Classic Elegance

Dawn Oldham has filled her home with antiques and period details to give it character and style

- Maggie Colvin

The warm, welcoming aroma of Christmas spice fills the hall of Dawn Oldham’s London home. This elegant entrance was one of the features that eventually persuaded Dawn to put in an offer on the property more than 30 years ago. ‘Having a large hall in London, as opposed to the usual narrow corridor, made this place feel more like a country home,’ she says. However, Dawn admits that at first she was reluctant to buy somewhere modern. ‘I really wanted a period property, so when my estate agent suggested viewing this house, I wasn’t keen,’ she explains. ‘I didn’t like the glass porch and plastic windows and found it difficult to imagine how I could improve it.’