A grand Victorian villa in a South London conservation area has returned to the family that built its history—now refreshed for a new generation.
The five-bedroom home, with soaring ceilings and a sweeping staircase, once belonged to the current owner’s parents. After years away, she and her husband moved back, inheriting the property. Their young daughter will now grow up in the same house, cared for by the nanny who looked after her mother as a child.
The challenge of preserving a living legacy
Interior design studio Sims Hilditch was hired to update the space while respecting its past. Scarlett Jones, who led the project, worked around original features protected by the home’s listed status—plaster cornicing, timber skirting, and even wallpaper and furnishings from earlier decades.
Jones explained that adapting an existing structure presented more difficulties than starting anew. Still, the results made the effort worthwhile.
The villa had not been renovated in nearly 20 years, though its structure remained sound. Changes were small but meaningful: expanding the kitchen’s opening to the breakfast room and reconfiguring the main bathroom for modern use. The real shift came through careful details.
A bold design choice ties the past to the present
A handmade stair runner by Sophie Cooney became the project’s defining element. Its hourglass patterns and sharp lines ran down the center of the white-painted staircase, adding energy to the space. This decision set the tone for the rest of the house.
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Jones noted that Cooney’s designs are known for their boldness, which aligned with the owner’s vision. That choice led to Farrow & Ball’s Oval Room Blue becoming the unifying color throughout hallways and landings, creating flow between rooms.
In the living and breakfast rooms, the designers kept existing elements the family wanted to preserve, including a panoramic chinoiserie wallpaper by de Gournay in soft sage and cream. Instead of removing it, they designed around it—adding linen curtains from de Le Cuona and cushions in matching patterns to balance tradition with a more current look.
Jones described the wallpaper as one of the biggest challenges. The goal was to retain it while giving the room a fresh feel.
The finished home feels both enduring and dynamic, where heirlooms and modern design blend seamlessly. The villa’s story continues, honoring its past while welcoming new memories.
This project shows that preservation does not require standing still. Thoughtful updates can respect history while moving forward.
The family’s connection to the home remains strong, with generations sharing the same spaces. Renovation ideas like these demonstrate how personal history can shape a living space without sacrificing modern comfort.
