An Expert Eye

When faced with the challenge of turning a neglected villa into the home of their dreams, Katia and Philipp Wolf enlisted professional help

- Andrée Frieze

Katia and Philipp Wolf first saw their home and dreamt of living in it long before they actually came to own it. Located not far from where they were living at the time, the Twenties mock-Tudor house was well known in the area for its distinctive architecture, unusual history and allegedly eccentric past owners. Rumours about the house abounded locally: some people claimed that the Tudor panelling had been transported intact from a large 16th-century house in Sussex; others said that the house was a model from the 1926 Ideal Home exhibition. Intrigued by its history and legacy, when the house came on to the market in 2014, Katia and Philipp decided to take the plunge and buy it.

The couple wanted the space to be relaxed yet functional and in tune with the unusual architecture of the building. Updating the house to suit the needs of their family without sacrificing its unique character and style was a challenge, so they took the decision to enlist the help of an interior designer. ‘It’s such a special house,’ says Katia. ‘There’s a mix of stonework, Crittall windows, beams, joinery and architectural elements, and although I had a few ideas, I didn’t have the knowledge or the contacts to achieve them. I started looking around and eventually found Roselind Wilson. Happily, she understood and appreciated the house immediately.’