Before and After: A London Victorian Transformed - Remodelista
Scenario: Beth Dadswell and Andrew Wilbourne, a creative couple with a young son, become their own clients when they take on the renovation of a 1,750-square-foot, semi-detached Victorian in Dulwich, South London. Photography by Leanne Dixon. The Solution: They introduce light into the tall, dark public spaces by knocking through two strategic walls and installing new glass doors that open to the garden. The first wall that Dadswell removed was the one dividing the dining room and kitchen, where she also opened the space to the garden with a large, bifold, glazed door. Dadswell also removed the wall that separated the house’s two old-fashioned parlor rooms and introduced large French doors that lead to the garden and flood the room with light. In the living room, the alcoves flanking the restored fireplace were put to use as shelving. The mantel still life includes dried hydrangea in a vase by glass artist Michael Ruh (who is selling his wares at this Saturday’s Remodelista Market in London) and a bark owl from Petersham Nurseries. In the stairwell, Dadswell painted the wall Lamp Room Gray by Farrow & Ball and the railing Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe. She introduced a bright carpet and displays massed artwork to provide interest and contrast to the three-story-high wall. The gallery-style bathroom has tongue-and-groove paneling capped by a Carrara marble shelf. Two rows of subway tiles (Retro Metro by Fired Earth) provide a minimal backsplash. Beth Dadswell in her kitchen. The avocado kitchen was dated and gloomy. Dadswell replaced the existing single kitchen door with double French doors that bring in more light. “These are the dining room cabinets in their original state before I sanded them and attached vintage handles,” says Dadswell. The house’s existing floor plan before the renovation. The major work was done on the ground floor; the red dotted lines indicate where walls were removed, and the blue dotted lines show where old openings were replaced with larger ones.