Rachel's Home Renaissance: From London Bridge Surprises to Surrey Quays Delights

1. Can you share with us what motivated you and your husband to purchase your first home, which was an ex-council flat in London Bridge? What was it about the flat that caught your attention?

At the time, we were both commuting into London for work and wanted to buy somewhere closer to work. We didn’t know which area we wanted to live in (we have a habit of doing this!) so it was pot luck that we ended up in London Bridge – we actually spotted the flat for sale in the Evening Standard newspaper on the commute from work! The flat was a project and an ex-council flat which meant it was much more affordable than other flats in the area. We wanted a property with which character, and although a lot of the character had been stripped out on the inside, the mansion block itself was built around 1875 so it still had the layout and charm that we were looking for. We didn’t view any other properties and knew we wanted it after one viewing, it may have been small and needed a lot of work but was within budget, located by the river and we could both walk to work. This was the start of our love affair with south east London!

2. Could you take us through the process of renovating your first home and share some of the key lessons you learned? What was the condition of the flat when you first got it, and how did you transform it?

Although it was a project, it was very liveable, so we moved in and settled down for a bit before starting any work. We knew absolutely nothing about DIY or interiors; we were quite naive about the whole thing and had zero budget to do the work. My Dad was an absolute superhero and did a lot of it with/for us – we could never have done it without him (thank you, Dad!). The flat was very dated, with lots of things done cheaply and layers of paint, wallpaper, and dirt. A huge part of the job was stripping it all back down to start again! It was hard work, but it's so rewarding when you get it all back to its bare bones. Aesthetically, we wanted to keep it quite simple as it was a very small flat, but we really just picked things on a whim and made lots of mistakes! I'd love to go back and renovate that flat now; I'd lean into the period it was built in so much more. Two key lessons we learned are: do your research and don't rush into things, and you don't need to do everything all at once – live in the property for a while and get a really good feel for it. Buying a "project" certainly gave us the renovating bug...

3. Could you take us through the process of renovating your first home and share some of the key lessons you learned? What was the condition of the flat when you first got it, and how did you transform it?

We adored our little flat, but as we contemplated starting a family, we realised we needed more space. Staying in the same area was financially unfeasible, so we resorted to drawing concentric circles around our post code on Rightmove, hoping to find something that checked three boxes: 1. Within our budget, 2. Full of character, and 3. A project, of course. Despite our lack of knowledge about Surrey Quays, which is only a 15-minute drive from London Bridge, we impulsively purchased a property solely based on these three criteria. Unfortunately, it exceeded our budget, forcing us to exhaust every penny to make the purchase. As a result, we essentially lived in an empty house for 1.5 years, without even a proper bed. Instead, we borrowed a blow-up mattress from a friend, although it is not recommended for such an extended period of time!

I’m not sure any of this is good advice to follow, we seem to do the opposite of what you are supposed to do when it comes to buying houses. But if you see a property you love and you know the mortgage repayments are affordable, then go for it!

4. Having resided in the tranquil regions of Berkshire and Essex, what was it like for you and your husband to adjust to the fast-paced lifestyle of London? Did you encounter any particular challenges during this period of transition?

I have always been drawn to London. My mum is a Londoner, and as a child, I could never understand why her family moved away from London. Of course, I understand that now, but when I was younger, I was itching to get to London, be it to work or live! Work came first, and commuting for a few years prepared us for the pace of London. However, I’m not sure anything can quite prepare you for having a bedroom window facing onto Tooley Street – we saw it all, the good and the bad – couples fighting, fun drunks, bad drunks, mass singalongs, charity moonlight walks, movie film sets, musicians playing on the street at 3 am, you name it. We soon got used to it, though; the noise sort of became normal after a while. When we first moved to Surrey Quays, it took us a good while to get used to how quiet it is! We genuinely missed the comfort of noisy old Tooley Street at first. London feels like home now, but the older I get, the more I love going back to Berkshire, so you never know.

5. What are some of your absolute favourite things about it, and have you discovered any features that you've learned to appreciate and enjoy even more since moving in?

We love that it has history, a story to tell – it's the oldest remaining warehouse along this part of the river. It's thought that the building could have originally been used to store moulds for forming ships and then later as a granary. It was transformed into flats and townhouses in 1999. There are definitely some bigger structural changes I'd make if we could, but overall the transformation was done sympathetically. Our favorite feature is probably less architectural and more about a way of life: river life, and learning to embrace that.

6. Your lovely townhome holds many cherished memories, including the birth of your child. Can you share how you navigated the stress of renovating your new home while also preparing for the arrival of your baby? Additionally, what advice would you give to others facing a similar situation?

We had started renovating before our daughter came along, but we were only at the beginning. We're still not finished, and she's three now! Her arrival gave us a hard deadline for some big jobs, and a lot of the renovation happened while I was pregnant – I was still painting the week my waters broke! I recommend thinking about your priorities as a family. The kitchen was a big one for us, whereas we decided the bathrooms could wait, even though they are old and a bit gross. We didn't have the money to do the kitchen, so we made the decision to borrow the money. For us, this worked well as it meant the kitchen was completed before the baby arrived, and we were able to enjoy it as a family while paying it back. Renovating while pregnant was stressful, and we're glad we got most of the big, messy jobs out of the way before she arrived.

7. What was the most crucial aspect of your renovation that helped you achieve this in your own home, and how did you approach this challenge?

The structure of the property is fine; we haven't made any structural changes since this isn't our permanent home. If it were, I might consider knocking down some walls! The property had been used as a holiday home since 1999 and had been neglected for a long time, giving it a cold feeling. Our goal was to breathe life into the property, making it warmer and turning it into our own home. We have tried to be respectful of its history as part of the docklands and its industrial essence. The house is furnished with second-hand furniture and prints that we hope add to its character.

8. The kitchen was one of the first projects you tackled in your renovation journey. What inspired the darker theme, and what does the kitchen mean to you and your family? Is there any particular significance to the design?

For us, the kitchen is the heart of the house, so it had to be done and it had to feel special to us. Whether it's cooking, eating, drinking, working, playing, or dancing – we happily spend all day and night pottering around in the kitchen, so we put all of our effort and pennies into planning the kitchen. The holiday rental "kitchenette" was falling apart, so this room was our biggest job – electrics, plastering, etc. The only thing we didn't change was the floor, as the house came with limestone flooring throughout the bottom floor. I restored the floor over a few weeks while our baby slept at night, and it came up really well.

We try to be led by the building as much as possible, and the ground floor is incredibly dark. Instead of trying to brighten up the kitchen, we decided to embrace the darkness and build on it – our brief was dark and moody. We love classic design choices that last, and for the kitchen, we had deVOL in mind – they create fine cabinetry with an understated style. It was a dream to commission one of their kitchens. We knew we wanted to go dark when we went for our first design appointment in Clerkenwell, and as a letterpress enthusiast, I saw the paint colour 'Printer's Black,' and that was that, decision made.

After much deliberation, we decided to paint the walls and ceiling in Off Black by Farrow & Ball – everyone told us not to do it, but we are so glad we did. It amplified the feeling, adding to the kitchen's character and warmth. Black is a bold choice, so to soften it up, we chose materials such as Iroko wood, brass, and copper, which literally glow in the darkness of the room, making it feel super cosy. At nighttime, when lit only by candlelight, it almost feels like going back in time.

9. As a creative director, how has your background influenced your approach to designing and decorating your home? Are there any particular design principles or techniques that you apply to your interior design work?

Good question. I’ve never explicitly thought about this connection before. I feel like I have absolutely no idea when it comes to interior design, I would absolutely love to pay a qualified interior designer to do it for me. I like things to be done well so that has definitely carried through into the house and choices we’ve made. We also like to be surrounded by things we love such as family items passed down or pieces we’ve collected on our travel. These things make a house feel like a home.

10. Based on your five-year renovation experience, what tips would you give to others who are considering renovating their homes? What important lessons have you learned during the process, and what financial and planning considerations should they keep in mind before embarking on this investment?

Be prepared to live through a renovation. Don’t rush into anything. Make sure you can afford things. Pay a professional if it’s risky or too big a job. Everything takes longer than you think (and costs more). Paint with wipeable paint. Small things really do make a big difference. And surround yourself with things you love!