A LITTLE BIT RETRO...

...a whole lotta soul - this fabulous family home blends a modern-rustic aesthetic with 70s vibes

- MARY WEAVER

Relocating from a rustic house, built from logs on 15 acres opposite a forest in Canada, to a Victorian townhouse with a postage stamp-size garden in southwest London is a bit of a lifestyle change, to put it mildly. "Yes, it was quite a culture shock," laughs Krista Hargrave, who made the move with her family when husband Eric's private equity job brought them to the capital.

"The children were only six, five and three and they had never even walked on a busy street," she adds.

"We chose a leafy, gentrified area and gradually adjusted, escaping to the countryside when we could." Once the family knew the move was permanent, they bought this spacious family home, previously renovated 15 years ago and set over four floors. "In terms of its open-plan layout it was perfect for us," she says, "but design-wise it was the antithesis of our dream home."