One of a kind

Carl Fitzgerald turned a bland space into a tailor-made home for him and his daughters – with a little professional help

- SEÁN O’CONNELL

Carl Fitzgerald had been looking for a property in a part of south-west London he loved, when a friend saw a promising house come on to the market. ‘It was in a quiet spot but conveniently close to the high street,’ says Carl. With its elegant rooms, abundance of windows and original features, the Victorian terraced house surpassed his expectations, prompting him to put in a bid, which was successful.

The house had been renovated by a developer and was structurally sound, which was an important consideration for Carl. ‘Having two young daughters, Helena, eight, and Amelie, five, buying a property that needed major building work wasn’t an option,’ he says. ‘With this house, I could direct my budget towards personalising the interior, which was quite bland and unsophisticated.’

Although Carl had an idea of what he wanted, he recognised he would benefit from professional advice and a friend recommended interior designer Gemma GordonDufffrom Gordon-Duff& Linton.