Belgravia House

Belgravia Bungalow

Some houses ask for restraint. This one asked for the opposite. Nestled in one of the city's classic midcentury neighborhoods, this little bungalow belongs to a family who fills their home with music and art — and it deserved an interior with just as much personality. Our brief wasn't to smooth everything into a safe, neutral palette; it was to bring in color, texture, and a sense of play while still honoring the honest, boxy charm of its 1960s roots. No major removal of existing walls or open-concept, just original charm with a dose of personality.

Where we started

The house we inherited was full of good bones hiding under a lot of tired finishes. The kitchen ran on a bright orange linoleum floor that carried straight through into the hallway and bathroom, paired with a mismatched run of white cabinetry, a stainless steel rolling prep table standing in for a proper island, and a patchwork of appliances that had clearly been replaced piecemeal over the years. The main floor bathroom told the same story — dated flooring, countertops, and a footprint that felt more utilitarian than inviting. Nothing was broken, exactly. It just wasn't fun anymore, and this family deserved fun. A lot of it!

The kitchen: pistachio and vanilla cone

We gutted the kitchen and rebuilt it as what we've been calling the "pistachio and vanilla cone" kitchen — and once you see it, you can't unsee it. Soft pistachio-green cabinetry wraps the island and lower runs, playful without being precious, while crisp vanilla-white uppers and a rich walnut wall of pantry storage and panelled fridge, keep the palette grounded. A pair of mauve dome pendant lights hang over the island like a little exclamation point, and new herringbone oak-look flooring replaces the old orange linoleum with warmth and movement underfoot. No major new layout but somehow the space is now flooded with light and life that just wasn’t there before. The honed stone countertops and backsplash tie the whole room together with quiet texture, and who says you can’t hang art in the kitchen! This piece from a local artist found its perfect home.

It's a kitchen with whimsy— proof that "family home" doesn't have to mean playing it safe.

A dining room that keeps its roots

Just off the kitchen, the dining room leans into the home's midcentury bones rather than fighting them. The family's own teak dining set — with its sculptural, tapered legs and warm original finish — anchors the room, paired with a glass tube chandelier that adds a little sparkle overhead. A dusty mauve backsplash behind the new built-in cabinetry gives the space a jolt of color without overwhelming the vintage furniture, and fresh white millwork keeps everything feeling current. It's a room that respects where the house came from while giving it new life.

Bathrooms full of color

Both bathrooms got a complete transformation, and neither one plays it neutral. The main floor bath is wrapped in a moody terracotta ceiling and a deep rust-red window frame, paired with a black-and-white terrazzo-look floor, a floating grey vanity, and warm brass door hardware — a small space with a lot of confidence. Downstairs, the basement bath goes even further: rich ochre zellige-style tile climbs the walls, set against a dusty blush ceiling and walls, with a walnut slat-front vanity, a statement arched mirror, and a soft glass sconce that gives the whole room a warm, golden glow. It's a little jewel box tucked into the lower level — exactly the kind of unexpected, joyful detail this family's home was missing.

Connecting it all

Even the hallway got a refresh, trading tired carpet and scuffed walls for the same herringbone oak-look flooring that runs through the kitchen — a small move that ties the whole main floor together and makes the house feel considered from room to room, not just reno'd space by space.

The vibe throughout

What ties Belgravia together isn't a single color story or material palette — it's a willingness to let the house have a sense of humor. Pistachio and vanilla in the kitchen. Ochre and blush in the basement bath. Rust and terrazzo on the main floor. A refusal to default to "safe" just because a room is small. For a family whose home is filled with music and art, that felt like the only right approach: an interior with rhythm, some surprise, and plenty of room to keep expressing themselves.