Starting Over

Natasha and Keren reworked a modest London terrace into a fabulous family home, eking out every inch of space with a radical eye for design

- Steven Efstathiou

Only two walls in the house were untouched by a hammer,’ says Natasha Freeman, referring to the exhilarating sweep of open-plan spaces that greet the eye when entering her remodelled home. ‘We like taking down walls!’ Hidden behind the period façade of a west London terrace, interlinking rooms dressed in soft tonal palettes, tactile textures and smart mid-century pieces are highly individualistic yet wonderfully complementary, giving this quintessential English setting more than a hint of embracing Scandi hygge.

But to achieve it all, Natasha and her husband, Keren Mitchell, had to rip the house apart, almost from top to bottom. ‘It wasn’t in a terrible state, but the rooms were pokey, with low ceilings and an unattractive extension located at the rear,’ Natasha recalls. ‘We also had a growing family to consider and we wanted to create as much space as possible for the children to be able to run around and play.’

Expertise was key, with Natasha and Keren drawing on a wealth of knowledge in property and interior design. ‘Both of our parents are in the property industry, so we’d been on sites since we were knee-high,’ says Natasha. ‘Plus, my mother has the best eye of anyone I know and an amazing flair for design.’