An Illustrator’s Victorian Rental House Has Gorgeous Fireplaces

Apartment Therapy Submissions

published Dec 28, 2020

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Red cabinet and wooden shelf with artwork displayed on top and above — Credit: Lizzie Bass
The wooden storage unit is from a school that my dad used to work at. It stores all of my prints and packaging materials along with my sketchbooks.

Name: Lizzie Bass, Michael, and cat, Margo
Location: Norwich, Norfolk
Type of home: End of terrace Victorian house
Size: Approximately 1,200 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, renting

Credit: Lizzie Bass

Margo cosying up on the bed. I reupholstered the Lloyd Loom chair with fabric from an old dress. The mirror was my mum’s.

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: We’ve lived here for a year since moving from Eastbourne. We couldn’t believe our luck finding this house with white walls and stripped floors, as we have previously been stuck with woodchip magnolia walls and ugly carpets. The garden was also a big bonus—definitely a big upgrade from three window boxes!

Credit: Lizzie Bass

My studio. I love the skylight which gives much needed visibility above my desk. My desk is a rescued table top with legs from an unwanted garden table. The plan chest was also rescued from a school by my dad.

I am an illustrator, and Michael is a UX designer, and our home definitely reflects our creativity. Our home is full of plants, prints, trinkets, and old furniture. The only furniture we have bought new for our home are the bed and the sofa.

Credit: Lizzie Bass

I love the green tiles and freestanding bath.

I am very lucky to have parents with great taste and a knack for finding things in junk shops and boot fairs! I can (and do) spend hours arranging the little details. We do have quite a lot of stuff, but everything sits in its own place, so it doesn’t feel crowded or overwhelming.

Credit: Lizzie Bass

We fill this printers tray with all sorts of wonderful things. My favourites are the cornflakes, petrol pumps and pair of tortoises.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Vintage, curated, plant-filled, reclaimed, tchotchkes.

Credit: Lizzie Bass

The two larger prints are by a Victoria Semykina, the bottom centre piece is by Faye Moorhouse, the top left is obviously Mog the cat by Judith Kerr and the rest of the artworks are by me.

What is your favorite room and why? The front room is my favorite because of the fireplace, the bay windows and the dividing doors leading to the dining room. We spend the most time in this room, and I find looking at the fireplace brimming over with plants and tchotchkes brings me a lot of joy. I love the picture shelves above the sofa that display artworks by myself and my favorite illustrators. The light is lovely in this room, especially in the autumn.

Credit: Lizzie Bass

The fireplace in the front room filled with my favourite things to look at.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The metal plant pot and stand with green legs in front of the fireplace. It’s from a great plant shop just round the corner from us. I also recently got the very colorful bunch of dried flowers on the mantelpiece.

Credit: Lizzie Bass

Michael loves to cook in here. The tiled floor is really lovely—if a bit cold!

Any advice for creating a home you love? Fill it with things that you love, but make sure that everything has its own place and works together cohesively.

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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