25 Beautiful Homes

| 25bh25bh october 2017 | 31period semi###### When Fionnuala andMatt Oomen left theircentral London factoryapartment for a morefamily-friendly home, they took their senseof style with them. ‘We moved here froma big,open-plan loft-like space that wasinterrupted only by pillars,’ says Fionnuala.However, once their first child, Lorcan,came along, rooms without borders becamemore of an issue. ‘We needed a differentkind of home for life with a toddler – andwe longed for a garden, too.’Now, with Lorcan, 6, and second sonElis, 3, the couple live in a five-bedroomVictorian house in south London, whichhas given them ‘space to breathe’. Thecouple loved its classic double-frontedproportions, wide hall and period features.But Fionnuala and Matt were not ready toditch their love of contemporary art and``````furniture for a traditional look. ‘AVictorian house doesn’t mean you haveto emulate period style,’ says Fionnuala.‘We liked the idea of something creative- adding a slightly more contemporarycharacter to this lovely frame.’ Their plans started at the top, with aninnovative but sympathetic loft extension,which includes three rear-facing dormerwindows as part of a conversion thatchanged the roof structure from hip togable. ‘We didn’t want a standard addition,’says Fionnuala. The couple are well versed ininspiring architecture and the Vitra DesignMuseum is Matt’s favourite building. ‘Thisdesign by A Small Studio is an example ofcreative architecture on a more domesticscale,’ says Fionnuala. ‘It’s both beautiful toview from outside and brilliant to live in.’ The conversion makes the most of thespace, with a master bedroom, dressing areaSitting roommid-century design classicswork inside the Victorianarchitectural frame.Matador chair, £1,195; footstool,£415, both content by terenceconran. Noguchi coffee table,£1,890, the conran ShopThe PROPeRTYvictorian double-fronted semiL O c AT i O n South londonROOms Hall, sitting room,kitchen-diner, utility room,cloakroom, playroom, fivebedrooms, bathroomPURchAsed 2012PReviOUs PROPeRTY‘We lived in a converted printingfactory in london,’ says Fionnuala.home truthsRePLAnned