‘It Was Hard To See Its Potential'

Pebble dash, flearidden carpets and thick layers of old paint and wallpaper were just a few of the challenges Kate and Tom Sessions faced in this house…

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Living room

Full, floor-length curtains make the pretty bay window the focal point and the warm grey tone from the fabric has been used to highlight the lovely deep skirting boards and ornate door frames.

BUY THE KEY PIECES Curtains made in Bosco, £105m; Bosco floor cushions, from £55 each, all Mark Hearld range, Sessions and Co

Tom and Kate were living in a small cottage in a busy part of London, but with job changes and a second child on the way, they wanted to be in a calmer location. The house they found needed a complete overhaul. With its pebble-dashed exterior and flea-infested carpets, it was hard to see the upside. ‘Luckily, we saw the house on a lovely day and the sun was flooding in,’ says Kate. ‘Even though it was in a complete state, the rooms were lovely and bright.’

They planned a top-to-bottom renovation, including a ground-floor extension at the back and side, to give them a bigger kitchen and a separate storage space downstairs. They also created a laundry room in the basement. ‘Getting the washing out of the kitchen meant shutting away all that mess and noise,’ says Kate. Her office is also on this floor, where she runs her lifestyle brand, Sessions & Co (sessionsandco.com).

Upstairs, they wanted to reconfigure the top two floors to give them three bedrooms on one and a master suite in the loft on the other. ‘Up at the top, it feels like a separate apartment we can escape to at the end of the day. By creating a dressing area on the landing between our bedroom and bathroom, it made the bedroom feel spacious and grown-up.’ Tom’s desk is also on the landing, with views over gardens to a church tower.