Highgate Victorian Villa: Full Interior Transformation

A grand five-bedroom Victorian villa near Highgate Village presented significant decorating challenges due to its scale and period features. The property had imposing 12-foot ceilings throughout, original cornicing in every room, and elaborate plaster ceiling roses that had suffered years of paint build-up. Previous decorators had used poor-quality vinyl emulsion that was yellowing and peeling, particularly in the reception rooms and master bedroom. The client wanted a complete interior transformation that would honour the Victorian character while creating a cohesive, contemporary palette suitable for modern family living.

Key Challenges

We began with a thorough room-by-room assessment, documenting every piece of original plasterwork and identifying areas requiring repair. Our specialist plasterer restored damaged sections of cornicing in the drawing room and repaired hairline cracks in ceiling roses using traditional lime plaster techniques. All surfaces were meticulously prepared — old paint was stripped from woodwork, walls were washed, filled, and sanded through three progressive grits. We selected Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion in Elephant's Breath for the principal rooms, creating a warm, sophisticated backdrop that complements the period architecture beautifully. All woodwork including skirting boards, architraves, window frames, and door casings was finished in Farrow & Ball Pointing in Estate Eggshell, providing a subtle warm-white contrast. Bedrooms received individual colour treatments while maintaining the cohesive palette. The hallway and staircase were painted last to avoid traffic damage, with dust sheets maintained throughout to protect the client's furnishings.

Project Approach

Project Gallery

Drawing room with restored cornicing in Elephant's Breath

Master bedroom with period features

Detail of restored ceiling rose and woodwork in Pointing

Services Provided