A full renovation of a Victorian property

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If you are obsessed by tiles like we are, then you will absolutely love the home of @yvonne_loves_paris_and_kit on Instagram. The details are amazing and we adore the bold choices and individuality.

This home takes modern trends and twists them into a traditional style, which works perfectly in this Victorian home. There is so much inspiration in this home....head over to their Instagram page if you want to see more!

We catch up and find out about this amazing renovation project and more importantly....where they sourced the fabulous tiles! Thanks so much to @yvonne_loves_paris_and_kit for the images and renovation advice!

Tell us about your home and renovation project?

My husband didn’t even want to see the house but I used to walk in the neighbourhood and knew I wanted to live on the road which was full of old characterful Victorian houses. So whilst pregnant with our second son we did the classic let’s move!

The most amazing lily pad tiles

The house was built in 1880 and had only been owned by two families. The last owners were elderly and the house hasn’t been touched in over 30 years. But we walked in and fell in love. There were crumbling walls, really old bathrooms and a 1950s kitchen that was tiny, but practically every room had a fireplace, some original features remained and the staircase was beautiful though tinged with an orange hue.

We bought the house at the end of January 2018 and work started in May 2018. Initially we thought we would be in by September 2018 but we didn’t move in until April 2019. We had planned a rear extension to gain an open plan kitchen/living area and a refurb with new electrics and wiring. We completely underestimated the work and ended up stripping the house right back and spending over double our budget and we still have work to do.

The stunning open plan kitchen

What was the biggest challenge during the renovation?

Moving in with parentals with a newborn was hard all round for everyone. The amount of work and time was also really challenging. The house was in a conservation area and that also posed a lot of challenges and delays we hadn’t factored in.

We didn’t use interior designers so it was a huge learning curve and some mistakes were made which we now have to live with. It was also challenging working with trade and trying to get them to understand what we wanted and carry out newer things that they hadn’t done before. The finances were also incredibly challenging!

The dark wood is striking in this kitchen

We love the tiles throughout your home - where did you get the inspiration?

I absolutely knew I would use the Ca'Pietra Lily Pad tile since I first saw them on Instagram. The frugality putting them in her bathroom gave me the push to do it! I also loved the white hexagonal tiles which we used in part of one bathroom and I regret not being brave enough to write something in a black tile!

These hexagonal tiles are so beautiful mixed with the brass fittings

The hallway tiles were a huge risk. I went back and forth over lots of designs and initially wanted to get some from Bert and May but they were way out of budget! I spotted the tiles we used on good old Instagram again in someone’s bathroom. I managed to find a great company called London Encaustic via Instagram and drove out to meet the owner Steve. The next day I placed the order and the service was fantastic.

We had a tight turnaround as the tiler was leaving for Xmas holiday but we managed to get them in and down in time. Whilst we were waiting for them to come my husband also had a melt down as he thought I had ordered different tiles and said he hated the ones I went for. Luckily now they are in they are beautiful and the hallway is one of our favourite places in the house.

The stunning hallway - we adore this stain glass window in the door too!

What was your biggest indulgence for your new home?

The whole house is an incredible indulgence for us. However we definitely spent a lot on flooring, the kitchen and bathrooms.

The modern kitchen which is so simple

What do your friends say about your house now?

Our friends and family love the house. We’ve made bold choices but we went with what we loved even if it was not the norm. I am also blown away by comments from fellow Instagrammers and it encourages me to be more confident in my style

More amazing tiles!

What would be your advice for anyone starting a renovation?

Research research. Use Pinterest, Instagram and house magazines for inspiration. And have a strict budget in place and a contingency. Also trust your instincts. Importantly I would definitely move into a property if you can first and get a feel for the house before making any decisions. Having lived here for 4 months I’m already itching to change things we just finished.