It seems we all like a thoroughly good house snoop, I know I do. I’ve spent years location hunting for shoots and stepping over the thresholds of many a gorgeous house. On a good day I come away with an armful of ideas, on a bad day I learn what it is that makes a home ‘homely’ and NOT showy. When I posted pictures of make-up artist Lisa Valencia and photographer John Rowley’s kitchen, there was quite a reaction, and the term ‘the dream kitchen’ was bandied around. Not surprisingly as their house is a treasure trove of ideas; stylish, cost effective and clever, and what becomes apparent is their love of family, entertaining and simply, beautiful things. Sometimes surprisingly so, for instance a shelf made from old scaffolding posts and planks. It’s a great idea and takes two creative minds to see a re-purpose in something seemingly mundane. I love this and the fact that Lisa patiently trawled eBay in the quest for the perfect finds; second hand designer lights, Ercol chairs, old sinks and that magnificent copper bath you’ll see below. Personally, I’m drawn to the recycling of pre-loved furniture and interior accessories, because in a world of consumerism, to create something super chic from 2nd hand finds is both green-minded and responsible. I hope you’ll be as inspired as I was and steal some ideas to try in your own home.
With it’s glossy plaster effect walls, vibrant William Holland copper bath and striking black and white portrait, this bathroom exudes a sense of luxurious minimalism. The aged Moroccan style tiles give a sense of a warmer climate and the solid marble sink (picture follows after) brings grandeur to the room. Full to bursting with chic products and the warm glow of the wall mounted ship lights, this is a bathroom in which to unwind after a long day.
Lisa painted the base of her solid marble sink to match the feel of the walls and loves the amber glow it and the brass ship lights bring to the room.
In the main living room where the family gather to watch tv, a metal tile effect wall paper from Rocket St George makes a stunning setting for a pair of old Victorian pub doors. These open up into the adjoining rooms when more space is needed. Lisa first fell in love with metal tiles during a trip to NYC where a restaurant ceiling was covered in them, it’s costly to track down the originals, however, this wall paper is very convincing. The main feature on the wall is an African headdress, a nod to John’s South African heritage. Fairy lights on a antique Armoire bring a cosy glow and the old Chesterfield is a practical, solid sofa in a household of three sons and a dog. I love the stack of pictures and prints against the wall, despite the lack of space to hang them, they add interest and layers in a room bursting with ‘look at me ness’.
Collages of family photos are a lovely way to bring warmth and humour into a room. This and other pictures are propped against the wall on an antique haberdashery shop unit which was intended for the bedroom but at 2.5 metres long it refused to go upstairs and now provides great storage in the living room. Every surface is covered with trinkets and collectables found by the couple on their travels. The large gilt mirror makes the room feel bigger and gives a sense of faded grandeur.
Texture plays a big part in John and Lisa’s interior design and an invitingly, squashy sofa looks chic set against this ‘outdoors-inside’ wooden wall sourced from a barn in Romania. The chandelier is from South Africa and made by local women using clay beads. An eclectic collection of cushions and a framed print by a fellow make-up artist found on Etsy, give this very organic room a feminine feel – somewhere to read and chill out.
A clever use of space, the summer house at the rear of the garden doubles up as an office for John and a bedroom with en-suite for their eldest son. Lisa’s bunting is an all year round feature and again brings a feminine touch into a predominantly masculine household.
Found at Costco, the pizza oven is a family favourite and makes a great feature in the garden.
The dining table has been in Lisa’s family for many years and when her sister passed it on to her she painted the underside and legs to fit with her kitchen’s light and airy feel. Believing dining tables shouldn’t be precious, it gets a little tlc by way of sanding and waxing every few years to refresh it. The table chairs are Ercol finds and together with the hit of green from succulents, cacti and the illuminated, vintage pub sign, the kitchen-diner combines a chic, modernism with practicality.
Yes they’re back in Vogue. A drinks trolley makes a wonderful addition to any entertaining space and for Lisa, this is a throwback to her childhood in the 70s. Friends bring the bottles and she collects the antique glassware from charity shops
These taps made out of copper piping by John, give an industrial feel to the sink area and were relatively cheap to make, another clever way to bring individuality to the home.
A chandelier and old French shutters lead into the kitchen, but it’s the scaffolding shelves on the right hand side that I’m obsessed with, they transform utilitarian materials into something totally unique whilst nodding to their former use.
Lisa, John and Rudy the Welsh Terrier.
To get the look, take some time out to trawl through the US and UK eBay sites, remember if you have something specific in mind it may take months to track it down, but it WILL be worth it; http://www.ebay.co.uk/cln/curationteam1/industrious-construction/91055082019
Topps Tiles – a budget friendly way to keep costs down whilst still finding interesting tiles for kitchens and bathrooms. Lisa used the FS Canterbury Tile; http://www.toppstiles.co.uk/tprod44528/section887/fs-canterbury-tile.html
Try Rocket St George for wallpapers, shown here Brooklyn Tin Tiles Wallpaper 01; http://www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk/brooklyn-tin-tiles-wallpaper—01-14374-p.asp
For brass ship gangway lights try http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/400971061836?adgroupid=13585920426&hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=pla-131843280786&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&googleloc=9046118&device=c&chn=ps&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80
For outdoor pizza ovens try http://shop.vitcas.com/outdoor-pizza-oven–vitcas-double-casa-196-p.asp?gclid=CMeqwtm_8soCFeYK0wodUBcD8g
For quirky pictures and illustrations check out; https://www.etsy.com/listing/201294408/masked-print-from-original-watercolor?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=illustration&ref=sr_gallery_17
Fashion & Style Director Shelly Vella
Photographs John Rowley