Taking on a house that has been in the family for generations is both a privilege and a responsibility. Do you preserve its spirit or begin anew and make it entirely your own?
The custodians of this graceful Victorian villa in south London chose to do both, and with rare assurance. Passed down through the wife’s family, the house carries decades of memories, but now also hums with the vitality of a young family intent on enjoying it to the full. ‘It was a deeply personal project,’ recalls designer Scarlett Jones, who led the Sims Hilditch team through the renovation and house design.
Entrance (left): Blue-painted woodwork and a contemporary runner bring fresh energy to the hallway and inform the palette of blues that runs throughout the house. Walls in All White; woodwork in Oval Room Blue, both Farrow & Ball. Eye runner in Blue, Sophie Cooney Runners. Table lamp, Porta Romana. Lampshade, Penny Morrison. Dining room (right): Existing joinery was refreshed with deep teal paint and a block print-style wallpaper, a lively foil to the villa’s grander features. Bespoke joinery in Market Green, Mylands. Seraphic Star wallpaper in Bastille, Soane Britain. Grove Bamboo cabinet handles, Armac Marti.
‘Working with so many family pieces was perhaps the greatest challenge, but also by far the most rewarding.’ The timing could not have been more apposite. Sims Hilditch was in the process of becoming B Corp certified, scrutinizing every aspect of sustainability and longevity in its practice.
The family’s wish to reuse treasured antiques, revive existing pieces, and invest in designs built to last dovetailed seamlessly with that ethos. ‘It felt very special,’ Scarlett confirms. ‘We were learning how to put these principles into practice while creating a home that was rooted in its own history.’
A sense of renewal is apparent in the hallway, where bold wallpaper was replaced with soft white walls and woodwork in Oval Room Blue, a shade that threads through the house like a leitmotif. Underfoot, new oak herringbone flooring brings warmth and character, while a lively stair runner injects fresh energy.
Sitting room: Piled high with cushions, the bespoke L-shaped sofa signals the room’s more relaxed end. The elegant arched window, complete with its original shutters, is dressed simply in cream linen edged with braid, a light touch against the decorative backdrop. Hand-painted Askew wallpaper on Lead Grey India tea paper, de Gournay. Plaid Kelly rug in bespoke colors, Jennifer Manners. Curtains in linen by de Le Cuona; trimmed with braid, Haywoods Trimmings.
A handful of layout changes brought the house in line with modern family life, the most significant being the decision to open up the kitchen and snug to create an informal dining space. Shaker-style cabinetry in warm gray provides a timeless backdrop, while a rhubarb-pink island delivers a punch of character. ‘This really brought the room to life,’ Scarlett notes.
Kitchen (left): The rhubarb-pink island brings a bold hit of personality to an otherwise neutral scheme. Cabinetry in Comfrey, Tom Howley. Island in Rhubarb, Neptune. Organic White worktops, Caesarstone. Fleming Holophane pendant lights, Felix Lighting Specialist. Dining Room (right): A treasured family portrait has been joined by future heirlooms such as a hand-turned oak dining table and lacquered red chairs. Bobbin dining table, Alfred Newall. Flores chairs, Charles Orchard. Chairs in Gobi, Penny Morrison. Holden cane wall lights, Porta Romana. Red Stripe lampshades, Hum London. Herringbone flooring, Hakwood.
The house came with an abundance of handsome joinery that required only a light touch. In the dining area, existing bookshelves were reinvigorated with a coat of dark teal paint, a wallpapered back, and a run of new cupboard doors. Brass bamboo handles riff off glossy red faux bamboo chairs, while an oak bobbin table by Alfred Newall anchors the scheme.
Across the hallway lies the elegant living room, stretching the depth of the house. Here, the owners wanted to celebrate their exquisite de Gournay wallpaper. Scarlett’s starting point was a contemporary chequered rug, whose graphic verve set the tone for a fresher scheme.
A George Smith sofa and armchair were reupholstered – one in a dainty stripe, the other in a tobacco-hued check, while at the more informal end, a bespoke L-shaped sofa was designed with discreet toy storage hidden beneath its skirt. ‘We were always thinking about how the room could shift from everyday family life to grown-up entertaining,’ Scarlett explains.
Upstairs, the palette of blues takes on a gentler tone, tempered with buttery yellows in the principal bedroom. Fabrics lead the way: an oversized headboard in embroidered Colefax and Fowler linen recalls a tree of life wall hanging, while curtains pieced from broad bands of cream and blue linen create a bold, tailor-made stripe.
Main Bedroom: The bespoke headboard celebrates the room’s generous proportions. Headboard in Nerello, Colefax and Fowler. Cushions in Cassiopea and Nudi, both Zak + Fox. Lamps (near bed), Vaughan. Wall lights, Pooky.
Even the joinery in the new dressing area is softened with fabric-paneled doors. ‘They make this style of cabinetry more interesting,’ Scarlett observes. In the bathroom, indulgence reigns: a sunshine-yellow slipper bath and elegant fluted vanity are softened with a rug and upholstered pieces that lend it the comfort of a sitting room.
Main Bathroom (left): A marble-topped vanity that incorporates a dressing table adds a note of luxury. Bespoke vanity, Parker Howley & Co. Bespoke stool in After All Too, Jean Monro; fringing, Samuel & Sons. Main Bathroom (right): A sunshine-yellow tub and scalloped rug lend playful charm to classic details such as panelling. Bateau bathtub, The Cast Iron Bath Company. Bath in Sudbury Yellow, Farrow & Ball. Blind in Florentine Flowers, Beata Heuman. Scallop Lemon rug, Jennifer Manners
Beyond the principal rooms, the house still brims with personality. In the cloakroom, Bengal tigers parade across the walls, while in the study, original joinery was reworked to frame a desk and lined with a print featuring stylised lions, a playful foil to the room’s more traditional bones.
A second desk, a much-loved family antique, sits by the window, its only change a set of new handles, proof that even the smallest interventions can breathe fresh life.
Cloakroom (left): Prowling Bengal tigers animate this compact jewel box of a space. Bengal wallpaper in Teal, Warner House. Glazed Teal tiles, Marlborough Tiles
Up under the eaves, the children’s rooms gain their own playful touch with fabric-covered shutters, turning a simple blackout solution into a cheerful burst of color and pattern.
Nursery (left): A walk-in wardrobe gains character with painted doors edged in a delicate scalloped wallpaper trim. Cot, Lillian Daph. Bespoke rug, Ornate Rugs. Scalloped border in Red, Ottoline. Walls in Skylight; woodwork in Oval Room Blue, both Farrow & Ball. Nursery (right): Fabric-covered shutters double as blackout blinds, turning a practical solution into a joyful flash of color and pattern. Shutters in Forest & Hills in Plum, Lowri. Strand chest of drawers, Charles Orchard.
For Scarlett, the project’s triumph lies not in one flourish but in its layering: ‘Every room tells part of the family’s story', she reflects. ‘The house honors its past, yet feels joyfully, unmistakably theirs.'