goes on to say we love modern heritage and also an Art Deco feel to furnishings as well as flashings of gold and brass. Previously we had done a white kitchen and were determined to use some colour. We got all the colour charts and loved both the blue and cashmere. We actually also did the pantry in blue as well as the island”.

As previously mentioned, the use of light was extremely important to Belle and her partner’s design. Through continuing this in the interiors they were able to create a light, natural and un-cluttered calming house which is also functional for a busy family”. The White Crown paint aided in this design goal Belle explains:

“It keeps the house light and bright and also it’s easy to wipe down for a busy family”.

The couple were able to further create their modern-heritage design through the use of furnishings. Belle describes how the light fixture in the kitchen really makes the room and is a little bit more modern than the heritage kitchen, which is the style of heritage and modern I mentioned above”. Whilst using companies such as Sotti and Co. and Made.com to add beautiful Art Deco style furniture.

Along with their custom-made kitchen in Solid Ash by Lochanna kitchens the couple added a splash of colour with their table and chairs. Belle describes it’s lovely to add some colour and vibrancy! We also like to always create one fun bright bathroom in any cloakroom we do. The table is real Carrera marble, and the chairs are from Cult furniture”. Overall, Belle states that she was happy with her floor, saying I would use this floor again 100%. It’s light, bright durable and fantastic quality! When discussing how easy the family find it to clean their floors, Belle explains Very easy.

We actually treat them with an additional floor protector which is a kind of wax and should any liquid fall on them, it creates a barrier stopping it being absorbed. It’s also very smooth to wipe down”. And when asked if the floor has lived up to their expectations, Belle said Yes 100% and I can’t wait to try other V4 products on a new design! Fantastic product and can’t wait to work with V4 again!!! Would highly recommend”. You can follow along with Belle’s property designs and interior spaces by following her home page on Instagram.