the big surprise

On the outside it’s a Victorian villa, on the inside Elizabeth and Keith’s home is a celebration of loft-style living

- Amy Moorea Wong

a space that lets its walls – and other surfaces – do the talking, Elizabeth Van den Berg’s family home is all about materiality. Swathes of concrete, patterned parquet, aged bare brick and high-shine lacquer mean that it’s the building itself that’s the most decorative element of the space, with Elizabeth banishing clutter in favour of a few well-selected complementary objects. ‘I love honest materials,’ she says. ‘I like seeing what things are really made of and how they age.’ Metal elements suffuse the house, accenting almost every room with a muted sheen, from the bespoke bronze balustrade and the monumental shelves lining the study to oversized kitchen handles and detailing on furniture.