Inside Laura Stephens' Joyful Victorian Terrace

a trio of images of a london home decorated by Laura Stephens — (Image credit: Laura Stephens / Photography Will Slater)

'Celebrating the house’s sense of history was important,' notes interior designer Laura Stephens of a recent project, a four-bedroom Victorian terrace in Dulwich.

'It’s quite a wide, lateral house design, and the proportions are lovely. It also still has many beautiful original features. We aimed to modernize it, while making sure those were highlighted.'

A red painted sitting room with large window dressed with blue drapes, a bespoke bookcase area built around a piano, a striped red sofa and a checked armchair pair — **Sitting Room:** The artwork, bought in Mexico, was the starting point. 'The client wanted it to feel very cozy,' says designer Andrea Williams. Wall in Terre d’ Egypte, Farrow & Ball. Curtains in Mia, Manuel Canovas; Tiverton border, Samuel & Sons. Chair in Tooth Check, Bennison Fabrics. Isla sofa, Sofa.com; in Indus Stripe, Jane Churchill. Cushions in Roubaix, Teyssier, and Ischia Sienna, The Pure Edit. Rug, Bombay Sprout x Laura Stephens. Floor lamp, Pooky; with shade from Inchyra

The clients had lived in the house for some years and had begun a home renovation that included structural work, such as building kitchen and loft extensions, but when their children, who are now school age, came along, the update ground to an abrupt halt.

They had considered moving, but then decided to reinvest in the house and future-proof it. Craving character in the interior, they enlisted the help of Laura and her team.

a neutral soft kitchen with zellige tiles, wooden countertop cupboard open shelving and a green island — **Kitchen:** A ribbed glass and wood cabinet brings warmth and texture to the largely neutral scheme. Bespoke cabinet, designed and made by Laura Stephens Interior Design. Rug, Weaver Green. Splashback tiles , Mosaic Del Sur. Pendant light, deVOL. Wall light, Felix Lighting Specialists

The client was drawn to the studio’s use of color and pattern, as well as their propensity for working with traditional houses. 'She liked the way we brought the clients’ personalities to period properties,' says Laura.

A collaborative partnership ensued, where the designer and the client’s styles aligned. 'The client has a very good eye, and she was quite confident with her choice of fabrics and wallpapers,' explains Andrea Williams, lead designer on the project.

'She knew what she was drawn to and what patterns she liked, but she didn’t know how to bring it together as a whole.'

a grand Victorian entryway with a white painted staircase, red runner on the stairs, green wallpaper and paneling on the walls and a porch area with tiled floor — **Entryway:** The pretty wallpaper extends over three floors, providing a cohesive feel throughout the house. Rich earthy red accents are the perfect foil to the soft-green palette. Wallpaper, Rapture & Wright. Rug, Weaver Green. Stair runner, Sophie Cooney Runners. Pendant, Pooky. Radiator cover in Charlotte’s Locks, Farrow & Ball

The result is a quintessential example of the studio’s signature style. 'It has roots in traditional decoration, with elements of elegance and restraint. Injections of color and personality provide an updated, fun and playful take that makes it feel completely modern and appropriate for a young family,' explains Laura.

Bold jewel tones lead the charge in the design, and key colors were woven through the rooms to ensure that they flowed. The open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area, for instance, is a light-drenched space showcasing a pared-back palette of warm neutrals, punctuated by the arresting hues of the rich green island and the teal velvet sofa.

a green painted entryway with built in bench seta and storage — **Entry Storage:** A jaunty stripe is used on the bespoke bench, introducing a joyful touch at the entrance. Cabinetry in Salvia, Paint & Paper Library. Bespoke bench, designed and made by Laura Stephens Interior Design. Seat fabric, A Rum Fellow

Laura teased the green through into the hallway, parading softer hues of it on the paneling and wallpaper, and juxtaposing it with daring red in the contemporary stair runner.

The sitting room at the front of the house leans into the drama, flaunting earthy red walls and cabinetry that are carefully tempered with teal highlights.

an attic kids bedroom with floral wallpapered walls and ceiling, green painted trim, a built in single bed and a small wooden desk with green chair — **Daughter's Bedroom:** Pattern is layered, creating plenty of interest and movement. Indian Tulips wallpaper, Ottoline. Rug, Weaver Green. Cushion, John Lewis. Desk, Loaf

The audacious use of color isn’t confined to the reception rooms. The bedrooms follow through on the blues, reds, and greens that are laced through the downstairs.

'Within each room there’s a key color palette, but it’s adjusted to suit each space and give it its own identity,' says Laura. The effect is invigorating.

a primary bedroom painted muted pink with sisal carpet and a red and blue patterned headboard with matching mismatched linens and a dark wooden fluted nightstand — **Bedroom:** The curves of the headboard echo the rounded shape of the bedside table. Wall in Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke headboard, designed and made by Laura Stephens Interior Design, in Talmont, Pierre Frey. Artwork by Studio IMO for PSTR Studio. Lampshade, Birdie Fortescue

'The word joyful definitely applies,' notes Laura. 'I think it’s an important part of our design philosophy – you want to feel uplifted by the spaces.

The schemes are very cohesive, so it’s calming to live in, even though there are lots of different elements of texture, color and pattern at play.'

a soft neutral bathroom with a warm wooden vanity with blue veined marble — **Bathroom:** A beautiful example of mixing materials – marble, wood, fabric – for a sense of luxury. Bespoke vanity, Parker Howley & Co. Walls in School House White, Farrow & Ball. Blind in Alma, GP&J Baker. Bespoke stool in Shell Grotto Fabric, Fermoie. Mirror, Graham & Green

The studio’s signature decorative flourishes and layers of pattern are showcased throughout, too.

In the sitting room, the curved contemporary armchairs are finished with skirts whose romantic ruffles lean into period style, blending old and new and bringing organic shaping that offsets the room’s clean lines, while swooping headboards, upholstered in exuberant patterned fabrics, add impact in the bedrooms.

a dining nook with white walls and a large window out to the garden with a green striped banquette built beneath. A rustic wooden table is paired with red chairs — **Dining Area:** Classic wooden chairs and a button-back banquette nod to traditional style but are given a modern twist with contemporary colours. Artwork by David Taylor. Table, Loaf. Chairs, Neptune. Bespoke banquette in Uno Stripe, Tinsmiths

Practicality was also a consideration in a household with children and a dog.

Double doors were replaced with windows, creating space for a dining area at the back of the kitchen. Here, Laura designed a banquette in a dapper stripe that nods to period style, yet, teamed with pink and blue chairs, makes for a space that exudes joie de vivre.

a pale pink sitting room with custom alcove storage cleverly housing a bespoke dog bed — **Open-Plan Sitting Area:** Laura redesigned the cabinetry to incorporate a discreet dog bed. Bespoke cabinetry, designed and made by Laura Stephens Interior Design. Sofa, Sofa.com. Ottoman in Cothay Stripe Indigo, Guy Goodfellow. Artwork, Frame TV, Samsung. Rug, Rowen & Wren. Walls in Leather I, Paint & Paper Library

'It is an extension and it needed character adding in,' explains Andrea. 'The clients wanted a cool space and we wanted to avoid it being a white box.'

A bespoke bench was built into the entrance cabinetry, while joinery in the open-plan living area was redone to allow for a dog bed. This carefully considered refresh has brought new energy to this beautiful home.

Love beautiful design ideas, expert advice, and inspiring decor trends? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.

TOPICS

Interiors have always been Vivienne's passion – from bold and bright to Scandi white. After studying at Leeds University, she worked at the Financial Times, before moving to Radio Times. She did an interior design course and then worked for Homes & Gardens, Country Living and House Beautiful. Vivienne’s always enjoyed reader homes and loves to spot a house she knows is perfect for a magazine (she has even knocked on the doors of houses with curb appeal!), so she became a houses editor, commissioning reader homes, writing features and styling and art directing photo shoots. She worked on Country Homes & Interiors for 15 years, before returning to Homes & Gardens as houses editor four years ago.