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The Househunter: Room by Room

Good morning everyone. Full of the joys of Friday? Ready to hit the streets and find a property to splash that fantasy cash on? Walk this way to a warehouse conversion overlooking the river – that’s me sold already.

It has one/two bedrooms and is on the market with The Modern House for £825,000. It’s on the third floor of this former print works and would, I imagine, be amazing in the current Spring weather. It is also a great example of how to make the most of a small space when it comes to the decor.

The colour palette is minimal (you wait till you see where we’re going in a minute) but the punches of black keep it interesting and bring in the drama as do the concrete and brick walls. But it’s the clever use of black and white geometrics that I want you to look at.

In a small flat too much colour might be overwhelming but a splash of monochrome pattern will do the work for you. Look at the tiled kitchen island above and then look at the pulled back shot below. See the rug?

That’s just a great touch. You know I’m going to say the rug should be bigger but the link between the two spaces is good.

Now look at the shot below. Brick wall all along the front and there – just seen in the bedroom – another monochrome geometric.

Seen here in more detail. The red brick warms it up and also links with the kilim rug under the dining table. So the effect isn’t all too matching but rather one of linked spaces that have a cohesive feel. When you are choosing colours – for a home of any size – do bear in mind the views you get in and out of rooms and through open doors. No room is on its own unless you really do have the door shut all the time.

Fully expecting this one to be quite polarising but there is something wonderful about it too. And it’s Spring. And the snow is gone. So let’s have some colour. Also my book hit no 50 in the Amazon best sellers list yesterday which was very, very exciting so thank you all of you who have ordered it. I am thrilled at the response it has had and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as looking at the pictures.

So this house then. Well it’s on with Stonebridge and Co for £4,000,000 and it’s in north London and has nine bedrooms. Hence, partly, the price. The rest is, well, London. But leaving the colours aside there are decorative tips I want to point out to you so come round with me.

Firstly, above and below – painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls blurs the edges and makes the room feel bigger. If you use a strong colour and stop at the top of the wall you are very clearly defining the size of the room. Using the same shade all over stops that happening. If that makes you nervous and you do want a white ceiling then bring it down to the picture rail – if you have one – and over the cornicing, which these rooms do have. That makes the ceiling appear larger and therefore the room.

Which is what they have done here with the mint green ceiling and orange walls. I couldn’t live in this room but I rather love it to look at. And I might be able to do something similar with a more restful colour than orange – deep burgundy brown for example would look amazing with that ceiling. I might also paint the wooden floor in a calmer shade.

Do go and have a look at the rest of the rooms though – there are plenty of them and the kitchen is quite white and calming.

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

6 Comments

  1. Re yesterday’s post about your new book- I’ve been in bed with a sickness bug when my copy arrived (poor delivery guy must’ve got a shock at the sight of me,opening the door as little as possible, looking like death) I felt too ill to even take it out of its cardboard package yesterday, but this morning it provided me with a much needed lift whilst eating my first bit of food in two days! An excellent read, beautifully illustrated and extremely helpful…Just like your blog in fact

  2. That North London colour riot is the first one that’s graced these pages that’s made me click through to see it all! It’s an incredible house and well worth looking at it all to give it context – some of the rooms are much more neutral. That photo of the yellow and teal hall (?) with a wooden chair is fabulous. It’s making me want to be braver with colour in my house 🙂 … Although overall, I definitely need my house to feel a bit more restful than this place!

    Great to see a different style to usual and I’m feeling inspired. Thanks Kate!

  3. Ouch! The Carleton Road house has beautiful ‘bones’ and personally I love that it looks like a family home that people actually live in.The decoration might not be to everyone’s taste but at least it isn’t identikit bland and new paint is relatively cheap! For me, the whole place oozes personality and I can imagine it’s not an easy place for its family to leave.

  4. Good morning, never posted before….but I have to coment to today !!
    The 9 bedroom house is an abomination – it must be embarrassed to have people viewing it. I would love the chance to give it back some dignity and style.
    I do love your blog though !

    1. ‘Abomination’ seems a bit harsh – the only thing they’ve done that’s particularly out of the ordinary is the bright paint.

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