"From Ex-Council to Eclectic: How One Couple Transformed Their Home into a Work of Art"

1. As someone who is obsessed with interior design, what inspired you to pursue this passion and how has it influenced your homeownership journey?

Contrary to what people might think, I am not an interior designer by profession. It’s always been a huge passion of mine and has always been a part of my life somehow. I also think that if I was working in this field there would be a fine line between being a settled, well known interior designer with clients coming to you for that particular style you offer, and being an interior designer who listens to the client’s brief and is restricted to particular colour schemes and styles. It’s a very different boat and I do believe it takes another set of skills to do that.

Having this passion definitely influenced our idea of getting a doer upper. It’s been in our plans since I can remember. We’ve always always been making plans of doing up our own home and having our own Reno one day. We didn’t imagine it would come to us so soon. We felt and still feel so extremely lucky.

2. What motivated you to choose an ex-council house as your home? Were there any challenges that you faced while renovating it?

To be totally transparent, the motivation to choose this particular ex-council house came mostly from a cost point of view. We had been looking around for months, and this area was our dream area. Unfortunately for our price range, we were either getting a very small two bedroom flat or a bigger more luxurious one bedroom flat. When this house came on the market we couldn’t believe it: A freehold, with 2 bedrooms and a garden plus the chance to make it our own. It really seemed too good to be true, but amazingly luck was on our side and we got it. Patience definitely paid off.

On the plus side council houses are really well built, with sturdy materials, made to last. Apart from the asbestos we found very early on, we had a pretty solid run. I would say our biggest set back and challenge was the time the council took to approve our extension. To this day I’m still confused as to why it took so long for such a straightforward extension but from a professional experience we weren’t the first to go through this and we certainly won’t be the last. It’s definitely something to bear in mind when entering such a project.

3. How did you choose the colour scheme for your home? Are there any specific colours that you find particularly appealing or that hold a special meaning for you?

Mejd and I have always had a preference for raw and rustic materials. Our goal is for our space to feel lived-in rather than overly curated. Marrakesh holds a special place in our hearts, and we try to visit yearly, even if only for a few days. The colour scheme I chose for our home was heavily influenced by the beauty of Marrakesh. The raw plaster that we left throughout the house pays homage to the region's Middle Eastern aesthetic. This material provides a beautiful texture to what was originally a plain rectangular box. Its reflective quality enhances the natural light, and I have yet to find a colour that doesn't complement it. In addition, it saved us the cost of painting - a win-win situation!

4. Living south of the river can be a unique experience, what brought you to this part of London? Do you feel that there are any particular benefits or challenges to living in this area?

Coming south of a river was initially a common sense decision for us: A - for work and B - had equal distance to both our families who were then based in the south east. Over the years, we grew to love the area and were drawn especially to Northcote Road. A very vibrant place, full of life with all its restaurants and cafes but with the luxury of being placed between two parks, Wandsworth Common and Clapham Common. There aren’t many places in London that can offer you that. There isn’t a day that goes by where we aren’t found in one of those. Again a real luxury for us and our dogs. We are also very well connected and are only a few minutes away from Chelsea with a direct bus. I sound like a broken record, but this pocket of London works perfectly for our lifestyle and I have nothing to complain about.

5. What is your favourite part of your home and why? Is there a particular room or design element that holds special significance for you?

Hard question, but I would probably say the kitchen. We both love cooking, and cooking in a space that was designed by us to serve us best feels like a real luxury. I also have a massive soft spot for my Zellige tiles that came straight from Morocco and that we used as our backsplash. it’s probably the first order we made when renovating, Safe to say it could have waited a few more months. ​

6. You have designed a lovely home, could you walk us through the steps you took to put it all together? Did you have a specific vision in mind or did you take inspiration from various sources?

My brain started ticking as soon as we stepped in the house on our first visit. We instantly saw potential and it was mainly about optimising the space and transforming it to our preferred way of living - open plan! We worked with an architect to get some plans going. He also took care of the council application for our rear extension and it was then up to the builders to work their magic and be extra patient with me. The main plan was to renovate with the idea of selling and making our money back in a few years to come, therefore the dream marble worktops or the concrete floors were off the list but it goes to show that you can still make it work without going all out and we are very proud of it all.

7. As someone originally from France, do you find that your cultural background has influenced your interior design choices in any way? Are there any specific design elements that you have incorporated into your home to reflect your heritage?

That’s a very interesting question, I’m sure in some way it has. Starting with my parents being very home proud, decorating the house has always been a real joy for my mother. I was born in Paris and adore the Haussmannian classic aesthetics you can find in many interiors there. That eclectic decor has definitely influenced me - I never shy away from mixing styles, I always think that if you love it enough you’ll make it work. Starting with a neutral base (walls, floors, ceilings) and adding texture and colours in the styling. Our chesterfield sofa was my parents’ old sofa and I think it has its place here and blends in fabulously with the textured walls and yet, we’re not in a gentlemen’s club…

8. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their homeownership journey and looking to renovate their home? Are there any important lessons that you have learned along the way that you would like to share?

1- Don’t rush, let yourself experience the space and how you live in it. Only then will you make the best decisions and avoid being rushed and experience decision fatigue. These mistakes might be expensive to correct down the line.

2 - Don’t follow trends, it’s a fast moving environment and people tend to get bored very quickly and move on. Follow your initial gut instinct, it’s usually a good one.

3 - Tackle the dirtiest jobs first.

4 - Everything takes longer than you think (and often more expensive too).

9. If you could choose one word to describe your homeownership journey so far, what would it be and why?

UNRESTRICTED - Apart from our budget, nothing stopped us from doing what we wanted from the start. Creating a space that works to perfection for us and that makes us happy everyday is the most fantastic feeling.​

10. What are your future plans for your home? Do you have any upcoming projects or changes that you are particularly excited about?

I think if you’re passionate about interiors your home is never truly finished. It’s an ongoing evolution and expression of your lifestyle. It definitely is for us. Having said that, we still have a lot to do here. The second bedroom hasn’t been touched and has been our dumping ground for a while. We love to call it the doom room. The patio needs some attention and we still have what seems like a never ending to do list on our phones.