Victorian Townhouse Renovation With Refined Mediterranean Style

a large open living room in london with crittal patio doors and a refined Mediterranean style — (Image credit: Studio Lio / Styling Hannah Deacon / Photography Jake Curtis)

When interior designer Aurélie Brelivet says she and her client were speaking the same language on her latest project, she means it both literally and figuratively.

Aurélie heads Studio Lio design studio and, like her client, was born and raised in the South of France. 'We discussed some of our ideas in French for the house, and we also understood each other’s frame of reference,' says the designer. 'I'm influenced by the colors and textures of southern France, and they bring simplicity, brightness, and warmth to this Victorian home renovation, qualities my client was keen to introduce.'

a warm oak textured kitchen with a freestanding rustic island, checkerboard tiled floor and plaster pendant lights — **Kitchen:** There are no cold, hard-edged elements to spoil the natural harmony of this beautiful space. Cabinetry, Arden Forest Joinery. Island, Home Barn. Floor tiles, Ca’ Pietra. Pendants, The Lamp Workshop. Fluted wall tiles, Lusso. Arga worktop, Dekton at Anything Stone. Stools, Nkuku. Rocco wall lights, Artifact Lighting. Tap, Perrin & Rowe

Aurélie's involvement began at the house-hunting stage. She knew the clients well, having worked with them on their previous home, a basement apartment in Chelsea. They were keen to get her input as they upsized. 'I’ve followed their journey to find a family home, so when they saw this, they brought me in to view it,' says Aurélie.

They loved the property's peaceful west London location. From the outside, it was a pretty terraced townhouse. Inside, however, was a different story. 'The interiors were a mess. There were very few original Victorian features left,' says Aurélie. 'Several extensions, adjustments, and layout changes had been made over the years, none of which worked particularly well, but there was plenty of potential.'

a textured cozy breakfast dining banquette area with checkerboard tiles — **Dining Area:** A square bay window provides the perfect spot for a family breakfast nook, complete with custom-built banquette. Davos oak extension table, RH. Lohanda acacia and munja grass chairs, Nkuku. Pendant lights, Home Barn and sourced from Marrakech

The first task was to extend into the loft to create additional bedrooms for a growing family and to extend the living space at the back. Having Aurélie's input right from the start meant that the build and design work flowed seamlessly, with the contractors, Holbrook Contract Furnishing Ltd, working to her detailed plans. 'Coming from a rather dark and obviously smaller apartment, my clients were keen to make the most of the light and space here,' says Aurélie.

a refined european style living room with large arched crittal doors out to the patio — **Living Room:** Tactile finishes, reclaimed oak beams and earthy neutral shades bring a plenitude of warmth. Bespoke arched patio doors in 7021 Black Grey, Unique Steel Windows. Bell Suspension pendants, Caravane. Rug, sourced from Marrakech

'They were looking for something very calm and minimal but warm. And for it to work with their young family, they wanted the ground floor to be an amazing open space to live in.' Unusually, rather than housing the kitchen, the rear extension was to become a generous living room with arched doors opening into the garden, which is more common in Mediterranean properties. When weather permits, the inside and outside merge to create a larger open space where the whole family can gather.

a limewashed large extension living area with arched oak and glass doors, ceiling beams and rustic wooden console — **Living Room:** Accessories are well chosen to bring character and lived-in layers without introducing clutter, and lamps and vases are used as artwork. Console, Home Barn. Lamps, Zara Home. Kos floor vase, Soho Home

Aurélie suggested introducing oak ceiling beams in a grid around the new roof lights. Although the beams are salvaged, they have been cut to give a more uniform, angular look that complements the living room design.

'The clients loved the beam detail – it helped to make the space feel part of the ground floor and disguise the extension,' says Aurélie. 'We had to make sure the beams were not too rustic, but rough enough to look original.'

a london entryway with tiled checkerboard floors, white oak and black metal staircase with limewashed walls — **Entry:** The texture of the grasscloth wallcovering on the door is echoed in the stair runner. Wallcovering, Phillip Jeffries. Stair runner, Unnatural Flooring. Cupboard in Amber Gris, Fired Earth

The bespoke cabinetry and wood finishes in the adjacent kitchen continue the warm and natural look. 'They wanted to avoid any strong contrast with the hall and living room,' explains Aurélie. 'It has simplicity, but it’s sophisticated rather than clinical, and you don’t see shiny, sharp-edged appliances on show.'

a dark beige limewashed bedroom with a linen bed, rustic wooden furniture, green glass chandelier and rattan pieces — **Bedroom:** Soft nature-inspired colors soothe the eyes and quiet the mind, continuing the thread of warmth and textures seen throughout the home. Antique bench, Home Barn. Lorenzo chandelier, Soho Home. Walls in Sepia, Bauwerk Colour. Bedside lampshade, Cotswold Grey

Throughout the house, the decorative details are natural, warm, and textured. Bedrooms and doorways echo the arch details in the living space and kitchen, and most walls are finished with a textured limewash paint, with grasscloth wallcoverings and reeded wood finishes adding further tactile appeal.

'This family likes a minimal look, but they don’t want cold, square, sharp minimal interiors,' adds Aurélie. 'The good thing about introducing textures on the walls is that they don’t need to have too many ornaments or hang things on the walls.'

a beige limewashed bedroom with dark painted wood trims with an arched doorway through to a dressing room — **Dressing Room:** The arch opening from the main bedroom to the dressing area echoes the detailing seen downstairs. Antique bobbin-leg side table, Home Barn. Wren table lamp, Soho Home. Roman blinds in Kochi Linen, GP & J Baker

Getting to know the family well during their apartment redesign gave Aurélie a distinct advantage in selecting pieces for this property. 'I already understood their taste and interests. She’s French, he’s English and they love to travel, so all those influences are at play,' says Aurélie.

a dark green moody bathroom with color drenched tub and arched niche shelving — **Bathroom:** Wrapped in moody greens, the main en suite delivers a restorative spa-like experience. Ara Corian design free-standing bath in bespoke RAL 7002, Riluxa. Walls in RAL 7002 color-matched microcement, Kote London

'For the colors, we stuck to natural tones and subtly brought in colors within the details, objects, and furniture. It’s got the sophistication and reality of the English parts of the house but the warmth and simplicity of the southern French influences, a shared passion for me and the clients. If I had to characterize the style, I’d call it refined Mediterranean.'

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Karen sources beautiful homes to feature on the Homes & Gardens website. She loves visiting historic houses in particular and working with photographers to capture all shapes and sizes of properties. Karen began her career as a sub-editor at Hi-Fi News and Record Review magazine. Her move to women’s magazines came soon after, in the shape of Living magazine, which covered cookery, fashion, beauty, homes and gardening. From Living Karen moved to Ideal Home magazine, where as deputy chief sub, then chief sub, she started to really take an interest in properties, architecture, interior design and gardening.