Explore the Victorian home of Zulufish’s founder, Caroline Milns in Chiswick. Once an average 5 bedroom period family house, the Milns have transformed it into an exceptional, contemporary light-filled home with a substantial office that is both separate yet seamlessly integrated within the property.
The inspiration was timeless, contemporary elegance, with a serene palette. Colour in textures and accessories are included to create a warm and homely interior. Both Felix and Caroline wanted to create a home that was practical and would enhance their day-to-day living for their whole family (whilst being incredibly stylish of course!).
Making the most out of natural daylight is always a key focus. This was then combined with clever interior lighting schemes by mixing intelligent lighting with vintage finds to create a unique look. The mix of textural surfaces are key, and the refined architectural language creates a sense of calm throughout.
In the lounge, the polished plaster feature wall is paired with a rustic wood coffee table to give a luxurious feel with surprising twist.
HALLWAY
Patchwork tiles by Patricia Urquiola – one of Caroline’s big design inspirations – instantly add life and colour into the hallway. A touch of vintage charm comes from the quirky American post office cabinet at the end, which was picked up at an L.A. market.
The French Grey panelled hallway showcase the power of good joinery. “The joinery is like the backbone of the house, linking the rooms and making them feel joined up. Designing it is also really fun, as there are so many styles and it means storage can look unique as well as functional.” Caroline says.
LIVING AREA
The internal window, seen earlier from the hallway, allows light into the living area and opens up the space. It’s a clever element that avoids the dark narrow hall problem encountered by many homes.
KITCHEN
With understated luxury in mind, the kitchen’s scheme centres around a huge island, perfect for entertaining guests, complete with a white composite quartz worktop and pale-grey spray-painted cabinets. The hexagonal metallic splashback tiles are a stylish touch, giving a jewel-like finish to the the walls.
The kitchen and joinery pieces in the home were designed by HUX – Zulufish’s sister company, a market-leading joinery specialist run by Caroline’s husband, Felix Milns.
DINING AREA
Understanding the importance of lighting and how it can affect our health and wellbeing, were very much in Caroline’s mind as she created smart architectural solutions to allow as much light as possible enter the rooms. The roof window allows the dining area to be bathed in light while the modern chandelier makes sure the space is also uplifting in the evening.
SITTING ROOM
Within the open plan kitchen there is a cosy nook for a chic sitting room space combined with home bar. A modern feel with a vintage twist is created with the stunning vintage Roche Bobois sofa, upholstered in a smart boucle tweed pattern.
“With ‘staying in’ being the new ‘going out’, we wanted to create a real wow moment with a freestanding home bar, designed and built bespoke by HUX. The bar fits beautifully into the end of a wide space, hidden from the kitchen and dining space it really comes to life at night when the built-in lighting and antiqued mirrors add real glamour to the space.” Says Caroline
MASTER SUITE
In the master bedroom, a bright pink bedspread brings a shot of rich colour, proof that one or two statement pieces can transform a room. The dressing table area follows the same simple colour palette, adding great energy and interest. “I like a house to feel like a home, not a showroom.” Caroline adds. “My textile design background makes me passionate about texture, colour and items with provenance and heritage.”
The couple also designed this feature wall revealing bespoke floor-ceiling wardrobe built from spray-painted plywood – a prime example of modern British craftsmanship.
ENSUITE BATHROOM
Light, simple and modern was the brief for the bathroom. Milns’ passion for texture is evident all over the house, including this side of the bathroom by mixing up beautiful finishes in a neutral palette.
OFFICE
When the couple bought and remodelled their detached Victorian villa in Chiswick, they dug down into the basement to create a bright and spacious office for Zulufish and HUX. It’s a space, much like the rest of their home, which has adapted and evolved with their growing family and business.
Throughout the home, a sense of continuity and flow comes through in the choice of materials with layered tactile textures and bright bold patterns. Learn more about this timeless contemporary Victorian villa and other award-winning designs by Zulufish on our Project Page.
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