family home designed for living and working
The walls in the second guest room are a soft apple green, which mirrors the leafy view from the window. The duvet cover adds interest and pattern. In the corner, an armoire painted in a rich red adds an unexpected twist — a signature element of Kreussel’s decorating style. Vintage light fixture: Industville; wall paint: Cooking Apple Green, Farrow & Ball
A striking wallpaper covers one wall of her room. “My mum helped me to hang the wallpaper,” Kreussel says. “It was rather stressful as it’s a quite expensive paper, so I couldn’t afford to buy extra rolls. As such, we couldn’t afford to make any mistakes!” Charles Voysey Alice in Wonderland wallpaper: Trustworth Studios
The walls of the master bedroom are painted a soothing putty shade that was inspired by the decorating process. “When we took the existing wallpaper off, we revealed the plaster underneath,” Kreussel says. “I loved the color, so when I saw that Farrow & Ball did a color called Setting Plaster, I knew I had to use that on the walls!” Wall paint: Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball; chandelier: John Lewis
The second floor is now home to the master bedroom, daughter Penelope’s bedroom and a family bathroom. The master bedroom, shown here, is at the front of the house, in what used to be the living room. A large bay window faces out toward the sea, letting in plenty of natural light. The armoire is an antiques shop find, as are many of the pieces in the house.
A coat of leafy green paint on the walls and bookshelves on either side of the fireplace helped transform the space. The wall color creates a visual link to the yard and helps create a cozy feel inside. The gallery wall features photos and artwork, and the armchairs offer the perfect spot for a cup of coffee and a moment of peace and quiet. Wall paint: Breakfast Room Green, Farrow & Ball
A rustic pine table now sits in the center of the kitchen, providing a welcoming spot for family meals. “We wanted the table to be in the kitchen as we both love cooking and having friends over,” Kreussel says. “That’s a key thing for us, so I wanted to create a sociable kitchen space. This is my favorite part of the house now.”
Eighteen months after moving in, the couple started the kitchen revamp. The layout remained the same, but the bulky cabinet to the left of range was removed and slimmer cabinets were added, along with cheerful blue subway tile. There’s only one wall cabinet — a vintage piece that adds some character to the space.
The new living room is now bright and welcoming. It’s flooded with light thanks to the large bay window, which is neatly framed in gray shutters. The couple wanted to install shutters rather than curtains throughout the house, but the budget meant they had to tackle that in stages. “We knew exactly what we wanted,” Kreussel says. “We just had to be patient!” Shutters: Shutterly Fabulous; chandelier: Cox & Cox
In the basement, Kreussel and Godzisz have carved out space for a studio each, as well as a utility and storage room. When they first viewed the property, the door to the basement was locked and they couldn’t gain access, but they knew the space would have lots of potential. It was in a bad state, though — it needed new plumbing and electricity, the walls had to be replastered and the floor needed replacing. Basement renovation: Browns Carpentry and Construction
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