TOTAL MAKEOVER - From chaos comes order with these dramatic Home Makeovers
Who doesn’t love a good before and after?
Spring and Summer is a time for re-birth. A time of rejuvenation!
After lying dormant during winter, we are ready to shine. This is why I love bringing buildings back to life! Seeing a dilapidated property and breathing new life into it is transformative.
We thought it would be fun to look at some of our favorite before and afters.
Sometimes our projects require a cosmetic touch up while other times a full transformation is required.
Like humans we want to ensure our buildings have good GUT HEALTH and STRONG BONES.
BEFORE REAR FACADE AND GARDEN
This property was in need of a lot of love! Left to its own demise this once beautiful property situated in North London in Hampstead had turned to total despair.
With a lot of love, thought, planning, and consideration we were able to transform this tired and dilapidated home into a luxury estate. Bringing with it new life, hope, and habitation.
At the time I was the lead Residential Interior Designer on this project undertaken by SHH Architects.
The clients wanted a backyard oasis complete with a pool and an olive tree! A glass box timber and steel extension was created to give a modern expansion to the traditional home.
AFTER REAR FACADE AND GARDEN
Highgate House
The main transformation came in the form of a completely reconsidered rear facade - adding all new glazing and doors, a Second floor connection, bi-fold doors for an indoor outdoor extension, and a completely new sunken terrace and modern glass pool extension.
To top the full makeover off an all new garden layout and planting scheme helped to complete this major transformation.
BEFORE INTERIOR
The inside also required a major ovrehaul!
For planning and costing purposes some parts of the core construction remained.
AFTER INTERIOR
Part of the major transformation was the new contemporary stair connecting all floors including the new third floor. New glazing helped to brighten the entrance while a new metal and timber balustrade helped to maintain a traditional yet contemporary feel.
BEFORE REAR FACADE AND GARDEN
Located near High Street Kensington, this property and rear garden was completely overgrown and left only minimal space for relaxing and entertaining.
In addition to the overgrown garden the lower ground floor was not being utilised to it’s fullest potential. It housed some mechanical units and was essentially a dark basement space used for random storage but was not habitable.
AFTER REAR FACADE AND GARDEN
By excavating the entire rear garden it allowed us to introduce new sliding glazed doors, connecting the indoors to the new outdoor sunken terrace space.
The garden was fully excavated back to the existing brick retaining wall. This more than doubled the outdoor living area. It also allowed for a very habitable lower ground floor complete with new glazed sliding doors and a family kitchen. By cleaning out the overgrown outdoor area the existing Juliette balcony could now be a beautiful focal point.
A new green wall was implemented to conceal existing and new mechanical structures.
BEFORE INTERIOR LOWER GROUND FLOOR KITCHEN
The interior also needed a total overhaul to convert this once unused basement area to a family friendly and habitable kitchen and family living area with formal living on the floor above.
Lots of demolition was required!
AFTER INTERIOR LOWER GROUND FLOOR KITCHEN
The initial renovation implemented a modern lower ground floor kitchen, dining and living area. A bespoke fork and knife screen printed wallpaper by Tracy Kendall added a fun focal point while the sculptural side tables by India Mahdavi add an unobtrusive coffee table setting. Multi colored Grand Prix Chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen add a burst of color and intrigue.
This particular project was rather unique because it received 2 complete makeovers!
After the huge success of the initial single family renovation the clients realised the value and fulfillment of the transformation. Nearly 5 years later with a growing family and the opportunity to purchase the neighboring property the clients decided to expand.
What was once a single sided compact lower ground floor kitchen, informal dining and living area now expanded to the full floor! The second renovation kept the kitchen location in place while expanding its area. The rear door was removed to increase the counter area.
The dining area expanded with a new full length concealed pantry with soft warm metallic fronts by Boffi. The center island now house the stove and ovens with a central exhaust covered in ceramic tiles with a flush integrated LED light.
Flush Indirect adjustable lighting was introduced to better highlight the kitchen prep area. The clients loved the original Tracy Kendall screen printed Fork and Knife feature so it was reincorporated into the new area in a more subdued gold tone.
BEFORE LOWER GROUND FLOOR FAMILY KITCHEN
The existing kitchen in the neighboring property was set to the rear of the house. The space was dark with poor lighting. We wanted to open it up and create one large open family kitchen, dining, living, play, and study area.
Lower Ground Floor Before Kitchen
AFTER LOWER GROUND FLOOR FAMILY KITCHEN
With the newly renovated and expanded kitchen this area was now opened up to connect to the informal kitchen and dining area and was transformed into a children’s homework and play area with an adjacent informal family living area with sliding full height glazed doors to the new garden extension.
BEFORE GROUND FLOOR FORMAL DINING AND SITTING AREA
The original raised ground floor had a typical layout. Some of the main design decisions revolved around scale and placement. The room had a tricky layout with a fireplace, large scale window and a new steel beam downstand to open up the adjoining dining and living areas.
AFTER GROUND FLOOR FORMAL DINING AND SITTING AREA
A subtle gray wall finish, new stone fireplace and antiqued silver mirror combined with a contemporary pendant light and upholstered suede gray dining chairs with polished chrome nailing below make this new area beautiful and refined.
Custom designed black lacquered screens with sheer fabric inlays by Susan Knof add a level of elegance and sophistication while adding privacy from the adjacent street while allowing daylight to flow inward.
The soothing color palette of soft dove gray tones is delicately balanced with subtle green gold, yellow and muted rose accents found in the large diptych artwork above and custom cushions in Jim Thompson silk fabric.
The final renovated formal living and dining area is bright, open, elegant and inviting.
BEFORE ENTRANCE AND GRAND STAIRCASE
The existing lack-luster entrance had great potential.
By removing and replacing the very basic and typical balustrade and railing with a fully unique and custom design was one of the main enhancements.
AFTER ENTRANCE AND GRAND STAIRCASE
New stained oak treads, a bespoke balustrade and Nero Marquina marble flooring make this refurbished entry grand!!
BEFORE ENTRANCE AND GRAND STAIRCASE
Existing chair rail molding and poor lighting left the exiting staircase feeling a little unimpressive.
AFTER ENTRANCE AND GRAND STAIRCASE
The key to recreating this area was to bring in more light and height. The floor above was cut back to create a more grand stair with a mezzanine style by-pass allowing for a more grand open and flowing staircase and entrance.
We hope you enjoyed a look at some of our major transformations to discover the beauty behind hard work, consistency and change!
