Cotham Family Home
Location: Cotham, Bristol
Project type: Residential interior design
Our founder’s former family home, this project was driven by a desire to reflect the architectural history of the space, carefully balanced with modern interventions for everyday living. The renovation reimagines both the kitchen and main living areas, restoring character where it had been lost while adapting the home for contemporary family life.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen blends the rustic warmth of farmhouse design with Georgian-era symmetry and proportion. A modern interpretation of a Shaker kitchen combines simplicity and functionality with natural materials and carefully selected vintage pieces. Soft, muted tones and clean lines create a calm, inviting atmosphere, while each element retains its own distinct presence.
Despite a low floor-to-ceiling height, the space feels open and generous. Light-reflective surfaces, thoughtful cabinetry proportions, and strategic storage solutions maximise both light and functionality, creating an airy, practical kitchen without compromising style.
A reclaimed wooden table anchors the room, designed for prepping, socialising, and dining. Encaustic cement tiles with a green stripe pattern add visual interest to the cooking area, echoed by industrial green pendant lights that introduce a subtle contemporary edge. Neutral textiles — a sheepskin throw, jute rug, and seagrass lampshade — bring warmth and texture.
The living room was once the home’s focal point, originally rich with Georgian detailing such as ornate cornicing, ceiling medallions, and a decorative fireplace. Over time, these features were removed, leaving the space flat and disconnected from its heritage. A central goal of the renovation was to restore these traditional elements without making the interior feel dated.
Finding the right Victorian fireplace surround was key, balancing authenticity with a modern aesthetic. Reclaimed tiles laid in a diamond pattern link the hearth to the kitchen, creating visual continuity across the home.
The colour palette was chosen to revive the Georgian features while introducing a fresh, modern feel.
Artwork was carefully selected to harmonise with the walls, creating a cohesive atmosphere throughout the interior while adding history, depth, and character to the home.
These tones flow through the hallway and adjacent office, linking the spaces, while new colours are also introduced, giving each room is given its own distinct identity.
The original wooden flooring had previously been carpeted over, and was in poor condition. The floors were relaid with a darker varnish to mimic a traditional Georgian living room design.
The furniture and finishes were selected to interact with each other in the space through their colours, textures and shapes. A late Georgian/early Victorian cabinet and reclaimed architect’s chest created practical and elegant antique features, and a suede sofa and chair added a modern and casual edge.
