Mix It Up

Lolita Colenso confidently combined modern industrial touches with reclaimed pieces to bring loft-style character to an Edwardian property

- Amanda Russell

Lolita and Peter Colenso had both led busy lives before they had children, working in international development abroad. And when they decided to put down some roots, they wanted a family home somewhere fun and close to London. Brighton was perfect, but they soon outgrew the Victorian villa which was their first home. With two children, Louis, now 13, and Lara, 10, the couple began looking for somewhere new to live. ‘We were searching for a quirky home, and those aren’t easy to find,’ says Lolita. ‘But it was as if the chapel was waiting for us.’

The place was far from perfect, with a poky kitchen and small bedrooms. Yet Lolita, an interior designer, felt that with clever planning and styling she could sympathetically transform the unique building into a welcoming family home.