Dorothea Finan has sympathetically transformed a dated Victorian villa into a relaxed and stylish home, combining the best of past and present
Words and styling: Penny Crawford-Collins | Photos: Reportage
When Dorothea Finan moved into this quaint Victorian villa six years ago, she instantly fell for its character, location and proportions. “I loved the house because it combined small scale charm with a certain elegance. It’s a rather quirky layout, with the accommodation spread over three floors and the host of original features really drew me to it. I love old houses and have always lived in Victorian houses which have all required work, but as I was downsizing, I didn’t want to take on a huge renovation project, as I had done in my previous homes, so this was perfect. The house needed no structural work but the interior decor was very dark and dated, it looked tired and really needed transforming.”
Dorothea decided to paint the black fireplace white and kept the existing shelves in the alcoves. The room is painted in Blue Ground by Farrow and Ball and the sofas are from Laura Ashley
Dorothea decided to take her time with the renovation. “I had learnt a lot from my previous house and didn’t want to do what I had done in the past and rush into jobs, so I decided to do the work slowly.” By living in the house, Dorothea got a feel for how she wanted it to function and work specifically for her, so she knew what to prioritise. It also suited my budget to do one job a year and enjoy it before making new changes.”
The pretty hall is painted in Kashmir by McPherson Paints and is a good spotfor Dorothea to show off her art collection
The first job was the kitchen, where the layout was retained, and with a limited budget, Dorothea decided to recycle as many of the old cabinets as possible. “I was determined to have an Aga in the kitchen, and most of the budget went on that, so I kept as many of the old cabinets as I could and came up with the idea of a stainless steel worktop, which works brilliantly. Not only is it really hygienic but it’s also easy to maintain and was much cheaper than granite.” Dorothea also decided to put up extra shelving to display some of the china she has either inherited or picked up at auctions. She added shelving and extra storage gradually, and stuck to her favourite blue and white colour combination. “I have an incorrigible weakness for old china, the older and more chipped the better. It was really important I had plenty of storage to house them, particularly my mother’s pieces that were collected over her lifetime.”
Her next job was to build a small conservatory off the dining area. “I wanted to preserve the integrity of the house and didn’t want a huge glass extension that would be expensive to heat and might compromise the garden.”
The kitchen has plenty of shelving and storage and Dorothea stuck to a blue and white colour scheme. The Aga is reconditioned and came from Ivan Stanley
With her great passion for gardening, Dorothea wanted a space where she could admire the garden, not only in the summer months, but also in the winter. “My talented builder Noel Kennedy constructed a conservatory inexpensively by using greenhouse glass and some recycled tiles that he had in his garage, so it was certainly value for money. I still enjoy the garden when it rains and I can read in there until very late in the summer,” she says.
With this completed, she turned her attention to the second bedroom in the basement. This room was damp and needed to be tanked, which involved stripping the plaster off all four walls and digging down about 2ft. Then a damp course was laid and the walls were dry-lined. While this work was taking place, Noel noted there was space to add a small an ensuite. “It made sense to add a bathroom while all the building work was going on. It means anyone who is staying doesn’t have to go all the way up to the bathroom on the first floor.”
The dining area is painted Shaded White by Farrow and Ball and the large dining table, which came from Dorothea’s sister’s house, is the perfect size for entertaining. The cabinet, sideboard and dresser are from Out Of The Blue Interiors
The new conservatory is airy and bright and enjoys wonderful views of the pretty garden and the aged furniture from Pia Bang adds character and gives it a rustic feel. (Pia Bang has now closed)Upstairs the simple layout of the master bathroom was kept as it was. “I just had to rip out some hideous orange linoleum. To keep it light and fresh looking I painted the floor white. I did the same in the master bedroom, and I find it really brightened up both of those rooms.”
When it came to the decor – with the exception of the elegant blue of the sitting room – the house has been painted with muted tones of off-whites and pinks. All these colours provide the perfect backdrop for Dorothea’s interesting and stylish collection of furniture and paintings. Dorothea’s ability to mix the old and the new with apparent effortlessness has resulted in a home full of interesting and inspirational pieces.
Soft, muted colours on the fabric and furniture give the master bedroom a light but luxurious look. The bed came from Quest Interiors. The throw is from Laura Ashley and the pillow cases and duvet cover are by Cath Kidston
The panelling is painted in Brilliant White by Dulux and adds a traditional feel. The basin and cabinet are from Quest Interiors
The guest room doubles as an office space or playroom. The bed, from Arnotts, opens into a double. The cabinet was once a shabby walnut veneer so Dorothea painted it in Nancy’s Blushes by Farrow and Ball.“Now I have finished the restoration work, I am constantly finding distinctive and treasured items to furnish the house. I can always find a place for something I love. I am passionate about collecting interesting items and preserving family heirlooms, but hate being too precious. Whenever possible, I love objects to be used and appreciated.”
Six years on, Dorothea’s home reflects her patience. “Living in the house really gave me a good idea of how I wanted it to work for me and tackling it in stages meant I took my time and didn’t make any costly mistakes.”
A once-dated pretty villa has become a comfortable home, elegant home packed with interesting artefacts that make it as individual as it is easy to live in.
This real home originally featured in our January/February 2014 issue.
