Houzz Tour: A Warm, Calm Palette Creates a Welcoming Home
Soft reds and soothing greens combine to make a London townhouse feel like a cozy cottage
The busy owners of this London townhouse were eager to create a home where they could unwind. “They wanted a cozy, relaxing place where they could be together and have guests to stay,” says Joy Flanagan, who redesigned the lower-level living space, guest bedroom and bathroom, plus their daughter’s bedroom. “We wanted to create a flow from room to room and a real sense of place.”
With a simple change of layout, a calm palette and some clever design tricks, the house now feels bright, warm and comfortable.
With a simple change of layout, a calm palette and some clever design tricks, the house now feels bright, warm and comfortable.
Cream Silestone countertops above the perimeter cabinets contrast with the oak on the island. “The oak brings a real warmth to the kitchen and adds an interesting layering of materials,” Flanagan says.
There’s also a piece of Silestone in the island, which houses an electric cooktop. “In the summer, the family turn off the Aga and use the electric [cooktop] and the oven below,” she says.
Flanagan went for a curved edge on the island overhang. “We really wanted to soften the delineation between the rooms,” she says. “So when you move from one space to the other, it feels very soft and relaxed.”
Trunk Surfaces provided the oak countertop and flooring. The pendant lights came from Curiousa & Curiousa.
There’s also a piece of Silestone in the island, which houses an electric cooktop. “In the summer, the family turn off the Aga and use the electric [cooktop] and the oven below,” she says.
Flanagan went for a curved edge on the island overhang. “We really wanted to soften the delineation between the rooms,” she says. “So when you move from one space to the other, it feels very soft and relaxed.”
Trunk Surfaces provided the oak countertop and flooring. The pendant lights came from Curiousa & Curiousa.
The dining room, which was previously the kitchen, is the perfect size for the family’s table. “The top ties in with the oak theme in the kitchen, but the modern base and transparent chairs add a contemporary feel,” Flanagan says.
The Philippe Starck-designed Louis Ghost chairs “also reflect the light from the garden, which helps, as the area doesn’t have its own window,” she adds. “The glass pendant shades tie in with the colors we used in the space.”
The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s James White, which has a slight green tone. “It actually appears quite creamy in the space, which complements the cream hues in the fabrics and furnishings we selected,” Flanagan says.
Shop for transparent dining chairs on Houzz
The Philippe Starck-designed Louis Ghost chairs “also reflect the light from the garden, which helps, as the area doesn’t have its own window,” she adds. “The glass pendant shades tie in with the colors we used in the space.”
The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s James White, which has a slight green tone. “It actually appears quite creamy in the space, which complements the cream hues in the fabrics and furnishings we selected,” Flanagan says.
Shop for transparent dining chairs on Houzz
Short sections of walls between the dining room and the seating area were removed to open up the space. “We wanted to make a connection with the outside, so we chose soft greens again as a visual link,” Flanagan says.
“We kept the furniture playful and modern, with a good sense of scale in the small room,” she adds. “We had fun with the fabric on the sofa by choosing a pattern for the back.”
Flanagan also played with scale in the room, choosing tall lamps and taking the curtains right up to the ceiling. “It’s not a big footprint, so we emphasized the vertical space,” she says.
Find a pro to do custom upholstery
“We kept the furniture playful and modern, with a good sense of scale in the small room,” she adds. “We had fun with the fabric on the sofa by choosing a pattern for the back.”
Flanagan also played with scale in the room, choosing tall lamps and taking the curtains right up to the ceiling. “It’s not a big footprint, so we emphasized the vertical space,” she says.
Find a pro to do custom upholstery
In the small guest bedroom, Flanagan used clever tricks to make the most of the space. “The owners already had the twin beds, but I added curved headboards to soften the angular space,” she says.
“We used pattern to unify the small area and picked a diamond design [from Osborne & Little’s Les Rêves wallpaper collection] that works with the angled walls.
“It was important to pick the right scale of pattern,” she adds. “Also, the owners aren’t drawn to florals, so this pattern gives the room a traditional feel while pushing it towards contemporary.
“The space either side of the window isn’t even, so we thought through the layout in order to help the eye accept it’s not symmetrical,” Flanagan says. “The bedside table is higher to help that balance, and the patterned surfaces draw attention away from the architecture.”
Browse geometric-print wallpaper by color on Houzz
“We used pattern to unify the small area and picked a diamond design [from Osborne & Little’s Les Rêves wallpaper collection] that works with the angled walls.
“It was important to pick the right scale of pattern,” she adds. “Also, the owners aren’t drawn to florals, so this pattern gives the room a traditional feel while pushing it towards contemporary.
“The space either side of the window isn’t even, so we thought through the layout in order to help the eye accept it’s not symmetrical,” Flanagan says. “The bedside table is higher to help that balance, and the patterned surfaces draw attention away from the architecture.”
Browse geometric-print wallpaper by color on Houzz
“The guest bathroom is simple and easy to clean and use,” Flanagan says. “Function was paramount.”
Mirrored cabinets provide useful storage, and additional recessed shelves received an accent with glass tiles.
Since this room was a new addition to the house, the team could fit opaque glass into the window. “It adds a soft light without creating privacy problems,” Flanagan says. “The timber frame is sealed and painted to protect it from water damage.”
Browse glass tiles
Mirrored cabinets provide useful storage, and additional recessed shelves received an accent with glass tiles.
Since this room was a new addition to the house, the team could fit opaque glass into the window. “It adds a soft light without creating privacy problems,” Flanagan says. “The timber frame is sealed and painted to protect it from water damage.”
Browse glass tiles
The couple’s daughter wanted a cozy space that reminded her of the ocean. “I had a fun time doing this room,” Flanagan says. “We took out a [closet] to create a nook for the bed. She’s an avid reader, so this is a space for her to read, study, and feel cozy and tucked in.”
The headboard fits in the corner and has LED lighting behind it, which changes color. To the side of the headboard, the team designed a hidden bookshelf, with shallow shelving for teddies, toys and her alarm clock.
“The armchair was given to her by her grandmother, so we had it re-covered for her,” Flanagan says.
More
Read about other home renovations around the world
Find an interior designer
The headboard fits in the corner and has LED lighting behind it, which changes color. To the side of the headboard, the team designed a hidden bookshelf, with shallow shelving for teddies, toys and her alarm clock.
“The armchair was given to her by her grandmother, so we had it re-covered for her,” Flanagan says.
More
Read about other home renovations around the world
Find an interior designer
Sponsored
Award-Winning Sport Court Specialist, Serving Virginia for 30+ Years
Townhouse at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their daughter
Location: West London
Size: Three bedrooms, four bathrooms
Designer: Joy Flanagan Design
The kitchen in this Georgian townhouse is where the dining room used to be. “We changed the two rooms around to have a larger kitchen and to provide space for an island,” Flanagan says. “It’s now a more expansive place to sit, chat and cook.”
The starting point for the layout was the Aga stove, which was placed in the chimney bump-out. Flanagan designed a shelf above and shallow cabinets on both sides for oils and spices.
The green Fired Earth tiles behind the oven reflect the red and green color scheme in the rest of the space. “And the color responds well to the light in the room,” Flanagan says.
The owners chose to have shelves rather than wall cabinets, as they liked the idea of being able to display items and wanted the kitchen to feel light and open. The kitchen cabinetry is by Magnet.
Find a kitchen designer on Houzz