Finding a property in London that still retains the charm, detail, and character from when it was created in the early 1900s and has been untouched for 25 years is like finding treasure. Luckily, Charlotte, who worked as an interiors stylist for many years, bypassed the trends and embraced the house and space to create a beautiful family home within.

The house is on an Arts and Crafts estate; every house was built by the same builder/architect, William Collins, in 1904. The estate was designed to make you feel like you are in the countryside; it’s near a woodland and surrounded by trees. It’s very peaceful, private, and not overlooked. Charlotte, the creative director/fashion editor of Betty Magazine, and Tom, the founder and creator of Bleep Bleeps interactive parenting tools, are only the third owners of the house. The previous owner lived there for 25 years and did no work to the property at all.

Charlotte fell in love with the house’s old-fashioned charm on the first viewing. It was really important to her that this house still had all of its period features: stained glass windows, fireplaces, and a trademen’s entrance with a coal store. She wanted to respect the heritage of the house, and even though it was very tempting to knock down walls and go for the ever-popular open plan downstairs living, she chose to keep the original footprint and retain the two separate reception rooms.

Charlotte advises that the best thing to do when you find a house you want to live in for a long time is to sidestep the trends and turn it into a home, making it classic and timeless.

Our Style: Eclectic, comfortable with flashes of Mid-century Danish

Inspiration: Nature, 1970s, and my grandmother

Favorite Element: The house’s history, period features, and the heritage estate conception

Biggest Challenge: Moving back in when the house was still a building site

What Friends Say: They love the private garden.

Biggest Embarrassment: Having to re-do all the the bad work that our original builder did

Proudest DIY: Reworking the garden into a family space and still maintaining the feel of the romantic overgrown space that was here before, keeping most of the the plants and trees

Biggest Indulgence: The oven. I wanted the look of an Aga without the year-round heat.

Best Advice: Don’t renovate when you are pregnant.

Dream Sources: Auctions and vintage markets

• Living room (above): Farrow & Ball Castle Grey
• Garden reception room: Farrow & Ball Shaded White
• Kitchen: Farrow & Ball Lamproom Gray
• Master bedroom: Farrow & Ball Shaded White
• Lola’s bedroom: Farrow & Ball Chemise
• Stairway walls: Farrow & Ball Hadwick White
• Landing doors: Farrow & Ball Shaded White

• Hat light fixture: Graham and Green
• Table: Second Nature
• Mirror: Second Nature
• Trunk: Junk and Disorderly

• Round table and chairs: G-Plan via eBay
• Danish sofa: Omnipod Cardiff
• Throw: Lanificio B
• Round yellow and blue cushions: House of Fraser
• Three-legged table: The Conran shop
• French lamp: eBay
• American wall art: from the USA
• Glass cabinet: Casle Gibson
• Cake stands: grandmother’s
• Tea sets: grandmother’s
• Glasses: Past Caring in Islington
• Drinks trolley: Second Nature in Muswell Hill
• Neon sign: God’s Own Junk Yard in Walthamstow

• Wooden cabinet: yard sale
• Lamp: yard sale
• Sofa: Ikea, with new covers from Bemz
• Throw: Laura Ashley
• Cushions: A Room in My House
• Black side table: The Conran Shop
• Coffee table: Graham and Green
• Record player table: Audio Gold London
• TV table: eBay
• Mexico print: a gift from a friend
• Letter E: yard sale
• Artwork: Second Nature in Muswell Hill
• Butterflies: Second Nature in Muswell Hill

• Fitted cupboards: Ikea
• Church chairs: eBay
• Table: Vertigo Interiors
• Map: eBay
• Clock: Habitat
• Stork tray: found it on the street!
• Scales: antique shop in Rye
• Wooden-wheeled trolley: found at the tip [dump]
• Grey trolley: Ikea
• Stove: Redfyre Electric Radiant
• Clip-on lights on the shelves above the sink: Ikea

• Mirror above fireplace: my grandmother’s
• Bed linen: The White Company
• Patchwork quilt: Urban Outfitters
• Headboard: eBay
• Vanity table: The Cobbled Yard in Stoke Newington
• Brush and comb on table: my grandmother’s
• Chair: Criterion Auction House in Islington
• Side tables: The Cobbled Yard in Stoke Newington

• Bed frame: John Lewis
• Bed linen: Ikea
• Wardrobes: painted Farrow & Ball’s Chemise
• White chest of drawers cupboard: Ikea
• Vintage school desk: eBay
• Magnifying glass chandelier: Habitat
• Mirror: Camden Passage, Islington
• Artwork: Alexandra Palace Antique Fair
• Bedside cupboards: painted Earthborn Clay Paint in Whisker

• Grey trolley: Ikea
• Glass unit: Highgate
• Wall unit: a yard sale
• Tiles: Gloucester Road, Fired Earth
• Mirror: Camden Passage
• Artwork: eBay
• Pink and black makeup bag: Orla Kiely

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