11-25-beth-living-room.jpg

Name: Beth Evans
Location: Dulwich, South London, England
Size: 1,400 square feet
Years lived in: Since I was two weeks old!

When Beth submitted a House Call we had an overwhelming response, readers wanted more! Beth's amazing nest in South London is what dreams are made of — her parents bought this townhouse in the swinging 60s, 2 weeks before her birth. Beth had the opportunity to move back into the family home 4 years ago and she jumped at the opportunity.

11-25-liezel-thumbs.jpg




She did her parents proud — with a renovation that's respectful of the building's aesthetic and an interior reminiscent of earlier days with retro furnishings dotted around from her vintage pillow collection: Loll and Lie. Beth has an incredible eye for detail and every item in her home has been placed with great care and planning. The design talent is a family gift — the home was featured in a home magazine in the 70s — some of these pictures are included in the tour! For more of Beth's beautiful pillows see Loll and Lie (she delivers to the U.S.).


Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Midcentury, Scandinavian with charity shop, car boot sale and eBay all mixed up.

Inspiration:The house as it was, childhood memories of my parents beautiful Midcentury furniture, textiles and ceramics most of which went to the charity shop when IKEA arrived in the UK.

Biggest Challenge: To convince my boyfriend to do up our bathroom, currently a homage to the 1980s. He's still not convinced! And overcoming my indecision about colors, patterns, styles, arrangements, anything to do with the look and feel of the house. It's a nightmare.

What Friends Say: Many call it 'The Sleeping House', they come over, lie on the daybeds and drop off to sleep! On reflection, that says a lot about the kind of hosts we are! They also say that it's too tidy.

Biggest Embarrassment: That I'm too tidy!

Proudest DIY: Putting a raw plug in the wall

Biggest Indulgence: Spending far too much time in charity shops.

Best advice: Another person's junk might one day become your most treasured possession.

Dream Source: The charity shop that got most of my Mum and Dad’s furniture!


Resources:

Kitchen Hardware: Handmade Kitchen by a wonderful family run company in South London called "The Dovetail Joint".

Accessories: All of our cushions I have made myself from vintage fabrics which I have been collecting for many years. All of them and more are available to buy from our Etsy shop Loll and Lie. Lots of ceramics and pottery found at car boot sales and charity shops including Portmeirion, Meakin, Midwinter and Studio. New accessories from Habitat and IKEA.

Lighting: The vintage lamp in our bedroom is one of our favorite possessions — found at a vintage warehouse just five minutes from home. Other new lamps from Skandium, Habitat and IKEA.

Rugs & Carpets: Habitat

Window Treatments: Vintage fabric that I found on eBay hangs in our study, the living and bedroom curtains are Habitat and blinds are all from IKEA.

Tiles & Stone: Kitchen Floor tiles by Porcelanosa

Art: Many old and new family photographs, the painting in our bedroom is a vintage find and in the living room behind our dining table I have framed two tea towels, one 'Night and Day' by Lucienne Day, the other from a shop in Lisbon. My latest acquisition is the 'Trees around Britain' screen print in our living room by the wonderful company, Bold and Noble.

Beds: IKEA

Bedroom furniture: My parent’s dressing table and chest of drawers believed to be from Heals in the early 1960s. Stanley’s bedroom is a mixture of the wonderfully practical Expedit range from IKEA as well as a contemporary bed by Ilva (no longer trading).

Dining Room: Dining table from IKEA, Chairs are Eames from Vitra London. Vintage sideboard from eBay.

Desks & Tables: A Vintage Ercol table serves as my sewing table. Our desk in the study is IKEA. A Robin Day sideboard re-issued by Habitat sits in the corner of the living room.

Other:My peacock cane chair in our loft room was found in a charity shop.


Thanks Beth!

Images: Liezel Strauss and Beth Evans

• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE Check out past house tours here
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.