Open House: footwear designer Adam Villa on his five-year, singlehanded restoration project in Eltham, south London

In July 2015, Adam, a footwear designer, and Emily, a footwear buyer, moved just down the road from their home in south London. Though they were not going far, the move would mark the start of a five-year journey as the couple transformed a handsome Edwardian terraced house into an elegantly organised contemporary home.

Remarkably, they were determined not to depend on tradesmen and, with the exception of his father-in-law, Adam undertook all the work on the house himself. From supplementing his DIY skills with specific training to working with local architects and negotiating planning permission, Adam takes us through the particular challenges of restoring a house from scratch by yourself.

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Adam: “We were always drawn to the idea of taking on a project that was left in a particular time. We struggle to look at a space curated by someone else and imagine adopting it as our own.

“We were first attracted by the double-fronted symmetry of this house – its proportions were perfect. The ground floor has ceiling heights of nearly 10ft, and the tall windows mean light is plentiful all year round – in the master bedroom it feels like there is a contemporary wall of glass despite the house being 120 years old.

“It was built as part of an estate designed by Archibald Cameron Corbett in the early 1900s and the houses have since become very desirable. With their large sash windows, there’s a uniform charm, and most retain the wonderful brick-built garden walls despite bombing during the war. There are also subtle differences in designs throughout the estate.

“We bought the house with the plan to convert the loft space and add a rear extension, and we wanted to push the design as much as possible. As a recently christened Royal Borough, we found the regulations were more restrictive than we anticipated, but as the extensions were never considered a part of the original house, they could be their own modern entity rather than replicating the Edwardian style.

“We employed an architect who was local, primarily to help us navigate working with the council because we knew what we wanted to achieve. The loft space required cladding in slate, as per the front elevation, and instead of opting for the standard vertical slates, we hung the slates horizontally – it’s a detail that I think really stands out.

“For the downstairs extension, we got permission to use timber cladding and chose shou sugi ban, a charred Japanese Accoya that is UV- and water-resistant. The colour helps to soften the appearance of the structure and compliments the yellow stock bricks.

“Inside we really left no stone unturned. We started from the top and worked our way down, with our daughter being born somewhere in the middle! There’s new wiring, plumbing, plastering and glazing throughout, and we replaced the ceilings on the first floor to maximise head space in the loft.

“With the extensions, the build took four years but it was just myself and my father-in-law working on the house. We had no help from tradesmen, though I did do some specific training, such as enrolling on a microscreed course to create the guest suite wet room.

“The fabric of the house remains very much of its original period with column radiators, parquet flooring, mosaic tiles, plinth blocks and architraves. We also reinstated the original fireplaces.

“A good interior should be fun and inviting but also retain the owner’s personality. As we love Danish design, all the furnishing decisions have leant towards the mid-century, though there are also eclectic, impulsive ideas that feel right for us.

“I often find myself sitting in the dining room and looking back into the house, as opposed to out at the garden. I like to see the fabric of the old house and consider how we cut into it. It has good contrast and flow.

“I think open-plan concepts have had their day. This is a family home, so it needs to perform as such. Period homes can be a romantic idea but without efficient central heating, glazing and water pressure, they can be a burden too. Now advances in technology allow us to use spaces differently.

“We completed the project during the first lockdown in March 2020, so sadly, we haven’t had many opportunities to enjoy the space with others. The kitchen was especially designed for entertaining – the island encourages standing while preventing the cooking areas from becoming too busy – though at the moment it is mostly used for hide and seek with our daughter.

“Given the lengthy lockdowns, the extra space has been invaluable, particularly with our need for home offices. These are in the two bay windows and, as we work a lot with China and India – so have to wake up early – the morning light helps lift our spirits.

“It’s a house that facilitates our lifestyle very well. Being mid-terrace, it’s very secure, and we can open the kitchen doors to let our daughter play freely outside.

“The cosy evenings in the lounge with the log burner roaring are the best. The room has large proportions and yet, with the muted colour palette, it feels very intimate.

“We thought this would be our forever home but, like everyone these days, we’re reevaluating our time and space, and found we had one more project in us.

“A more rural setting is appealing, perhaps something mid-century or even art deco to give us a new aesthetic to work with.

“We’ll miss the neighbourhood. We have created a lot of disruption over the years and they have embraced us throughout. The sense of community on this road will be very hard to replicate elsewhere. We hope whoever buys the house will cherish its history and the surroundings.”

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