Name: Sarah Drinkwater, my husband, two cats and, soon, a baby!
Location: London, UK
Size: 2000 square feet
Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned
When we outgrew our old flat, my husband Stu and I found this place. The last owner had lived here for 50 years so it needed updating, but we loved the bare bones—especially how light the back of the house was. So we bought it, and gutted the house for a seven month renovation (we couldn’t afford to move out, so that’s a lot of packet noodles). We extended the back of the house to double the ground floor, moved the main bathroom upstairs and redid every single room.
Our kitchen extension: built on a budget in colors that make me smile.
(Image credit: Sarah Drinkwater)
What is your favorite room and why? Our gorgeous kitchen/diner. I spent 15 years living in rented London flatshares with terrible kitchens: sticky surfaces, uneven floors and cookers that burn everything. Even our first flat together had a tiny galley.
I collect colored glass from my travels: I have lived in India, Israel, Germany.
(Image credit: Sarah Drinkwater)
So in the renovation, we demolished the old lean-to kitchen and downstairs bathroom, and replaced them with a gorgeous open-plan kitchen diner, with a laundry room and downstairs WC opposite an internal courtyard. I love the bold color combination of orange and turquoise, and the sliding door we added that fully splits off the front and back of the house. The Crittall steel windows were our biggest extravagance but they make the dining table feel like it’s in the garden: so good for both dinners with friends and working from home.
We work in tech now but we both used to write – I love books and designed this bookcase myself.
(Image credit: Sarah Drinkwater)
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Colorful cozy mid-century modern
If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? Not much but I’ve always wanted a distinct hallway with storage. We added a wall to segment off the living room and create the illusion of a hall, and our amazing builder created a custom shoe storage unit under the stairs, but it’s not the same. One day…
Our sunny turquoise master bathroom (built-in shower behind).
(Image credit: Sarah Drinkwater)
Any advice for creating a home you love? Ignore the rules: people told me we’d get sick of our bright orange SMEG fridge and that navy and pink (our living room colors) don’t go together, but that’s just not true. Bold bright colors make us happy every day!
Master bedroom: Pale green walls, pale pink built-in wardrobes (not so visible in this light).
(Image credit: Sarah Drinkwater)
We absolutely love how it looks; it’s big enough for drinks, parties and dinners, but cosy enough for us and our cats, Dandy and Percy (and our first baby, due October 2018).
Thanks, Sarah!
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour & House Call Submission Form.
Round Two 