'I'm Not Afraid To Add A Little Drama!'

Emma Gurner bought this Victorian semi from a builder midway through a refurb, so she was able to start the entire décor again from scratch in her own bold and unique style.

- Andrea Childs, Vanessa Richmond

Begin with a confident statement

The starting point for Emma’s family room was the wall unit, which she designed herself and had built by a carpenter. Its front panels are copper sheets, which Emma treated to give a distressed finish. Plain white walls let it steal the show.

When it came to finding a house in north London with her husband Rob, Emma Gurner took a single-minded approach. ‘I love period properties the high ceilings and gorgeous windows create great spaces to decorate, as well as live in,’ she says. ‘When we were looking for our family home, I narrowed it down to one area, then one street, and then literally knocked on doors to ask who was selling.’ Eventually, Emma struck lucky. ‘This house was owned by a builder who was mid-renovation,’ she says. ‘We negotiated a buying price that meant he would stop any work and we could move in immediately.’