SMART move

Emma Wilson opted to transform her short-on-space childhood home into a practical, multitasking house that doesn’t skimp on style

- RACHEL LEEDHAM

When her mother passed away, leaving her the small family home in south London, Emma Wilson’s original plan was to renovate the house in order to rent it out or sell it. But having appointed architect and friend Oliver Browning, as well as interior designer Lara Clarke, to transform the outdated property, it began to dawn on Emma that she wasn’t prepared to let go of the house. ‘This is my roots – it is where mum and I had lived,’ says Emma. ‘Talking to Oliver and Lara, I realised we could create a home that was bespoke to my family. It felt incredibly exciting.’

The terraced cottage was originally built for rail workers, and when Emma lived there with her mother, it had just two bedrooms. Oliver came up with plans to extend into the roof to create a further two bedrooms and a bathroom, while on the ground floor an extension to the side and back of the house enabled the creation of an open-plan family kitchen. Lara further enhanced the plans by suggesting a main suite arrangement on the first floor, complete with a walk-through dressing area. ‘These changes have transformed the way the house gets used,’ says Emma.