Victorian Townhouse

When we took on our semi-detached Victorian townhouse, it was in a far from ideal condition. Previously used as a rental property, the house suffered from significant mould issues and needed a complete overhaul. With my husband working in London for much of the week, I had full autonomy over the remodel and extension, allowing me to shape the house around the needs of our family.

We stripped the property back to brick and completely reworked the floor plan. As a family of four with two young children, making the most of every inch of space was essential. Relocating the kitchen to the centre of the ground floor created a practical and sociable hub for family life while respecting the character of the house, with its generous square rooms, large windows and original Victorian features.

One key change was enclosing a narrow corridor that led into the kitchen and transforming it into a double-doored pantry, providing valuable storage without compromising the flow of the space. While we initially envisioned a traditional in-frame shaker kitchen, we were ultimately drawn to the Chiswick range – a slimmer shaker profile with a contemporary, mid-century influence.

The layout was carefully designed to balance scale and light. A full-height run of cabinetry provides visual impact and ample storage, while a lower run along the cooking zone keeps the room feeling open and spacious. At the centre, a large island creates a gathering place where all four of us can sit together for busy weekday breakfasts.

Colour played an important role in tying the scheme to the rest of the home. The paint-to-order cabinetry allowed us to use Light Bronze Green by Little Greene, an accent colour that appears throughout the house. The same cabinetry style was also carried through to the hardworking utility room, which was converted from a former downstairs shower room. For the utility space, Tuscan Red was chosen for the cabinetry, creating a warm, inviting view from the hallway while cleverly disguising the inevitable clutter of family life.

The result is a kitchen that feels both timeless and practical—a space that honours the character of the Victorian house while providing a hardworking heart for modern family living.