LIGHT relief

Leila and Ali Mestiri called in the experts to modernise their dated period property and make it bright and beautiful

- SEÁN O'CONNELL

Won over by the elegance of the Victorian terrace they viewed in west London, Leila and Ali Mestiri were under no illusions about the work that needed doing on it. The house hadn't been renovated for many years but, with its many original features, it had stacks of potential to become an ideal family home for the couple and their children, Rayan, four, and Ilias, two.

The house's poor condition was only one of many problems the couple wanted to address so they duly called on Mia Molato, who was in charge of architectural aspects and general renovation. One of Mia's first tasks was to deal with Leila and Ali's request for more openness on the ground floor.

The new reception room was created by removing a dividing wall, which my clients were happy to lose,' says Mia. 'The idea was to make a single space with two distinct functions at either end, which would also give more flexibility in the choice of furniture. The result is an eminently usable space with a sophisticated sitting room at the front and an informal snug at the rear.