Our House Renovation: Part Two
Before this house, we rented for years. Buying our first home in our forties felt huge for us, and honestly, I think there’s sometimes unnecessary pressure around timelines when it comes to home ownership.
So if you’re still renting in your thirties, forties or beyond, I genuinely don’t think that’s something to feel behind about. Life looks different for everyone now, and getting onto the property ladder, especially in places like London, is no small thing.
When I first shared our renovation journey, we had transformed the downstairs quickly to make the house feel liveable. It was calm, functional and finally felt like ours, but there were still bigger plans waiting in the wings.
This house was never the “dream home” I’d imagined in my head. I’ve always pictured a period property on a tree-lined street with oversized windows, endless charm and a huge south-facing garden. But when you’re balancing budgets, practicality and family life, potential becomes more important than perfection.
What made this house special from the beginning was that it gave us a foundation. For the first time, the kids could choose their own paint colours and room themes, and slowly it started to feel like a real family home built around us.
Since then, the most significant change has been the loft conversion, which has completely transformed how we live in the house. Adding that extra floor has given us the breathing space we knew we’d eventually need as a family, while also allowing the rest of the home to work more intentionally.
What I’ve learned through this process is that renovating in phases can actually be a gift. It gives you time to live in a space, understand what you need, and make better decisions the second time around.
Stairs, Hallway & Intricate Details That Make All The Difference
One of the details that quietly transformed the house was updating the staircase and all the floors. We used ‘Mineral Grey’ colour flooring from Woven & Woods (located in Richmond) which softened the space instantly and added a Scandi feel. We also installed a Crittall style door from MAR Wood Flooring to separate the hallway and living room.
The railings were finished in black metal, with the banister painted in Little Greene ‘Jack Black’ for definition.
This light was custom made by Dowsing and Reynolds, based off this pendant. I selected black cord in different lengths, and extra large see-through round bulbs. Our dining table chandelier was from The House Lights and spotlights were from amazon (we got these before discovering Dowsing and Reynolds!)
For the downstairs hallway flooring, I decided to go quite bold with black-and-white marble tiles. I’ve always loved the classic, dramatic feel of old hotel lobbies like The Ritz London, and that look has inspired me for years.
We sourced the tiles from Fired Earth and went with the Chequers Court design in black and white, which completely transformed the entrance. It instantly gave the hallway more character and brought in that slightly boutique hotel feel I wanted from the start.
Looking back, I think entrances are one of the most overlooked parts of a house. They set the tone for everything else, and adding panelling alongside the flooring made the whole space feel far more considered and finished.
Throughout the house, many of the finishing touches came from Dowsing & Reynolds; I’ve admired their fixtures for years because they manage to make practical details feel genuinely design-led.
We used a mix of their lighting, switches and hardware throughout the house, and I think those finishing touches make far more impact than people realise. They have such a good range of colours and metal finishes, so it’s easy to find something that works with the overall aesthetic of your home without it feeling too trendy.
In the end, we went with antique brass switches with black inserts, which added a subtle warmth and a slightly more elevated feel without being overly flashy. Those smaller details really helped tie everything together.
Colour Palette & Painting
The master bedroom and guest room, we used Paint & Paper Library’s Slate III: a soft, grounding neutral that shifts beautifully with the light.
Downstairs, the living room remains painted in Little Greene’s Slaked Lime Mid, which still feels like one of the best decisions we made. It has that warm, flattering softness that works in every light.
In the hallways, we layered deeper tones using Paper & Paint Library Slate II on the walls, with Slate V on all of our skirtings and doors to add subtle depth and contrast.
The hallway coat/shoe wardrobe was all spray-painted in ‘Slaked Lime Deep’.
The Loft Conversion
The loft has become the biggest upgrade to the house so far. ChatGPT was my best friend throughout the whole renovation and helped bring all my ideas to life!
Rather than simply adding square footage, it’s changed the overall flow of the home and created a sense of calm upstairs that we didn’t have before. We also decided to replace the entire roof while the loft conversion was happening. Since all the scaffolding was already up, it felt like the smartest time to do it rather than dealing with the disruption again later on.
With the windows, if I’m keeping it real I have no idea where they were from. The builders ordered them. In the end we went with Simply Loft company. I cannot vouch for them 100% as we simply heard about them on the radio and hired them, I think it depends entirely on the team you are assigned. Our team was good, however, there were too many issues along the way (delays, broken tiles, no-show days, etc), but we got there in the end!
The wooden shutters and curtains were from Dunelm, and honestly they ended up looking far more expensive than they were. There are lots of options and you can order swatches to see what fits best with your home.
For the flooring and walls in the ensuite loft bathroom, I went with Porcelain Tiles. I wanted something with the look of marble, but not the obvious or overly mainstream option. The result feels timeless, clean and luxurious without trying too hard. I ended up going with ‘Grande Marmi in Capri’ range. We ordered a 1200 x 2800 slabs which were massive! If you can get away with ordering smaller ones, I would definitely recommend it. I then paired it with ‘Argento Natural’ (light grey concrete effect tiles).
The bathroom vanity was a freestanding one from Aquaroc in ‘Smoked Oak’ and the hardware was all brushed brass from CP Hart. They have sales twice a year so we tried to get everything we needed during the sale, I heard the summer sale is coming very soon! The bathroom lighting was by Pooky, they have so many gorgeous options worth checking out. The rest of our light fixtures and pendants are by Dowsing & Reynolds and I can't recommend them enough!
The loft now houses our master bedroom, with built-in wardrobes designed by Josh from Lanview Carpentry to maximise every inch while still feeling streamlined and elevated. We still have a few finishing bits left to complete, like our bedside tables and a vanity desk, so hopefully those will be done at some point soon.
Top tip: if you’re having custom work done, try to get everything completed in one go if possible. Good tradespeople get booked up so quickly, and once they move onto another project it can be surprisingly hard to get those final details wrapped up.
For the wardrobes in the other bedrooms, my friend Clare recommended Sacha and his team at Wardrobe Village, who specialise in fitted wardrobes and he did a fantastic job too. Both use Egger materials, and if you’re ordering wardrobes I’d definitely recommend going for their higher-quality premium range - the codes starting with PM. We saw the cheaper options beforehand and the finish looked completely different.
The Family First Floor Bathroom
The family bathroom was another important project. As with everything in the house, I wanted it to feel practical first, but still design-led.
Similar to the loft, we used brushed brass hardware from C.P Hart throughout for warmth and contrast. The tiles were also from C.P Hart, we actually visited the warehouse to pick the perfect ones.
The vanity hardware was again from Aquaroc in ‘Smoked Oak’, which gave the room a more bespoke hotel-like feel. Bathrooms can easily become purely functional spaces, so I always think adding texture, warmth and considered finishes makes a huge difference.
Kids’ Rooms
The kid’s rooms were all about creating spaces that feel playful now, but can still evolve with them over time.
My Daughters’ room is painted in Farrow & Ball Scallop: a soft pinky-taupe that feels subtle rather than sugary. We also used curtains from Dunelm after I was quoted nearly £2k elsewhere for her room, which honestly shocked me a bit. The Dunelm ones were around half the price and made far more sense.
For my Sons’ room we went with Little Greene ‘Shallows’ with a contrasting wall in ‘Mid Lead’ to match his built-in wardrobes. I still love this combination, and found some great bedding from H&M which compliments the colour scheme perfectly.
Before and After!
Here are a few before-and-after shots that capture the journey of our renovation - from the original space to the transformation we’ve worked so hard to create. It’s been such a rewarding process seeing each room evolve and slowly come to life, with every detail helping shape the home we envisioned from the very beginning.
The Entrance Hall
BEFORE
AFTER
The Living Room
BEFORE
AFTER
Shelves in the Living Room
BEFORE
AFTER
The Upstairs Hallway
BEFORE
AFTER
My Daughter’s Room
BEFORE
AFTER
Renovating In Stages
The kitchen and garden are still to come, and I’m actually happy we waited.
Living in a house before making every decision gives you clarity. You understand how you move through the space, where light lands, what feels lacking, and what matters most. Not every room needs to be finished immediately.
Sometimes the best homes are created gradually.
Thank you for reading, and please feel free to ask anything in the comments or Substack messages!
Love, Erna x
You have done a beautiful job on this! 👏🏻 well done, you must be enjoying it
Absolutely stunning. Every detail feels intentional, and every corner has its own little moment...