Clutter is ingeniously hidden and a sense of serenity prevails in Reinier and Anna van Dongen's family home, where a subtle touch of oriental style is mixed successfully with a French Provençal look

Raising a family and keeping your home clutter-free do not exactly go hand in hand, but it comes as second nature to Anna van Dongen. The interior designer runs her own consultancy, Space Matters, which specialises in helping clients maximise the space in their homes. “I've always been very practical,” she says. “My clients were constantly asking me how they could create extra space or storage, so I decided to concentrate on that aspect of interiors, and it's proved very popular.”

Anna runs her business from the 1930s north London home where she has lived for the past five years with her husband Reinier and their ten-year old son Peter. “As soon as I stepped through the door I knew it was right for us,” she says. “My husband took some persuading, as he had his heart set on a Victorian property. But I could see it had great potential.”

Naturally, Anna has designed the house to maximise the space available. This required a complete rethink of the layout, with walls being knocked down and doors moved. “It was rather chaotic but we changed the upstairs from a tiny bathroom and four bedrooms – two of which were rather pokey – into two spacious bedrooms, each with an en suite. A loft extension meant we didn't lose any bedrooms. In fact, the two new rooms are bigger than the ones lost and we gained a shower room and laundry.”

Anna painted the interior in shades of white to keep it as light as possible. She decided on traditional oak floors for most of the living areas, and a hard-wearing travertine marble for the hall. Garish granite and gold fireplaces also had to go, to be replaced by reclamation-yard finds. “I believe that the decor of the house should follow the architecture,” she says.

Each room in the house is designed around a single piece of furniture or painting. The living room, for example, features four Chinese silk scrolls that depict the four seasons. Persian rugs take centre stage in most rooms, while antiques and accessories come from Anna's native Greece, Reinier's native Holland, or the couple's many travels to Asia and Africa.

The kitchen is the hub of family life as family, friends and clients regularly pop in for an espresso or to sample Anna's famed cakes or biscuits. “All the pots and pans and plates are on display so that they are easily accessible,” she says. “I call it a 'restaurant' kitchen.”

Anna describes her style as French country shabby-chic. This is perfectly illustrated in the main bedroom, which is decorated in blue and white using Laura Ashley's Victorian Rose fabric for linen and hangings. The en suite bathroom, with its huge roll-top bath, is Anna's sanctuary, where she “loves to light candles and listen to classical music”. Here she took inspiration from Provençal style with alcoves and plaster finishes on the walls. “At first, the decorators couldn't see what I wanted,” she says, “but eventually I found a plasterer who had worked in Morocco and understood.”

Outside, a traditional cottage garden has been created and features herbaceous borders with a variety of perennials, evergreen plants in oversized pots and a herb garden. “When we first came here, there was just a patch of lawn, but now it's full of plants and colour. It attracts a lot of wildlife, which is wonderful.”

Anna feels that she has created a house that functions entirely as it should. “It has all the elements I could wish for. It is very practical, the design works and, in terms of style, it reflects who we are.” But above all, she has created a home. “My friends say it's a house with a soul. They love it here as much as we do, and our dinner parties can go on until 2 am.”

WORDS KAREN LIPTON
PHOTOGRAPHS TIM BEDDOW
APRIL 2006

SOURCEBOOK
ACCESSORIES Lakeland, (015394) 88100. The Looking Glass of Bath, (01225) 461969.
BEDLINEN The White Company, 0870 900 9555.
DESIGN Space Matters, 07941 109988.
FABRIC GP & J Baker, (020) 7351 7760. Laura Ashley, 0871 230 2301.
FLOOR Amtico, 08703 504080.
FURNITURE The Dormy House (01264) 365808.
GARDEN FURNITURE Gisela Graham, (020) 7708 4956.
KITCHEN Ikea, (020) 8208 5600.
PAINT Jocasta Innes, www.jocastainnesdesign.com.
RANGE COOKER Britannia, (01253) 471117.
ROLL-TOP BATH Bathing Beauties, (020) 8365 2794.
TAPS Lefroy Brooks, (01992) 708316.