As a keen horticulturist, Claire Denyer White’s ideal home office would naturally have overlooked the garden of her newly purchased 1930s home, in South London, that she shares with husband, Trevor, and children, Beth and Michael. However, with space at a premium on the ground floor, she reluctantly had to settle for a small upstairs box room with street views. ‘Being northfacing it wasn’t the sun-filled space I’d envisaged, but I was determined to make it my own, thanks to a little botanical input!’ she says.
STEP ONE Claire’s first task was to strip the room of its dated wallpaper and tired carpet. ‘Sadly removing layers of paper, including a woodchip top coat, took its toll on the ageing plaster – especially around the bay window,’ recalls Claire. So rather than spend days trying to make good the crumbling walls, the couple decided to simply re-plaster throughout and also took the opportunity to repair and reinstate a section of broken picture rail. ‘Trevor would have quite liked to get rid of the rail all together, but I think it adds character to the room – plus it makes hanging pictures much easier,’ says Claire. A new efficient, space-saving, vertical radiator was also neatly tucked into one corner, leaving the room ready for Claire to plan her décor.
Left by the previous homeowner, the generous 1930s desk provides ample storage and surface space for both paperwork and collected treasures