IN THE BALANCE
25 Beautiful Homes|October 2020
Traditionalist Emma Barrat and her modernist-loving husband Ben have merged their tastes in a timeless interior where old and new sit together with perfect poise
SERENA FOKSCHANER
IN THE BALANCE

Growing up in the contemporary newbuilds developed by her father, Emma Barrat yearned for roll-top baths and a rustic kitchen complete with an Aga. Her husband, Ben Gilbert, prefers Crittall, polished concrete and open-plan industrialism. So how did this result in a family home where crystal chandeliers, restrained joinery and light-filled spaces dovetail in a confident marriage of past and present?

The couple moved here from an apartment in a converted art deco factory, which was a concession, Emma says, to Ben’s modernist leanings. Then the first of their two children arrived, and toys and trikes brought colour and chaos to the streamlined space. A tip-off from Ben’s brother led them to this Edwardian semi-detached house in west London. After years in the capital’s teeming centre, their first visit felt like an excursion to the country. ‘I saw a tree-lined street and a spire on the horizon, and everything felt right,’ says Emma.

This story is from the October 2020 edition of 25 Beautiful Homes.

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This story is from the October 2020 edition of 25 Beautiful Homes.

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