Home Color in the interior LIGHT FANTASTIC

LIGHT FANTASTIC


Julie and Alan Moyle brightened a gloomy "city townhouse with a redesign inspired by their native Australia.
Eleven years ago, when Julie and Alan Moyle relocated to London, they were hoping to find a home reminiscent of those in their native Australia. Comingfrom Melbourne, were used to open - plan living, with access to outdoor spaces and plenty of sunshine; not an easy combination to find in London, Julie smiles. Eventually we found the answer: a basement apartment with direct access to a large, private communal garden - a real oasis in the city. So we made that our first home in London, knowing wed move somewhere more spacious in the future.

 

LOOKING FORA LARGERHOUSE
Since then the growing family has occupied properties on each of the three roads bordering that garden, the most recent being a Victorian town house. We needed more space and always dreamt of having a whole house situated on the communal garden but, being fairly few in number, theyre extremely sought after, explains Julie. "Wed tried looking at a couple of houses elsewhere but the children didnt want to leave their friends and the freedom and security the garden provided. When this house came on the market, despite the dated 1980s interior and rabbit - warren layout on the ground floors, we snapped it up.
Julie trained as an interior designer in Australia and London, and has never been daunted by a project. I saw the potential and knew immediately what could be achieved, she says. The basement consisted of a long hallway on one side with doors leading to a small kitchen decorated in red chinoiserie wallpaper, and a dining room painted electric blue with a barred window overlooking an overgrown yard. Although dark and gloomy. I envisaged a light - filled open - plan kitchen, with combined dining and a family room, which would recreate the sort of easygoing, relaxed lifestyle wed enjoyed in Australia.

LIGHT FANTASTIC

DRASTIC CHANGES
Although an architect was involved in drawing up the plans, it was Julies clarity of vision that inspired the redesign. During the 10 months it took to renovate the house, the family remained in their old home nearby, allowing Julie to keep a close eye on the work being carried out. At one point, all that remained of the original house was the staircase/ she recalls. I remember standing amid the rubble in the basement and looking straight up through two storeys to the second floor where the master bedroom is situated!
Here, bathrooms connected to the bedroom were reconfigured to establish one spacious en suite bathroom and a dressing room. Apart from creating a utility room on the fourth floor - essential in any tall house to save carrying laundry down several flights of stairs - the bedrooms are pretty much as we found them. says Julie.
Once building work was completed, the couple had clear ideas regarding the decor. As the weather here can be a little depressing, enhancing and accentuating natural light was of paramount importance to me, she explains. That meant keeping wall colours and paintwork essentially neutral with colour coming from textiles, soft furnishings and the contemporary artworks that weve been collecting over the years. Choosing fabrics is always the really fun part for me. I can spend hours in fabric shops or trawling the internet looking for exactly the right shade or pattern.

 

A SOCIABLE SPACE
When it comes to furnishing, the family doesnt believe in spending a fortune. In Australia I used high - street stores because their sofas arc hard - wearing and not over - expensive, explains Julie. But I make an exception to that rule when choosing certain pieces of furniture - such as our dining tables - because theyre made to last.
Distinguished by elegant colour schemes and practical furnishings. Julie has created the perfect home to suit her familys needs. Our house is always full of friends and family but its the basement area and garden that people gravitate towards; she says. Its ideal for relaxed entertaining and the indoor/outdoor lifestyle reminds us of Melbourne. We wont need to move for a very long time - and anyway, the children would never let us give up their garden!


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