Eclectic Row House in London

Tracey English fell in love with her family’s Victorian when she stepped onto the house. The home, a typical London row house within an eclectic suburban district of southwest London, has lots of windows — a blessing in light-hungry London. English claims that although all the homes on her street appear like the outside, behind every front door is something unique.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Illustrator Tracey English, her husband and their two boys
Location: Southfields, southwest London, United Kingdom
Size: 1,184 square feet
That is intriguing: The home is part of a historic and architectural conservation area within close proximity to the Wimbledon Tennis Club.

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English’s neighborhood celebrated the century-old homes in the region annually with a lively street party appreciated by the inhabitants, mostly professionals and families who chose the region because of its diversity and access to public transportation. “There’s a mosque nearby, so there are plenty of Muslim families. Additionally, there are a great deal of people out of other European countries,” says English, whose husband is from Germany.

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The home’s cobalt blue door sets it apart from a row of brown and black entries. “We changed the door color as soon as we moved in,” she says.

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An open floor plan to the floor level and crisp white walls create a sense of spaciousness and mild.

Chair: Knoll Barcelona, All Modern

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Massive bay windows, a manteltop mirror and varnished floors reflect light coming in from the street. The Lucite coffee table is a mellow addition to an area that unabashedly mixes patterns, decor and a collection of items the family truly enjoys.

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Old and new family photos, secondhand locates and tchotchkes decorate the home. This marionette belonged to English when she had been a child; it succeeds at the brink linking the dining area to the conservatory, a symbol of the people’ penchant for things whimsical and preloved.

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English and her husband updated the eat-in kitchen with stainless steel closets, new hardware along with frosted cabinetry. Spices, components and kitchenware are organized in containers however, are constantly visible and reachable. Dark blue vinyl flooring is an appropriate selection for splashes, spills and other inevitable happenings with kids.

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Here, the vinyl-to-wood flooring transition visually divides the cooking and preparation space from the dining room; the mix of modern chairs with modern high seats reflects a modern treasure — a family that still eats meals together in the table.

Table: Yo-Yo, Ligne Roset; high seats: Tripp Trapp, Stokke

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The second-floor loft was converted into two individual bedrooms. “Our boys appreciate having their own area; they love showing their particular toys,” she says. “They tell me [the loft] feels a bit like being tucked away somewhere, like an escape.”

Tracey English/One Apple Designs

Here, one of the boys loves the peace and quiet of the reading nook. Despite the low vaulted loft ceiling, the room is spacious and bright, thanks to two dormer windows.

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“The rooms are quite small from the home, hence the boys’ old room downstairs doubles as my husband’s rock-out music studio along with a spare room for guests,” says English.

Tracey English/One Apple Designs

Mannequins from English’s art college days flank the fireplace, a first from once the house was built. Vintage finds from Portobello Market, older family photos and silhouettes from the 1920s performed by her great-aunt make up the mantel vignette.

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English, an illustrator and also Etsy shop owner, works from home in a cozy office as broad as her work desk. “Everything I need is at arm’s length. From my seat I could see the street along with the day’s activities unfolding: school kids coming and going, people walking their dogs and also the postman delivering our mail,” says English.

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An gallery of the illustrations of English.

Illustrations: One Apple Designs

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The family bathroom accommodates everyone’s needs: The multitiered towel rack; wide, floating shelf; and big sink make it much easier for the boys to share the room with their parents.

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The garden garden homes a play drop for the boys and is home to their outdoor things. “We’re growing some pumpkins and tomatoes, but they are still seedlings at this point. We have some herbs, strawberries and a fig tree, but I’m afraid that short lived London summers don’t give trees time for fruit bearing,” says English.

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The family uses the conservatory as a play area along with media room; it bridges the outside to the interior. English plans to enlarge the kitchen into the conservatory when her sons depart the proverbial coop. For the time being, it remains as is — a place for the family to congregate.

“I adore this room,” she says, noting that viewing the sky from beneath the glass ceiling has been exactly what made her fall in love with the home in the first location.

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