A Victorian villa that had lost many of its original features has been given a second chance
Even the most experienced of interior designers might have felt a little intimidated by the sheer scale of the work required by this commanding semi-detached villa in the west end of Glasgow. Margot Paton, founder and design director at Chelsea Mclaine Interior Design, however, was quite unfazed. A long-standing relationship with the owners made her confident she knew exactly how to tackle the enormous renovation project.
Her task, though, was far from straightforward. The property didn’t capitalise on the natural light and was full of gloomy, dark-stained wood. The Victorian layout did not lend itself to modern family living. “And there were few original features left in the place,” she recalls. The broad and all-encompassing brief was to create a home that was both elegant and functional, where the high-quality craftsmanship would endure for decades, but where you would enjoy your surroundings and not be frightened to use the furnishings.
The first big decision was to alter the layout of the hotchpotch of rooms (including five bedrooms) to better serve the occupants. On the ground floor, the rooms were essentially switched from the rear of the building to the front, since that’s the elevation that gets the sun and the views. It was a big undertaking, says Margot, but the results have confirmed that it was the right move to make. “It’s quite unusual to have the kitchen at the front of a house like this,” she says. “This would normally be the dining and drawing rooms. But we wanted the house to make an impact as soon as you stepped through the front door.”
This is just a taster, you can browse the full article with more stunning photography on pages 172-184, issue 101.
DETAILS
Photography Neale Smith
Words Catherine Coyle
