Monday, June 14, 2010

A Reader's Edwardian Townhouse in London!

After my post, Renovating My Beach House, I received the most reader mail in the history of Willow Decor (if you missed it click here). The transformation was striking and the room came alive. Though painting the walls created a dramatic change, the richness of the room and the true success of the transformation was due in part to the Farrow and Ball Paints. I received many emails from readers who felt, as I do, that the F&B paints are amazing and worth the additional cost (about 2x as much as the popular "store brand"). To be clear I have no affiliation with Farrow & Ball, I am just an extremely satisfied customer. The way the finished walls reflect the light , they produce a result that I feel is worth the additional cost. A reader named Naomi in London agreed with me. She wrote that her home was also transformed and enhanced by Farrow and Ball Paints and it was recently feature in Period Living Magazine. Was I interested in seeing some photos? Well of course I said yes!! So let's take a tour of Naomi's Edwardian Townhouse - It really is amazing!!!
Naomi told me that shades of off white feature heavily through out the townhouse. "Playing with tricks of light was key to creating the optical illusion of more space" Above her kitchen cabinets and shelving are painted in Pointing with New White on the ceiling and walls.
"We painted the original built-in dresser and built the kitchen around it, with MDF shelving, which once given the F &B treatment, looks like its original to the House!"
Just beautiful!! Also notice her lovely collection of antique crockery.
In other rooms she used the warmer Farrow and Ball Cream with White Tie (one of her personal favorites). Above is the dining room where she used the F&B paints to transform an old pine oval table bought for only £20! She shows us how rooms and furniture can be transformed beautifully (and inexpensively) with paint!
Peeking out to the amazing gardens!!
Of course the home has outstanding period details like this beautiful fireplace in the living room .
And the lovely ceiling detailing, which is enhanced by the F&B paint.
Here is the before of the entry staircase. She knew I would particularly love this transformation!
And of course I do!! Naomi writes:" The entrance hall had a good wool carpet, which, although neutral, didn't lend any character to the house, and also got pretty beaten up by workmen during the renovations, so I used a piece of antique Hungarian grainsacking (which I know you love) sourced on e-bay. We laid over cutaway pieces of the existing underlay, and found brass stair rods on the Internet for a very cheap price. My Dad helped me lay it and stripped back the stair treads. The banister rail had it's old varnish removed and a stain finish to match the floorboards and stair treads. We painted the balustrades in White Tie, to open up the area, and the walls in F&B Cream, below the rail, and White Tie above it. I love the way the caramel colour of the grainsacking stripes picks out the honeyed colour of the banister rail. I painted and distressed an old Chinese bookcase (very chipped and battered) and a long, wide mirror for the right hand wall, to open up the space again. The glass pendant light on old-fashioned fabric covered cable was from Jim Lawrence."
A peek into her real London conservatory!! You know I adore conservatories and this one is perfect for enjoying a cup of tea!
Her spectacular outdoor gardens. She writes: "I am a huge Farrow and Ball fan and my husband quips if he stands still long enough I will paint him, such is my obsession with painting and distressing old pieces, walls..." I wish Naomi and I lived closer - I am sure we would have a lot of fun together!! To read the original article about her home in Period Living Magazine click here. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home and ideas with us, Naomi!!

33 comments:

  1. The house of Naomi is indeed beautiful! I also use the F&B paint in projects! It is a very good paint and wonderful colours! That's why I have chosen for the F&B paint for my front door! I really wanted that particular English blue for my door as you see it on a lot of London frontdoors!
    Have a nice weekend!!!
    xx
    Greet

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  2. So pretty, a great flat. I adore the conservatory.
    L.

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  3. Naomi's home is just beautiful! Love her choices of color and finishes. Especially love her conservatory; ours is similar only I think larger, and I adore it. It may be in New Jersey, but the company that built it is based in the UK.

    and your beach house transformation -- stunning! Also what an equally stunning setting. Now I'm longing for our beach house -- can't get there for awhile!
    Cass

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  4. What a lovely home. That staircase transformation is my favorite as well.

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  5. A lovely home. The deep turquoise surround of the fireplace is a wonderful color.

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  6. What a lovely home. The staircase runner is fabulous and the conservatory...wow!
    xo, Sherry

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  7. Hello Willowdecor,You have a lovely blog! I look in your blog almost every day. Ha a nice weekend.
    You are welcome to look into my blog:
    http://elisabethsborg.blogspot.com/

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  8. Thank you Gina & Naomi!
    This was a wonderful treat to visit Naomi's home in London. I love visiting houses in other countries.
    Donna

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  9. Thank you for all your lovely comments, and thanks too to Gina for the feature. I am a self-confessed obsessive when it comes to painting furniture and all shades of off-white, so I was stunned by Gina's beach house transformation. Also love her butler's pantry. I've also been visiting all of your blogs and have picked up some great ideas and inspiration. Best wishes. Naomi

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  10. Thank you for sharing pictures of Naomi's London home. Love the conservatory and the kitchen especially. I've bookmarked WillowDecor and will be returning regularly.

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  11. Thanks so much for sharing! I love the stair transformation as well as the beautiful fireplace in the dining room! Great inspiration!

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  12. In love with the choice for the front stair runner! What a great home...from another HUGE FandB paint fan!xx

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  13. Her home is really beautiful, and I too adore the stairway transformation. Would never have thought of using grain sack on the stairs, what a great idea!

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  14. What a gorgeous transformation. There is nothing more beautiful than a house that has been tended to by the loving of a family who know what they are doing. The paints look fantastic and I will definitely use them next time!
    The house has definitely been 'opened up' and I agree with Naomi that the light flows nicely creating an illusion of more light.
    I love the copper light in the kitchen (I am so into copper at the moment!) and the grain stack runner. All of it is fantastic and I truly enjoyed this post!

    xx Charlotta

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  15. The paint palette, the lightness, and stairway, wow a beautiful redo!

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  16. Wow, Naomi has done a beautiful job transforming her house! We have a daughter attending Chelsea College of Art & Design in London who has just moved into a new flat with some friends - she can use some of these ideas! Thanks so much for sharing! Susan

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  17. I agree about F&B, and her transformation is wonderful....smiles.

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  18. I am completely in love with this flat!

    It may sound silly, but I have wanted to buy F&B paint just because the cans are pretty. What can I say. If it's shiny and pretty I want it :)

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  19. Wonderful house and the paint just enhances the architecture and charm! thanks for sharing the photos!
    Debra

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  20. Love it! Everything about it.
    Will come back soon to visit!

    Donna
    http://spiesspirit.blogspot.com

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  21. simply elegant and creative transformations. INSPIRES ME!!

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  22. Just a delightful warm, inviting family home! Thanks for posting Naomi's fabulous transformation Gina.
    Millie ^_^

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  23. Naomi's home is fabulous - F&B is spectacular paint and it looks great throughout her flat. I am in love with her floors!
    xo Isa

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  24. What a gem! Love Naomi's transformation, and her conservatory, too. Thanks so much for showing this, reminds me of the times we've rented a flat in England for our stays. Lovely.
    Lidy

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  25. This as well as your beach house verifys the old interior design sayong that the best and most impactive way to change a room is by painting. Both homes are wonderful examples of the truth of that statement... I am sure both of you are delighted with the results!Maryannexo

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  26. Naomi's house is beautiful. Particularly like the conservatory. How nice when a reader enjoys your work enough to send you photos of their own. A nice compliment I think.

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  27. Beautiful photos.....I just stumbled to your blog...very nice! I am new at blogging. I shall return!!!

    Cindy

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  28. Lovely! The tile detail on the fireplace makes me swoon.

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  29. such a beautiful place!! I love white walls, it makes it look so big and open.

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