The kitchen's pale colour scheme has rich green highlights
A 10-year Edwardian renovation project
Although she was keen on the idea of swapping her London home for a rural lifestyle, Sallie Chater admits that when it came to the crunch, she was not quite ready to take that step. Instead, after weighing up the pros and cons of numerous areas within commuting distance, she and her husband Duncan settled on an Edwardian renovation in the town of Bedford…
With their daughter Coco just a toddler, and son Bay expected, the couple began the search for a comfortable and conveniently positioned family home. As they viewed different styles and ages of property, Sallie realised she was looking for something very similar to what she was leaving behind.
The marble fireplace makes a bold focal point in this elegant living room. There’s also an impressive restored plasterwork ceiling. Photo: Colin Poole
A house with presence
‘Ideally, I’d have just picked up our Victorian terrace and brought it with us,’ she says, ‘I loved its high ceilings, the period features and the regular rooms, which are so easy to decorate. Luckily we soon discovered that Bedford has its fair share of beautiful old properties.’
Eventually the couple secured a three-storey, Edwardian semi on a quiet, tree-lined road within walking distance of schools, shops and the town’s elegant, riverside walks.
‘The house had the presence and the features I wanted, so it felt familiar,’ says interior designer Sallie (interiorsat58.com), ‘It was just a bit bigger that our old home, and in a more leafy, less frenetic location, so it was the best of all worlds.’
The family bought a six-bedroom, semi-detached Edwardian home in Bedford in 2010. Photo: Colin Poole
An Edwardian renovation project
The house was structurally sound, but the interior had not been touched for decades and needed a complete overhaul, ‘It was dark and dreary,’ says Sallie, ‘There were hideous, random carpets everywhere, and the kitchen had tatty, old-fashioned, wooden cupboards and terracotta floor tiles. Absolutely everything needed doing, and I could see this was going to be a long-term project.’
Nevertheless, the poor state of the house was a plus point in Sallie’s eyes. The thought of starting an Edwardian renovation project from scratch and tailoring the house to her own design was appealing, especially as she and Duncan had bought their previous home partially renovated, and with a recently-installed kitchen, ‘We paid a premium for something that wasn’t actually as high-quality as it looked, and in practice, not really what I’d have chosen,’ she says, ‘I didn’t want to fall into that trap again.’
By adding French doors, Sallie has let natural light in and maximised the feeling of space. The cabinetry has been refreshed with new metallic handles. Photo: Colin Poole
Keeping the original footprint
Using her professional experience, Sallie started planning remodelling work on the Edwardian renovation straightaway. She left the original footprint untouched, but at ground level, an old-fashioned arch and tiny back staircase would come out, opening up the space for a new kitchen. Upstairs, she amalgamated two small bedrooms into one.
Once the house was theirs, she, Duncan and Coco stayed with Duncan’s parents, while a team of local builders put her initial plans into action. Walls came down, the kitchen went in and all through the house, wooden floorboards were sanded and rooms were painted. After seven hectic weeks, the family moved in and the interior has been an evolving project ever since.
Although Sallie’s office adjoins the kitchen, it blends seamlessly into the the living space, with a large secondhand chest storing her samples, paint charts and fabric swatches. Photo: Colin Poole
A 10-year renovation
‘It’s taken 10 years to get to this position,’ says Sallie, ‘We brought our furniture with us, as we couldn’t afford to replace it, so things were a bit mismatched for several years. We did the first stage of the renovation so quickly before we moved in, that there were mistakes too, like the new patio doors from the kitchen. They weren’t what I thought I’d requested, but we’ve just lived with them until very recently.’
Mirrored accessories and green accents enhance the flow between the two levels, and a Mid-century sideboard warms up the neutral scheme. Photo: Colin Poole
Mixing budget-friendly and investment pieces
Although budget and time restraints contributed to the interior’s protracted transformation, Sallie’s drive to change, refresh and update her home has played an equally important role. She has struck a clever balance, investing for the long-term in certain fixtures and furnishings, then layering on more budget-friendly, trend-focussed accessories that are readily replaced over time.
The living room is anchored by timeless, high-quality soft furnishings, while other items, which are regularly swapped around or superseded, come from favourites like Wayfair, Dunelm and Homesense. The kitchen’s simple white cabinetry and classic limestone flooring were fitted when the family first moved in, and have stood the test of time well. The wall treatments, dining furniture and various accessories have all been renewed at least once. The current dining chairs were an Ebay buy.
Pale pink highlights lend Coco’s room a subtle feminine feel. Gold touches and diamond wallpaper tie in the metallics and geometrics around the house. Photo: Colin Poole
Beautiful yet practical
‘They get a lot of wear with a family, but they weren’t too expensive, so if they become stained, I can just replace them,’ says Sallie, ‘I want my house to look beautiful, but it has to be practical, and I want people to feel relaxed and comfortable.’
Although Sallie revamps the rooms quite frequently, she sticks consistently to a clear style, so there is a smooth flow through the house. ‘I’ll look at all the components in a room together, rather than choosing things in isolation, as it can be tricky trying to fit everything around one particular item,’ she says.
Initially two smaller rooms, one of the children’s rooms features a Noa & Nani cabin bed. Photo: Colin Poole
Enhancing period features
Her narrow palette of pale neutrals is lifted by splashes of green and blue and by muted metallics, glamorous mirrors and statement chandeliers. Clean, modern geometrics and plush, sheeny textiles provide plenty of interest and depth. Traditional period features like the fireplaces, bay windows and high ceilings were a big selling point for Sallie, and her Edwardian renovation décor choices enhance them while giving them a contemporary dimension.
‘I think period houses can be dark so I’ve worked hard to bring in as much light as possible and I’ve used Hemp Beige from Craig and Rose on the walls all through,’ she says. ‘I had it in my old house, so I know it works for me. The skirtings, picture rails and covings are picked out in soft gold, which is a standard favourite too.’
The polished silver bath from Victorianplumbing.co.uk makes a stunning centrepiece. Etched glass in the pretty sash windows lets light in while maintaining privacy. Photo: Colin Poole
An Edwardian renovation is an ongoing journey
Over 10 years, Sallie has kept her focus on combining comfort and practicality with a polished, stylish interior. Although the major work is all but done, the Edwardian renovation project will continue to reflect new trends: ‘In my job I’m always seeing new pieces that would be perfect for my home, so in some ways it’ll never be completely finished,’ she says, ‘It’s an ongoing journey, but I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved.’
The paved area at the side of the house is easily accessed from the kitchen, and looks out over the lawn. Photo: Colin Poole
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