Design for Life

Emma Emmerson used her creative skills to reimagine the interior of her home, filling it with a host of unusual touches

- Sarah Maber

Graphic designer and illustrator Emma Emmerson fell in love with her spacious Victorian villa in Hove as soon as she viewed it, but there was one obstacle – her husband, James. ‘I could see the potential of the space straight away,’ she says. ‘The back doors and fireplaces were boarded up, and the interior was really dark, but the original features and stained-glass windows were stunning.’

James, however, needed convincing. ‘He loved our old flat, which was right by the sea, and he thought this house looked dingy by comparison,’ says Emma. ‘But we needed a bigger property – we were running a business and had to have an office at home – plus, we wanted another baby.’ So they decided to take the plunge.