2019-08-01_25_Beautiful_Homes

EXTERIOR

Thisviewfromthegardenshows

thescopeoftherearextension.

Slidingglassdoors,priceon

application,IQGlass

city | 25bh

W

ithherheartseton

livinginfamily-

friendlyBattersea,

GeorgieScotthad

struggledtofinda newhomewith

a good-sizedgardeninsucha central

location– untilshesawthisVictorian

terrace.‘Themoststrikingthing

aboutthispropertywasitssunny

garden,’saysGeorgie.‘Mosthomes

myhusbandNickandI hadviewed

hadtinyreargardens,soit wassucha

joytofinda 40ftsouth-facinggarden.’

Thetiredterracewasinneedof

a totalrefurbishment.‘Wechanged

everything,’saysGeorgie.‘Wedug

downthewholelengthofthehouse

andaddedanextensiononeverylevel

attherear.Atonepoint,therewere

nofloorsorwalls,andthehousewas

justa façade.’Unperturbedbythe

work,Georgiewasconfidentthather

detailedplansanddetermination

wouldtriumph.‘Ittookninemonths

ofplanning,’shesays,‘andmostof

thattimewasspentonagreeingthe

partywalls.Theexcavationtookus

abouta year.Therewereunexpected

complications,suchasthehighwater

table,whichdelayedworkfurther.’

Withplansinplace,therooms

begantakingshapeandGeorgie’s

visionofa light-filledkitchen-diner

soonbecamea reality.‘I hada clear

ideaofhowI wantedthekitchento

look ’shesays.‘I wantedslidingdoors

withlargewindowstomakethemost

ofthegarden,andsoftgreywarm

wood-veneerunitswitha lighter

island.Thelivingroom,justoffthe

kitchen,is quitedark,andI wantedto

givethekitchena lighteratmosphere.

I chosetranquilcolourstoflow

throughbothspacessotheynaturally

mergewithoutanobviousjoin.I

don’tlikevividhues,asI wantedto

createa calm,relaxedenvironment

incontrasttothebusycityoutside.’

Despitethecomplexredesign,

Georgie’smantrais tokeepthings

simple.‘Myethosis thatfunction

comesfirstandstylesecond.Firstand

foremost,thisis a homeandit hasto

workwellforourchildren,Ava,four,

andAlex, 18 months.Mydreamsofa

wouldbewhitebutthat’snotpossible

witha family,soI havea dark,hard-

wearingsofaI’velightenedupwith

cushions.It’sallaboutcompromise.’

Afterthreeyearsofworkand

attentiontodetail,Georgieandher

familyarereapingtherewardsofthis

stylishhouseanditscentrallocation.

‘Thegardenis whatmakesthishouse

feellikea home,’saysGeorgie.‘I feel

luckytolivesonearthecitycentre

andyetwehaveourowngardenand

theparkonourdoorstep.I wouldn’t

wanttoliveanywhereelse.’

home truths

THE PROPERTY
Victorian terraced house
L O C AT I O NSouth London
ROOMShallway, sitting
room, kitchen-diner, study,
playroom, four bedrooms,
(two en suite), bathroom
PURCHASED 2013
PREVIOUS PROPERTY
‘We rented a flat nearby before
moving here,’ says Georgie.

25bH auGuSt 2019 | 25