The Coach House Transformation: Part 1 – Crafting the Vision

After a decade of living in his beautiful Victorian Coach House, my client finally had the keys to ownership and big dreams for transformation. Having already secured planning permission and contractor quotes, he was ready to embark on a renovation that would completely reimagine how this characterful home functioned for modern living.

What excited me most about this project was the opportunity to work alongside the architect and contractor from the very beginning, ensuring that every design decision – from the structural changes right through to the finishing touches – worked in perfect harmony. With just six weeks to finalise all designs and specifications before the start date, this was going to be an intensive but thrilling collaboration. Let’s explore my design vision first, but keep an eye out for Part 2, where you’ll be able to see the fabulous results.

The brief

This wasn’t just about updating tired interiors – we were fundamentally changing how the spaces worked together. The client had already focused on landscaping the garden to create a stunning outdoor living area, but now it was time for the interiors to be worthy of that exterior beauty. The idea was to design a home that felt fresh, functional, and perfectly suited to contemporary life, while respecting its Victorian heritage. Beautiful original stained-glass windows would set our aesthetic direction, but we needed to solve some serious practical issues around storage, flow, and creating the sociable spaces that were currently lacking.

Kitchen/Dining Room: The heart of the home

This space presented our biggest opportunity. By opening up the kitchen to create a C-shaped layout with dining space by the window and stairs, we could finally give my client the entertaining space he’d been craving. The double-height ceiling offered wonderful potential for displaying artwork, while the new layout would create natural conversation zones. I envisioned engineered wooden flooring flowing throughout the ground floor to create that sense of additional space and warmth, paired with underfloor heating for year-round comfort. For the kitchen design itself, we needed maximum efficiency within the space constraints. We suggested pushing the dining table into the corner and creating a bespoke corner bench seating arrangement, perfect for more casual morning coffee and evening meals. 

Sitting room: Embracing Victorian elegance

This beautifully proportioned room centred around a magnificent fireplace was calling out for dramatic enhancement. The planned addition of windows either side of the south-facing fireplace wall would flood the space with light and enhance its character. My client needed space for a large book collection, which led me to suggest incorporating bookshelves around TV storage. This would not only disguise the television, but keep the fireplace as the room’s natural focal point. The door placement opposite the fireplace actually worked in our favour, naturally dividing the room into distinct areas. I could already see how the furniture layout would provide comfortable seating for four or more while maintaining the room’s beautiful proportions.

Master bedroom: Creating a personal sanctuary

Although more wardrobe storage was the focus for this space, the whole room needed better coordination. The plan to remodel the eaves provided the perfect solution to the lack of wardrobe space, and the carpeting needed to be renewed, as well as the palette and decorative schemes. We suggested centralising the bed placement to allow for proper bedside lighting and to create that symmetrical arrangement that makes a master bedroom feel truly luxurious. 

Bathroom: Working with architectural constraints

The sloping ceiling limited our layout options, but sometimes constraints spark the most creative solutions. Although the initial idea was to have a bath with an overhead shower in the middle of the room, this would require a small internal wall to house the shower pipework (nobody wants plumbing exposed in the middle of their bathroom!) The architect then suggested curving the wall into the second bedroom, but we needed to carefully consider how this would impact functionality. More thought would be needed to determine the best layout for this room, as well as the choice of materials, tiling, fittings and lighting.

Guest bedroom: From dressing room to dual purpose

Currently functioning as a dressing room, this space needed to transition into a proper guest room once we solved the wardrobe storage issues in the master bedroom. We wanted a sofa bed solution here to provide flexibility while maintaining the room’s functionality for everyday use. We also needed to consider storage, lighting, furniture choice and general decoration to make the room work for my client’s needs.

Hall, stairs, and landing: Connecting the spaces

Last but not least, remodelling of the spindles and balustrade, as well as a new carpet, were required for the staircase renovation. There was an opportunity to create a beautiful transition between floors here, with the addition of a gorgeous runner from Roger Oats and new dormer windows to improve the light throughout the upper level.

The design direction

I wanted to develop a palette that would honour the house’s Victorian heritage but that would also feel fresh and contemporary. The key was creating cohesion throughout while allowing each room to have its own personality. As a complete home renovation, it all needed careful coordination, with every decision having to work both individually and as part of the greater whole. The timeline was tight, but having all design specifications ready before construction began would make the contractor’s job infinitely easier.

The big reveal awaits

This project represents everything I love about interior design – the chance to completely transform how someone experiences their home while respecting its inherent character. Working as part of a collaborative team with architect and contractor means every detail can be perfectly coordinated. In Part 2, I’ll show you how this vision came to life, share the beautiful transformation photos, and let you hear directly from my client about his experience of the renovation process. 

Are you inspired to transform your own home? Whether it’s a complete renovation or refreshing a single room, I’d love to help bring your vision to life. Contact me today for a consultation and let’s discuss your project.

Nicky