Jane and Rob’s Inspiring London Townhouse
Name: Jane Kellock, co-founder of The Women’s Room Blog, with Robert Soar, Jack (age 19), and Flo (age 17).
Location: Stoke Newington, Hackney, London
Size: 4 bedroom terraced house
Years lived in: 20, owned
When Jane and Rob moved into their terraced townhouse in Stoke Newington twenty years ago, there was only one restaurant on the high street. They clearly chose their area well as now it is one of the most creative, bustling and interesting parts of London.
Jane, a designer and colour consultant, along with husband Rob, has transformed the house gradually throughout the years. Each room is filled with an array of colorful pieces and collections, all organised neatly and displayed in a way which is orderly yet fun.
The couple live with their two teenage children, and I’m sure the house would be a great place to grow up. The large, light and airy kitchen opens onto the courtyard garden, making it the perfect party and entertaining space.
It’s worth noting that there are also two teenage bedrooms in the house, which were not photographed to preserve their privacy. The adults have the master suite on the top floor, with an ensuite bathroom, leaving plenty of room for everybody to enjoy their own space.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: An eccentric combination of colour and pattern, old and new, and lots of family nostalgia.
Inspiration: I love to combine objects from my past with things I’ve collected around the world and make eclectic colour stories and shelfscapes.
Favorite Element: My kitchen, which manages to combine modern function with the personality of the rest of the house. It’s the heart of the house, where everyone hangs out to eat, chat and play music.
Biggest Challenge: Dusting all the collections – I don’t, life’s too short to dust!
What Friends Say: Where does Rob live?
Biggest Embarrassment: The dust.
Proudest DIY: Rob is a DIY genius and can build anything. The garden planters he made this summer were made from wood he found in skips around Hackney and cost about 80p in total.
Biggest Indulgence: Nothing cost much money, as we don’t like to feel too precious about anything, but I do like to indulge in buying ceramic swans, vases and scented candles from Anthropologie.
Best Advice: Enjoy where you live and if you have children, don’t buy expensive items that can get broken or ruined. It’s their home too and they should be able to feel comfortable in it.
Also NEVER switch on the “big” light — lamps and candles make everything look warm and inviting – and hide the dust.
Dream Sources: Car boot sales, Ebay, Spitalfields Antique market on Thursdays, and local Hackney independents. I am so lucky to have so many creative resources right on my doorstep.
Resources of Note:
LIVING ROOM
- Wallpaper – Cole & Son
- Taxidermy – Antique shops in The Shambles, Malton North Yorkshire
- Horse lamp – Spitalfields antique Market
- Leather Chair – Story Spitalfields
- 50’s chair – family heirloom
KITCHEN
- Ikea and car boot sales
Thanks, Jane and Rob!
• 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.
• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.
Updated daily with fresh tours full of photos for you to pin & enjoy!