ABOUT THIS TOUR
HOME TYPE: Townhouse
LOCATION: Highgate, London, United Kingdom
STYLE: Eclectic, Traditional
BEDROOMS: 4
SQUARE FEET: 1879
Cheylene Thongkham explains that this 1879-square-foot townhouse had last been renovated in the late 1990s or early 2000s. “It was in decent condition overall, but felt very dated. The bedrooms were painted in lilac, orange creamsicle, and lime green. The entryway was textured and the kitchen featured glossy forest green cabinetry and faux yellow brick walls!” she begins.
“The entryway wallpaper is a stunner,” Cheylene writes. “It makes such a bold and beautiful statement from the moment you step foot in the house. I absolutely love coming home to it every day.” Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
After a year and a half, Cheylene describes the home she shares with her partner Andy, his three boys (ages 14, 12, and 8), and a 4-year old cockapoo named Greg, as a space with “traditional staples” and “fun and colorful twists.” It’s also inspired by Arts & Crafts design.
Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
“This is our first home together as a blended family. I really wanted it to look and feel special for everyone,” Cheylene writes. “When designing the rooms, I kept three things in mind: Keep it durable (a must with three boys!), keep it thrifty (we didn’t want to spend too much), and keep it FUN. It’s all still a work in progress, but we feel very much at home here.”
“When we moved in the kitchen featured mottled, glossy forest green cabinets with silver cabinet hardware and a matching forest green floor,” Cheylene explains. “We didn’t want to fully renovate the kitchen so I spent several VERY long nights covering the kitchen cabinets in sage green vinyl wrap (so frustrating and tedious) and covering the floor in vinyl floor stickers. We also custom built our dining table, which somehow managed to fit up to eight in a very small dining space.” Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
“I’ve worked in tech my whole career, but am a creative spirit at heart,” she continues. “I love taking different colors, patterns, style, and textures, and trying to blend them all into a cohesive space. The house’s strong architecture serves as such a great anchor, I feel like you could do pretty much anything in here, and it would look good.
Related: Extended Tours: Brooklyn House Tours / 3 Brooklyn Apartments with Genius Small Space Design Ideas
Resources
Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
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Entryway Paint — Dulux “Indigo”
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Living Room Paint — COAT Paints “The Trail”
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Living Room Wall mural — Dunelm
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Dining Room Paint — COAT Paints “Pampas Grass”
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Kitchen Backsplash — Claybrook Tiles “Fellini Oliva”
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Kitchen Cabinet Wrap — DC Fix “Sage Green”
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Bedroom Paint — COAT Paints “Mindful”
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Boy’s Room Paint — Dulux “Vast Lake”
Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
FRONT ROOM
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Wooden Furniture — Free from the side of the road!
Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
LIVING ROOM
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Rocking Chair — Hand-me-down from friends
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Sideboard — Free from the side of the road!
Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
DINING ROOM
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Painting — From Andy’s mum’s attic
Credit: Cheylene Thongkham
BEDROOM
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Side Table — Came with the house
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Side Table Lamps — Dunelm
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Curtains — Curtains2go.com
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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Further Reading
Before and After: Black and White Paint Covers Up a Wood Paneling Kitchen
These Modern Furniture Stores Are Making Us Rethink Our IKEA Loyalty
