This Victorian house in Peckham has lived many lives. First a family home, it has also been a church hall, a social club – complete with bar, dance floor and snooker room – bedsits and even, at one point, a school. ‘People drive past and say, “I used to come here as a kid with my mum and dad,”’ recalls Matthew Giles who, with his wife Liza, is the house’s current custodian. The couple lived down the street for five years, so were in the right place at the right time when it went on the market. They moved in 16 years ago, baby and toddler in tow, and knew they’d found their forever home.
The building was structurally sound but had been heavily altered over the years so had lost any sense of coherence or identity. Luckily, their professions meant they had the skills to take on the project: Matthew runs his own architecture and interior-design practice, while Liza, before becoming a full-time artist (represented by Flowers Gallery in Mayfair) was art director at Designers Guild for 16 years.
‘The intention was not simply to renovate, but to give the building a new clarity and purpose – restoring it as a family home while introducing light, flow and a sense of calm continuity,’ says Liza. ‘We knew our needs would evolve over time as our boys grew, so the house needed to adapt with us.’
The front door opens into a generous entrance hall that looks straight through to the garden beyond. ‘We wanted to celebrate the house’s double width at this point,’ says Matthew. ‘The original layout, split by a central hallway, made it feel quite divided, so our aim was to create a stronger sense of lateral living by much better connecting both sides.’ They introduced two large sets of double doors that created clear sightlines into the adjoining kitchen, living and dining rooms.
The couple have tackled projects together before. ‘They are always a learning curve, but we make a good team,’ says Liza. Their approach is both architectural and decorative. ‘We wanted to restore the house’s character while introducing contemporary elements,’ explains Matthew.
Traditional cornicing and white marble fireplaces reclaim the house’s former elegance, sitting alongside more modern interventions, such as the green steel-framed garden doors – inspired by their favourite place in Marrakesh – and the marble kitchen island. The living room is shaped by the Parisian apartments Liza used to shoot in with Designers Guild, with their parquet flooring, antique fireplace mirrors and plasterwork. The hallway’s patterned tiles were influenced by the atmosphere of Moroccan riads: ‘A nod to the original Victorian tiles, but with a twist,’ she notes.
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The aim was to create a home that feels calm yet generous. Huge windows span the back of the house, drawing the green of the garden and the light in. ‘I’m a real sun worshipper,’ says Liza, explaining how a west-facing orientation was non-negotiable, ‘so you get that sunny glow on the back of the house. My happy place is in a kaftan with bare feet, wandering straight out onto the patio.’
Over the years, green tones have been replaced in the couple’s favour by a golden, warmer palette and they admit that they recently updated some ‘beautiful but uncomfortable’ designer furniture. ‘We’ve got to an age now where we need a bit more comfort in our lives!’ says Liza, laughing. Thick, bespoke Moroccan rugs and a huge golden ‘Tufty-Time’ sofa feel cosy in winter and sunny in summer. ‘Quite often there are about 10 16- or 17-year-olds on there!’ jokes Matthew.
While most rooms are white, bright and airy, over time one or two have been washed in colour. ‘Somebody said to me years ago, “Never try to fight and turn a dark room light,”’ says Liza. ‘The guest bedroom in the basement is probably the darkest, so we’ve gone with that and it feels rich, enveloping and cosy.’ Their favourite spot is a space by the stairs where a pair of comfortable armchairs overlook the garden. ‘We tend to sit there at the weekend when we’ve got time to read the paper with a coffee,’ says Liza. ‘That seems quite luxurious these days.’
The couple’s sons Elwood and Arlo are now teenagers and instead of muddy boots and scooters, ‘hundreds of huge trainers’ clutter the hall. The boys have a den in the basement known as ‘the HQ’. Liza says: ‘We always wanted to be that house where everybody would hang out. It’s nice because we know all their mates, and when they’re too noisy, we can shut the door and be peaceful upstairs.’ Although they love beautiful things, they never wanted their home to feel too precious. ‘If there’s a scuff on the wall or a mark on the floor, it’s just signs of life and a good time had,’ explains Liza. ‘Honestly, it’s a lovely house,’ adds Matthew. ‘We feel grateful to live here.’ Finally returned to its intended purpose and described by Liza as ‘part of the family’, the house must feel just as lucky. lizagilesart.com; matthewgilesarchitects.com
