A total refresh has given this kitchen a new lease of life, while a custom ceiling has added rich detail and plenty of character. Fancy a tour?

When Caroline Milns and her husband, Felix, bought their detached Victorian home in West London 11 years ago, they set about a major refurbishment. As directors of architectural and interior design practice and construction company Zulufish, and bespoke kitchen and joinery firm, Hux London, Caroline and Felix were well placed to undertake the project, although even they might have been daunted by the scale of the challenge.

“The house was in an awful state – almost derelict,” Caroline tells KBB journo Amelia Thorpe. “It had been inherited by two brothers, who were tempted to stay, but realised the project was just too much work.”

Planning the project

As their businesses were expanding, Caroline and Felix wanted to find a home with sufficient room to accommodate a large office – as well as plenty of space for family life with daughters Maisie, now 14, and Imogen, 12, as well as Wish, the Persian cat.

Focusing on the house’s potential, the couple decided the renovation venture was worthwhile – and work began, including a full front-to-back basement dig out to make space for the office, complete with a separate entrance.

“Walls weren’t sound, floors were wonky and the roof needed replacing,” recalls Caroline. “We took the whole back off the house, so that only the two sides and front façade were left standing – at one point, it looked like the mine scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

As part of the project, they also added an extension to the rear, creating space for a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, geared to family life. “All the work has paid off,” she says. “It has given us a wonderful space.”

The bespoke ceiling

Fast forward ten years, and the couple decided that, while the layout of the kitchen carried on working beautifully, its décor needed a refresh after a decade of wear and tear – and to allow it to continue to be enjoyed as the heart of this busy family’s home.

“As an interior designer, I enjoy developing new ideas and my taste has evolved,” says Caroline. “This time I wanted more of a detailed, maximalist look to suit the age of the house, in contrast to the urban minimalism of before.”

Caroline began by designing a bespoke resin plaster moulded ceiling with a nod towards Art Deco style. “I wanted it to add character to the space and feel as if it had always been here,” she explains. Produced to Caroline’s design by plasterwork experts Stevensons of Norwich, such is the detail of the design – including panelled skylights – that it took two craftsmen five weeks to install.

“I’m so pleased with the result,” she says. “It draws the eye upwards to accentuate the height of the room and adds a real sense of grandeur.”

The kitchen refresh

The next step was to replace the doors to the kitchen cabinets with a fresh design: Hux’s bespoke Modern Shaker style, featuring slender frames with a stepped detail. “The doors, walls and ceiling are all painted in the same colour, creating a softly neutral backdrop that allows the detail of the ceiling moulding to shine,” explains Caroline.

To add warm contrast and rich texture, the modern kitchen island is clad in reeded smoked eucalyptus veneer, its dark grey tones echoing those of the splashback.

The dining and living areas

To complete the modern kitchen, worktops of Calacatta Brazil quartzite add natural beauty. A new table forms the heart of the dining area. It is custom-made by Hux, featuring a stunning slab of Brazilian quartzite chosen by Caroline and Felix for its bright turquoise and soft pink hues, which pick up on the photographic print above. “The colours are so extraordinary – amazing to think it’s real stone,” says Caroline.

Given the hefty weight of the stone slab, it is supported by a concealed metal frame including rods which run through the dark wood veneer legs of the table. A new bar and re-upholstered sofa complete the inviting space.

“The refresh has given the room a whole new lease of life,” says Caroline. “Now, it has wonderful layers of texture and detail, making it feel luxurious and special – and a lovely, welcoming place to entertain.”

As originally told to: Amelia Thorpe | Photography: Anna Stathaki

This house tour was featured in the September 2024 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.

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