2019-06-01 25 Beautiful Homes

extended townhouse | 25bh

W

henvintageinteriorsaficionados

EmmaWestburyandhusbandKarim

Karanouhstartedhouse-hunting,

theirdreamwasa mid-century

doer-upper.Theyhadwalkedthedogpastthehousethat

isnowtheirs,commentedonhowcoolit was,andagreed

theywouldtrytobuyit if it evercameupforsale.‘We’ve

alwayslovedthisarchitecturalstyleandtheglass-brick

wallatthefronthadintriguedus,’saysEmma.

Ona shortbreakinCornwallwiththeirchildren,

Kai,now17,andJude,15,thecouplesawonlinethatthe

propertywasonthemarket.Theopenviewingwasthe

nextdaysotheydecidedtocuttheirholidayshort.‘We

walkedinandimmediatelyfellinlovewiththeplace,’

saysEmma.‘Thenaturallightwasfantastic;it streamed

inthroughtheglass-brickwallandthehugewindows.

Eachroomwasa greatsizeandtheywerealluntouched.’

Stillinitsoriginal 1958 state,thehouseevenhada

vintageHygenakitchenanda primrose-yellowbathroom

suite.‘However,it waspackedwithkeenprospective

buyers,’saysEmma,who,alongwithKarim,runsa

start-upvintagefurniturecompanycalledRevolver

Living.‘MystomachchurnedasI watchedotherpeople

measuringupwhat,inourheads,wasalreadyourhouse.’

Assoonastheycould,thecoupleofferedtheasking

pricebut,unfortunately,sodidthreeotherpeople,soit

wenttosealedbids.‘Itwasa nerve-rackingfewdays,’

says Karim. ‘Three offers had all come in at roughly the

Sittingroom

thewoodburningstoveandwallpanelling

actasa strongfocalpoint.

Iris10kWcurvedwoodburner,£999,

ModernStoves.TheoriginalThirtiessafari

chairs were bought at auction

Study

Karimcreatedanindustrial-chicspacewith

scaffoldingshelvesandmetalfilingcabinets.

Flottebosofabed,£475,Ikea.TryPamonofora

similarchair,around£300.WallspaintedinSlate

flat matt, £38 for 2.5L, Dulux Heritage

Sittingroom

neutralwallsandwoodenflooringletthe

periodpiecestakeprideofplace.

Fora comparablevintageGPlandressing

table,tryVinterior,fromaround£330.For

similarprints,tryVintiqueLondon.Oaksliding

barn door, around £300, Colchester Reclaim