A Modern & Vintage London Maisonette

Name: Caroline and Simon Rowland, and daughter Ruby
Location: Kingston, London, UK
Size: 784 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years; owned

This light and welcoming ground-floor garden flat in south London is home to Caroline Rowland, husband Simon and baby Ruby. Caroline is owner of Patchwork Harmony, an interiors and lifestyle blog celebrating all that is vintage, thrifty and handmade, and is now publishing the quarterly 91 magazine. And just as you’d expect, Caroline’s love of vintage finds and modern crafts is beautifully displayed in her family’s cozy, creative home.

The light and bright living room at the front is filled with a mix of old and vintage pieces, as are the master bedroom and Ruby’s sweet nursery.

The back of the apartment was originally divided into a small kitchen and a separate dining room, but when Caroline and Simon were expecting baby Ruby, they set about creating an open, eat-in kitchen with space for family activities and socialising alongside cooking and eating, which would be ideal for their new family life. The dividing wall between the two rooms was knocked down, the side door in the kitchen bricked up and the flooring in the dining area was removed to reveal the original Victorian floorboards.

With the building work well underway but far from completion, events took an unfortunate turn when the builders abandoned the project, so Caroline and Simon ended up finishing the work themselves over a period of several (very busy!) months. Now completed, the room is delightful: full of character and colour, and flooded with natural light, thanks to the door onto the garden and the white-painted floorboards, which bounce light around the room. The highlight of the room is definitely the large island in the centre of the room, with its beautiful copper-trimmed worktop, ample space for food preparation and storage, and vintage bar stools for seating.

Our Style: Modern vintage, with a little bit of contemporary Scandinavian influence thrown in

Inspiration: The internet is a huge source of inspiration – blogs, pinterest, Instagram – and I’m also inspired by Mollie Makes magazine, and by restaurants and bars we visit.

Favorite Element: The kitchen-dining room, which was originally two smaller rooms; we started the work last year and have only just finished – but it has been more than worth it!

Biggest Challenge: Dealing with builders, who then abandoned the kitchen work part-way through, and having to finish off the work ourselves while expecting a baby.

What Friends Say: They love it.

Biggest Embarrassment: The garden, which is shared with the upstairs flat, and which we’ve always intended to update but never got around to it.

Proudest DIY: The island worktop, made with reclaimed wood and copper, and which we fitted ourselves.

Biggest Indulgence: The Smeg appliances in the kitchen.

Best Advice: Go with what you love rather than slavishly following trends; don’t try and make everything too matchy-matchy; also, change things around from time to time to freshen things up.

Dream Sources: Big fleamarkets in New York and Los Angeles; I’d love to buy original pieces of midcentury design.

Floors painted in Farrow and Ball’s Wimborne White

Walls painted in Dulux Timeless (living room, kitchen, Ruby’s room)

Woodwork painted in Craig and Rose 1829 Moonstone Grey

Chairs in dining room painted in Farrow and Ball’s Nancy’s Blushes and Pale Powder

Master bedroom walls painted in Fired Earth Pale Cirrus

Sofa from Heals

Pink cushions, from Society6.com

Round cushion from TK Maxx

Spotty cushion and small patchwork cushion handmade by Caroline

Green filing cabinet from The Old Cinema in Chiswick

The bird prints were bought at Sunbury Antiques Market; custom frames from eframe.co.uk

The mirrored bookcase was from Laura Ashley (a long time ago though!)

Desk chair is from voga.com

Green basket holding papers, from Tiger.

On the mantlepiece:

Bottles and jars are vintage, found at flea markets & car boot sales

White candlesticks were from a little shop in Somerset called Horse and Crook

The metal stand holding a reading from Caroline and Simon’s wedding, from Shop Ruche

‘All you need is love’ card is by Caroline Briel – Cinq Mai

Candle on books is by Rewined Candles

Small bowl from Liberty

Footed vase and glass jar are both vintage, but came from The Other Duckling

Bear print is by Seventy Tree

The boxed Butterfly is by Liberty Belle London

Sideboard, bought on eBay

Vase, from Cox and Cox

Radio, bought in Snoopers Paradise market in Brighton

Striped basket, from Tea and Kate

Radiators from Period House Store, and spray-painted in Plasitkote Metallic Copper

Table, from made.com

Chairs painted in Farrow and Ball and Caroline made the seat pads using fabric from M is for Make.

Pendant lights from John Lewis

Mirror, bought in Kingston Antiques Centre

Framed print on wall behind table by Little Green Shed

Print on hanger is by Charlotte Love

Luggage sign, teapot and mason jar were bought at flea markets.

School stools (by kitchen island) from eBay

Cupboard from TK Maxx

On the cupboard:

Poster, from a French flea market

Flower lamp, from Habitat

Enamel teapot from Wayfair

White plant pot from The White Company

Old frame, trays, books, small cup all vintage

Cream candle holders from dotcomgiftshop.com

Green metal candle holders from John Lewis

Copper lantern (on floor, next to mantlepiece) from Wayfair

Owl Money Box (on mantlepiece) from Caravan

Floor tiles by Armatile

Oven gloves by Thornback and Peel

Fridge, oven and hob all by Smeg

Grey vintage cupboard from Goose Home and Garden

Taps from www.coltonbathroomsupplies.com

Chopping board is by Seventy Tree

Framed print is by Yourtype from Southwood Stores. Frame by eframe.co.uk

Spoon rack from a French flea market

Kettle from Garden Trading

Teatowels by Cath Kidston, pot holder made by Caroline.

Grey vintage cupboard from Goose Home and Garden

Kitchen hooks were from Graham and Green

Wallpaper is by Thornback and Peel

Small box shelves on wall were from Pale and Interesting

Bed from Heals

Duvet set from BHS

Cushions made by Caroline using Liberty fabric

Left hand drawers were from a charity shop and the right hand drawers were bought on eBay.

Orange lamp is from Habitat

Alarm clock from John Lewis

Everything else was vintage, from car boot sales or markets

Postcard by bed is by Audrey Jeanne

Mini fan decoration from Adeline Klam in Paris

RUBY’S BEDROOM

Letters on door were a gift from Caroline’s mother-in-law

Grey cupboard from Goose Home and Garden

Wire storage rack was bought from Butlers Emporium in Hastings

Wicker chair is Ikea

Cushion on chair from Society6.com

Drawers from eBay

Curtains were from Ikea, and Caroline added the pom-pom trim herself

Shelves were from a charity shop and repainted by Caroline.

Ice cream decoration on cupboard was from The Hambledon

Little girl postcard is by Caroline Briel – Cinq Mai

Circus Elephant was from Tea and Kate

Wallpaper is by Ferm Living bought from This Modern Life

On chest of drawers:

Bambi from Tea and Kate

Bear by Donna Wilson

Shoes from Zara Baby

Toadstool lamp from Bimbily

Child’s chair by the door is vintage

Soft toys were gifts, but are from John Lewis

Caroline made the cushion and the bag on the left hand hook

Hooks are from The Hambledon

Fabric bag with RUBY was made by a lovely friend who runs deconohut

Coat was a gift, it’s from Benneton Baby

Plates are vintage,and Caroline added decals from Lou Rota

Candle from Anthropologie

Soap on windowsill from The Future Kept

Towel from John Lewis

GARDEN

Watering can from Clas Ohlson

Grid and plant pots were spray painted using Plastikote paint.

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*Tour previously published