So you weren’t thrilled about last week’s houses then. Still at least you’ve still got a full fund of fantasy lottery money to spend this week. And this one below is going to soak that up right away. Let’s see if we can tempt you with this. It has two bedrooms, it’s in Brixton village, south London and was once a Salvation Army church. It’s on for £2.2m with The Modern House. Come with me….
So yes only two bedrooms but it’s a huge space – 2,800 square foot which is bigger than my whole house – the average UK home is 914 sq ft – for comparison. But this is partly down to the way the owners decided to convert with a huge open plan living space and a double height ceiling.
It has a modern rustic feel with the kitchen created from bricks and the tongue and groove ceiling while the colour is minimal and natural. You don’t have to have exposed brick to pull this off – and if I did I would probably paint it either white or black – but it’s about building up lots of different textures rather than colours as you can see below.
I think this would be my main spot below. I can imagine hiding up here with the laptop and enjoying the view of this huge room below. Mind you the two seating areas are quite distinct – I might be tempted to join them together with one huge rug, but this is a perfect illustration of how rugs can be used to zone an open plan room.
And then suddenly bang! This gorgeous teal living room which is separate from the main space. It’s probably a room they use in the evening so the dark colour makes sense. And it looks so good on all four walls rather than just one feature wall. If you’re a bit nervous of using a strong colour like this then consider painting all four wall but only half way up.
But remember, if you’re not in a room all the time you are less likely to tire of the colour. And you might even just come in and congratulate yourself on being brave with your colour choices.
People say that clothes can make you feel confident and I think rooms can too. No-one will ever give you a pat on the back for a white wall and an oatmeal carpet. I know it’s lots of money and you are afraid you will go off it, but this room would be easy to change with a couple of days and a few pots of paint and everything that’s in it would still look great with a different coloured wall – that’s the beauty of natural textures and furniture – cheaper to change the walls around them.
This is another perfect example of how to create a vintage bathroom. If your style is a little rustic or you like antique furniture in the rest of the house it can be hard to make this work in a bathroom which is all hard surfaces and white stuff. Adding an antique piece of furniture can work really well to soften it and before you all start saying that your bathrooms are too small, look at the door in this one. You could start with that. Or with a wooden mirror. Or, the other thing is to buy a cheap table on ebay and mount the basin on that. These are all things you can do if the contemporary sleek bathroom look is not for you.
Fancy another? We’ll slide up the road to Battersea to this two bedroom apartment in a converted school house which is on with Knight Frank for £1,725,000 – fantasy money is NO object this week.
This flat has been decorated by Cassandra Ellis and I love this palette of soft greys, ivory and pink which has been toughened up the the steel pillars holding the roof up. If, like most of us, you don’t happen to have a couple of Victorian pillars in your sitting room (you don’t?) then just add something else black to toughen up the soft colours.
Not necessarily a bicycle but it’s a flat so there may be no option. I was thinking picture frames or cushions. Below you can see the kitchen which has modern wooden units but these have been contrasted with an old table and we’re back to the mixing of textures and materials to bring character to the space.
Mind you a huge gold leaf wall light never goes amiss either. You must remember to have fun when you are decorating. Although, speaking as the owner of a six ft tall gold palm tree light you would expect me to like this one.
Books are always good in any room although this isn’t quite the comfy reading nook but more a little work space.
And finally the bedroom which is, in contrast, quite contemporary with the white four poster bed. So which one are we having this week people? I can’t choose. I hope you like them.
While I’m here I wanted to say thank you all of you who come into The Mad House and read and look at the pictures and take the time to comment. The blog has just been ranked as the No1 UK interiors blog for the second year running and these ratings are based on technical metrics such as number of readers (no I don’t know how they know either) levels of engagement, hits and comments, so it’s completely true to say that the blog has reached that status thanks to you all coming day after day and week after week for what is now, nearly, six years. I know – I can’t believe it. Seven posts a week for the first three years and five these days. There’s a lot to read and I’m grateful and happy that you do.
Right enough of the sobbing acceptance speech, have a good weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday with a preview of the new book by Rockett St George called Extraordinary Interiors which will be our 10 Beautiful Rooms sorted.
Of course you’re No 1! Who else writes as cohesively and interestingly? So thank you again. And now I’m going to be – well smug I suppose (with apologies in advance): it’s nice to be able to say truthfully to myself, “Don’t want any of these millionaire pads unless they move them at least 1,000km further south.” Though yes, if a multi-millionaire, I suppose London is bearable for the odd weekend! I really enjoy the feature though for the details: that gold leaf light is fabulous!
All pictures are beautiful. This is really gorgeous. Thanks for sharing this post.
Congratulations – you totally deserve the number 1 spot, you always put so much thought and effort into your posts – half my house is full of your suggestions now! And the teal room is lovely.
I choose them both. can I, can I?
Love LOVE this weeks selections, right up my strada, do you think that teal is Vardo, I’m just about to dive into the (a little scary) world of teal, but haven’t made up my mind as to which one…it needs to sit well with Hicks Blue.
I love the first one, and would choose to pick it up and plonk it in the countryside, and the second one…it’s so lovely to see a flat – gawd, I so dislike that word – an apartment, looking so grown up and gorgeous and serene. Just pinned those clever bookshelves.
Thanks Kate for your amazing award winning blog!
Love your blog-as I rush madly around my kitchen getting pack lunches ready for slumbering school children, your post pops into my inbox around 6.50am. I would be lost without it; it kind of lessens the monotony and ground hog day-ness of it all. Think you need to get back on the 7 day a week rota though Kate ???? What on earth could be more important? ….???????? well deserved No1 ranking, you’re definitely the best out there!
Congratulations, well deserved. You are a staple feature of my Free Friday.
Brilliant comments from fellow visitors, we have all developed expert eyes for detail.
Fancy a bit of fantasy shopping in Cardiff…….our maybe it’s a bit too much VFM which kinda defeats the object?
Congrats Kate! I do have coffee every a.m. with your blog. Love this weeks selections. Off to play the lottery!
and good luck with that!!
The black chinese sign on the wall above the dishwasher in the Brixton house has been hung upside down. In case the owners wish to know…
oh good to know…..
Ha – I loved the one last week that everyone hated 🙂
I like the architecture of this week’s picks but not the decor! The first is uncohesive and the second too vanilla.
Congratulations on the well deserved achievement of no. 1.
“No-one will ever give you a pat on the back for a white wall and an oatmeal carpet.” Truer words were never spoken.
Did you notice the purple velvet armchair in that teal room? Zingy!
The shower in the first house also is one of the more practical designs I’ve seen. My big regret is a glass shower. Too much work.
At those prices I imagine they have someone to clean the shower for them!
Definitely my number 1 interiors blog. I enjoy my fix every morning over a cup of coffee, so many ideas, so many places to swoon over! Our eldest daughter is currently flat hunting in London, the details she has been sending through to me are incredible, it seems that every London flat has a stunning sleek modern kitchen and everywhere has stripped wooden floors. So much has changed since I worked and lived in London now Clapham is the new Chelsea and she is looking in places that were definitely no go areas 20 years ago! It’s great fun though and I get a fabulous dose of interiors all day long at the moment! Have a great weekend Susan xx
Well done on being No. 1 Blog again – I always really enjoy your posts. And I like the mix of properties you pick too – quite satisfying to think ‘Even if I had £10m, I wouldn’t buy last week’s corrugated iron extravaganza’.
Now, back to reality. Once we get the damp area sorted in the living room (next week, hurrah!), will we be brave enough to paint a colour half way up ..?
Congratulation, Kate; you definitely deserve the number one spot and it’s wonderful for that to be recognised and honoured. Humbling too, that you thank us(!) so back at you and long may you continue to feed our eyes and souls with sumptuous delights.
As for today’s delicious offerings – I’m torn and your generous fantasy fund plus exquisite photography make me greedy for both. I’m also allowing myself the lavish London lifestyle that obviously goes along with these two humble abodes, so happy days!
Well I’m clearly in the minority, I preferred last week’s selection… 🙂 Congratulations on the blog ranking!
Congratulations it’s well deserved – your content is always interesting and sparks debate! I too would choose the battersea one this week – I feel relaxed just looking at it
Congratulations, No 1 interiors blog! I would choose the Battersea flat, thank you very – so beautifully decorated.