Wandsworth, London

Growing up with a father who was an architect meant Natalie was no stranger to interiors. Spending a large part of her childhood watching Channel 4’s Grand Designs and being around building sites had developed into a love for interior design. When moving into her new home, which was complete with traditional features and lots of light, Natalie was excited to put her stamp on the design, saying “I think it gives you more connection with a house and makes it feel more like home”. When it came to design choices, Natalie took full control, and through creating lots of mood boards, following interior designers and amazing homes on Instagram, she soon learnt the colour palettes and styles she liked:

“Pinterest and Instagram have definitely been my main source of inspiration. I have had an interiors Pinterest board for over 10 years now and it’s always had chevron floors, dark kitchen cabinets and Parisian homes pinned so my style hasn’t changed that much I guess. Natalie went on to explain I always say I am inspired by Parisian townhouses, and Spanish villas – a bit of an odd mix… but both of those styles have definitely inspired many of my choices. I also think my design inspiration has shifted and evolved the longer I have lived here. I think living in a space for a while helps – as you get to know which rooms you use most, the light in those rooms etc.”

Natalie had always wanted wooden floors, she explains I had heard great things about V4 and when I ordered the samples the quality was amazing… I wanted a neutral-toned floor that would be the perfect canvas, and as soon as I got the seashell sample, I knew it was perfect”. V4’s Seashell Chevron is a modern take on the classic French Herringbone. The durable stained oak top layer is finished with a hard-wearing wax oil which gives the surface a unique natural glow, which is precision milled with a 45° angled header, to create a seamless flow across any room – perfect for Natalie’s design goal of creating a beautiful calm space.

To complete this Parisian inspired design, Natalie sources furniture from an array of places, including auctions, hand-made pieces from Etsy and other vintage outlets, she explains: My furniture is a mix of second hand, vintage and a few new bits. I wanted to make sure the pieces would be ones I would love forever and be timeless. I also love mixing second hand and vintage furniture pieces in – as the pieces have a story to them”. However, when it came to the kitchen Natalie did not shy away from getting involved as she redecorated it to suit her style herself:

“It’s actually a DIY job, the kitchen was already here when we moved in. It wasn’t really my style but I decided instead of ripping it out and starting fresh I would use the bones of what was there. We painted the existing cabinets, swapped the handles and then changed the worktop and added in a waterfall worktop on the breakfast bar. The cabinets were shaker style and I love the end result as it’s a mixture of more traditional cabinet style with antique brass handles. Then the more modern marble worktop to add a more modern feel. I can’t believe it’s the same kitchen to be honest”.

Since living with the floor, Natalie has said how great and easy to clean it has been, even with her dog Bosco, she has found it does not scratch easily, she goes on to explain:

“I am so happy with my floor choice; I think it instantly made the house look more chic. Everyone asks me where it’s from, it’s so beautiful and I love the tone – it suits every room. My dream Parisian vibe chevron floor… I am now doing more rooms in it. I am in love!”.