When the homeowner bought the Victorian terrace house in East London more than 20 years ago, her parents thought she was “a bit grumpy” – and not without reason. “It was the kind of property a contractor could buy in order to do it, because it takes a lot of work,” she says. “But I could see the potential of this place, even though I knew it would be a long and hard road.”
Over the next three years, she made her way through the house within the constraints of her budget, but in that time she was able to replace electricity, plumbing, and heating. “I’ve often referred to it as ‘the house that Jack built really poorly,’ but it had his saving grace,” she says.
“For example, under the wood paneling that covered each door, there were the original Victorian details that weren’t very fashionable in the ’70s.” “But thanks to some budget living room ideas, I was able to transform the space.”
While the homeowner was proud and content to bring her home up to scratch, there was one area that she knew would have to wait for it to be updated until the funds were allowed.
“Many aspects of the kitchen didn’t work, not least the lack of cabinet space—the only storage was a small upright 1950’s kitchen cabinet with fluted glass doors and a retractable worktop,” she says.
But finally, in 2016, I was able to refinance the mortgage to raise money to expand my backyard kitchen. The new space means she can now have the storage she’s been missing out on all those years, and she got lucky when she came across some amazing kitchen base units on display at the Ideal Home Show, which she was able to purchase “for a song.” Paired with self-designed plywood wall cabinets and metallic-finish floor tiles, her dream kitchen has become a reality.
Kitchen
Image credit: Future Plc / Veronica Rodriguez
(Photo credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez)
Buy now: Springfield Yellow Rubber Flooring, £63, Color Flooring Company. (Opens in a new tab)
The plumber made the unique light on the kitchen ceiling of a Victorian East London balcony.
Many aspects of this home have arisen as a result of smart homeowner ideas, budget decorating, ingenuity and ingenuity, lighting in the kitchen is just one example. “One day while a plumber was working here, I asked him if he could use some copper pipe to build a ceiling lighting system based on a London tube map,” she explains. “He committed and I think the end result is very unique.”
Equally distinguished is the kitchen flooring. “I was going to polish concrete until I came across a company that specializes in rubber surfaces,” she says. To get this kind of finish I had to re-level the floor to get it completely smooth, otherwise every little bump would show up. But once down, the bright yellow elevated the room to another level and is now the biggest point when people come over.
sitting room
Image credit: Future Plc / Veronica Rodriguez
(Photo credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez)
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The latest ares to enjoy a makeover is the sitting room, where the homeowner gives a lot of credit to an interior designer who has shown an incredible degree of patience.
“I knew I wanted to color the block here using my favorite green and yellow,’ she says, `but it took us hours for the geometric wall pattern to be marked with a tape measure, spirit level, and masking tape. “But the final scheme was just as I had hoped when I planned it, and it’s one of my favorite living room wall decor ideas.”
The color blocking the walls gave this room a unique identity, which works great on this East London Victorian terrace and is a great living room paint idea.
Image credit: Future Plc / Veronica Rodriguez
(Photo credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez)
The eye-catching color blocking continues on the floor, almost serving as a space divider. “My favorite element is the Ikea sofa which I re-upholstered in olive green velvet, making it look like a designer piece,” says the homeowner.
warm
Image credit: Future Plc / Veronica Rodriguez
(Photo credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez)
Buy now: Eero Saarinen floor lamp, £50, Habitat (Opens in a new tab)
“This is where I come to read my book and relax,” says the homeowner. The painted ceiling adds to the room’s sense of luxury.
master bedroom
Image credit: Future Plc / Veronica Rodriguez
(Photo credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez)
Luxurious furnishings add a sense of comfort and relaxation.
This is an undoubtedly impressive home, and the daughter of the homeowners often brings home friends who will all assure the street credibility of their East London Victorian balcony. Being a creative spirit, the homeowner is always eager to get a chance to use her inner talents and share her design ideas on the Instagram account @Untillemonsrsweet.
the toilet
Image credit: Future Plc / Veronica Rodriguez
(Photo credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez)
Buy now: Folding bath, £200, in advance. (Opens in a new tab)
“This scheme is reminiscent of my aunt’s ’70s avocado-style bathroom, perfect for a Victorian balcony.” says the owner of the house. “I wasn’t sure how to draw the pigeon, but I quickly learned that it was an easy change of pace.”
“My dream project is to build a house outside, but I will never sell this place,” she says. “This house will be my daughters and my inheritance to her.”