FINE TUNING

Once a bachelor’s pad, Sarah and Harry’s terraced cottage is now a beautiful family home courtesy of a few big and small design tweaks

- JULIET BENNING

HOME TRUTHS

THE PROPERTY Victorian terraced cottage

LOCATION Southwest London

ROOMS Double sitting room, snug, kitchen-diner, two bedrooms, two bathrooms

PURCHASED 2013

PREVIOUS PROPERTY 'This was originally Harry's home, I moved in and then we decided to do the work,' says Sarah.

It all started with curtains that had been overlooked for years but which finally triggered an interior design upheaval for Harry and Sarah. In the bedroom, Harry had inherited these yellow, flowery curtains from the previous owners and had lived with them for years,' says Sarah. I'd been complaining about them ever since he moved in but every time we went to choose fabric both of us were so indecisive, we realised we needed someone to help. That someone turned out to be interior designer Olivia Emery (oliviaemery.com), who was recommended through the pair's builder.