for stockistsgo to where to buydesign tip
‘Remembertoleavesome
budgetforthefinishing
touches– thestylingmakes
all the difference’OFFICE
‘Iwanteda monochrome
floodlitworkingspace,sothis
studyareaisa dreamcome
trueforme,’saysKal.
Victorianbordertiles,£9.49
each,toppstiles.blackboard
wallinrustoleumchalkboard
paint, £14.99 for 750mlTheysaythatnecessityis the
motherofinvention,andwhen
itcametoKalandMassimodi
Paolafindingtherightfamily
homeinLondon,thesearedefinitelywords
thatrangtrue.‘Wehada limitedbudget
andnothingwascominginattheright
priceintheneighbourhoodwherewe
wantedtolive,’saysbusinessconsultantand
occasionalinteriordesigner,Kal.Along
withhusbandMassimo,shesoonrealised
thatmovinga littlefurtheroutandtaking
ona ‘project’wasthebestoption.
‘Wehadviewedover 37 propertiesby
thetimewefinallysawthishouse,’saysKal
‘OurlittleboyJoshanwasa babyandwe
werefeelinga bitdesperate,butwhenwe
walkedintothisspacewithitshighceilings
andgood-sizedrooms,weimmediatelysaw
potential.’Whatthecouplehadspotted
wasthat,aswellasthefacttheceilings
werea soaringthreemetreshigh,therewas
unusedloftspaceintheroof.Itmeantthat
byloweringtheceilingofthefirstfloor,
theycouldaddthreerooms,creatingspace
foranoffice,bathroomandthirdbedroom.
Astheydidn’timmediatelyhavethe
fundstostartwork,thefirstyearswere
spentimagininghowtheywantedthespace
tolook.WithKal’snaturalaestheticeye
andMassimo’sbackgroundinrestaurant
design,thecouplesoonhadmoodboards
foreveryroom.‘Itis soimportanttohave
a basicplan,butalsotobeflexible,’says
Kal‘Welivedinourhousebeforewedid
anythingandultimatelythatmeant we
endedupwitha spaceweloved.’
Muchoftheirinspirationcamefrom
boutique hotels and stylish Airbnbs theLIvIngarEa
Thecoffeetablewasmade
byKal’sbrother-in-law.
rockettStgeorgeSmoked-glass
pyramidcoffeetable,£450,is
similar.engineered-oakflooring,
£41m, wood and beyond
baThrOOm
goldbrasswareaddsa touch
ofclassicalelegancetothe
on-trendscheme.
Devaexposedfullshowerkit
withgoldshowerhead,
£149.95,VictorianPlumbing.
hexagonmosaictiles,
£97.69sq m, topps tiles120 | 25bhJuLy 2019