Urban Sanctuary
Living Etc Magazine|July 2020
Interior designer Rebecca Wakefield’s London terrace proves it is possible to create an oasis when you’re living with two under two
Leanne Amodeo
Urban Sanctuary

Going for the easy route when there is a challenge to be had? Definitely not something interior designer Rebecca Wakefield and her quantity surveyor partner Josh would do. Taking on a wreck that hadn’t been touched for 50 years was actually part of the game plan. ‘The fact that it was crying out for a total renovation appealed,’ says Rebecca. ‘The idea of ripping apart a house that was in reasonable condition just to turn it into my idea of a stylish home would go against the grain.’

The fact that Rebecca was pregnant with their first child, Jude, now two, and suffering terrible morning sickness didn’t dim her excitement or vision either. ‘I always design projects with the intention to make spaces feel calm, bright, and timeless – and this was the focus for my own home, too. I’m quite a high-octane person and where I live needs to be a sanctuary: somewhere restful and peaceful where my family and I can retreat,’ she explains. To better manage the renovation, Rebecca and Josh divided it into two phases.

The first involved the complete refurbishment of the upper level, along with the two ground-floor living rooms. New internal walls were installed upstairs, engineered oak chevron flooring was laid downstairs and the entire house was rewired and replumbed. It was important to both Rebecca and Josh that they restore their home’s Victorian charm so they reinstated features sympathetic to its era, after ripping out those that had been added during the 1950s.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM LIVING ETC MAGAZINEView all
modern extensions
Living Etc UK

modern extensions

WITH STRIKING USE OF COLOUR, MATERIALS AND SHAPE, THE LATEST DESIGNS ADD SO MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTRA ROOM

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
think like a pro
Living Etc UK

think like a pro

It's not just interior designers who are skilled at picking the perfect palette architects are in on the act, too, and Richard Parr knows just how to get the ideal shade

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
colour decoded
Living Etc UK

colour decoded

As with all successful schemes, there's much more going on beneath the surface of this space than first appears -Livingete's colour expert Amy Moorea Wong reveals all

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
enduring style
Living Etc UK

enduring style

B&B Italia has pioneered modern Italian furniture design since 1966 - but its latest collection feels as fresh as ever

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
Living Etc UK

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

Seventeenth-century origins meet vibrant contemporary design in a cleverly reimagined Amsterdam canal house

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
ROCK OF AGES
Living Etc UK

ROCK OF AGES

The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
FORCE OF NATURE
Living Etc UK

FORCE OF NATURE

An unexpected flood into what was already a dark basement flat prompted a new vision, full of light, natural materials and foliage

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
TOP OF THE WORLD
Living Etc UK

TOP OF THE WORLD

High above the busy streets of Bangkok, two talented designers have created a tranquil retreat that nods to chic 1970s style and makes the most of the views

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
A PLACE IN THE SUN
Living Etc UK

A PLACE IN THE SUN

An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
OUTSIDE IN
Living Etc UK

OUTSIDE IN

The design of this modernist bungalow in South Africa was dictated by the trees on the plot and the desire for an indoor-outdoor flow

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024