This 130-Year-Old London Townhouse Breaks Design Rules With Smart, Unexpected Choices
Cheylene Thongkham explains that this 1879-square-foot townhouse had last been renovated in the late 1990s or early 2000s. “It was in decent condition overall, but felt very dated. The bedrooms were painted in lilac, orange creamsicle, and lime green. The entryway was textured and the kitchen featured glossy forest green cabinetry and faux yellow brick walls!” she begins.
After a year and a half, Cheylene describes the home she shares with her partner Andy, his three boys (ages 14, 12, and 8), and a 4-year old cockapoo named Greg, as a space with “traditional staples” and “fun and colorful twists.” It’s also inspired by Arts & Crafts design.
“This is our first home together as a blended family. I really wanted it to look and feel special for everyone,” Cheylene writes. “When designing the rooms, I kept three things in mind: Keep it durable (a must with three boys!), keep it thrifty (we didn’t want to spend too much), and keep it FUN. It’s all still a work in progress, but we feel very much at home here.”
“I’ve worked in tech my whole career, but am a creative spirit at heart,” she continues. “I love taking different colors, patterns, style, and textures, and trying to blend them all into a cohesive space. The house’s strong architecture serves as such a great anchor, I feel like you could do pretty much anything in here, and it would look good.
Resources
- Entryway Wallpaper — 1839 V&A Flower Meadow
- Entryway Paint — Dulux “Indigo”
- Front Room Paint — COAT Paints “The Record Store”
- Living Room Paint — COAT Paints “The Trail”
- Living Room Wall mural — Dunelm
- Dining Room Paint — COAT Paints “Pampas Grass”
- Kitchen Backsplash — Claybrook Tiles “Fellini Oliva”
- Kitchen Cabinet Wrap — DC Fix “Sage Green”
- Bedroom Paint — COAT Paints “Mindful”
- Boy’s Room Paint — Dulux “Vast Lake”
FRONT ROOM
- Sofa — Made.com
- Rug — Ruggable
- Art — Custom, by me
- Mirrors — La Redoute
- Armchair — John Lewis
- Wooden Furniture — Free from the side of the road!
LIVING ROOM
- Sofas — Dunelm
- Rug — Urban Outfitters
- Rocking Chair — Hand-me-down from friends
- Sideboard — Free from the side of the road!
DINING ROOM
- Dining Bench — Wood Furniture
- Mirror — Dunelm
- Painting — From Andy’s mum’s attic
- Table — Custom
BEDROOM
- Bed — Dusk
- Ottoman — Dusk
- Side Table — Came with the house
- Side Table Lamps — Dunelm
- Curtains — Curtains2go.com
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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