KAIKAI

“I know what I like, but I can’t always afford it,” says interior designer Tiffany Brent-Smith. It’s a hazard of the job, particularly for Brent-Smith, who learnt her trade at the inimitable Sybil Colefax & John Fowler, and with its alumni, Vivien Greenock and Veere Grenney, where budgets for antiques and fabrics were vast, and everything was bespoke.

Fortunately, when decorating her own split-level Victorian flat in south-west London, Brent-Smith was able to draw on a career’s worth of design tricks, as well as her own remarkable talent for spotting pieces that cost little but look expensive. “I have a very good eye,” she says simply, of her envy-inspiring ability to find treasures wherever she looks.

The flat, which she bought last year, belonged to an elderly lady and hadn’t been updated since the Seventies. “It had commercial-style blue carpet, funny bathrooms, and was stuffed with so much pine furniture that you couldn’t see the parameters of the rooms,” recalls Brent-Smith.

On the other hand, it had an appealing wide staircase, high ceilings, original mouldings, and a large sitting room with a generous bay window. “My son and I had been living in rentals, some of which were very small. Here was something that could be a family home. And I liked the fact it needed a total strip out, so I could start from scratch.”

The building was also structurally sound, and Brent-Smith liked the layout. “I am not a fan of open-plan living; I prefer slightly more separate spaces.” This kept costs down, which was important as she was operating on a limited budget.

Colour was the starting point for the decorating schemes. “I love painting a hallway a bright colour,” she says. Here she has chosen Pale Lime by Little Greene, with woodwork in Pale Nutmeg by Dulux and Truffle by Paint & Paper Library. She was also mindful of the furniture and artworks she was bringing with her, and needed to find space in her new home.

“It’s a real range from vintage tables that I have brought from eBay or inherited, to pieces from staff sales at Sybil Colefax.” Art is an important part of creating a home for Brent-Smith, but she says, “none of it is what I’d call ‘serious’. Mostly it’s just things I’ve liked and had reframed.”

The kitchen

“A lot of people would have replaced the kitchen, but it was completely fine, with lovely old wooden worktops so I couldn’t see the point,” says Brent-Smith. Instead, she made minor modifications, including removing some of the wall cupboards, to make the space feel larger, and adding a glazed door lined with fabric to the boiler.

She then painted the cabinetry and changed the handles – a simple, easy, and inexpensive way to transform a kitchen.

For the floor, she chose monochrome tiles from Harvey Maria, and for the windows, a painted raffia blind from Habitat with a pelmet made from offcuts.

The dining area has just the sort of mix of high and low that Brent-Smith enjoys – a table from eBay and vintage chairs from Scene by Chloe. “The effect is a little bit countryside in London, which I like.”

The downstairs toilet

“I knew I wanted to use wallpaper somewhere in the flat, and this was the perfect spot.” The design she chose is richly patterned, but feels light and airy. It is reminiscent of Antoinette Poisson’s exclusive papers but comes from Sanderson – a more budget-friendly brand – and because of the room’s diminutive proportions, she only needed two rolls.

She has furnished it with a curved cloakroom basin from Burlington (“it was the smallest one I could find”), a mirror that cost £15 on eBay featuring pretty scrolls and leaf detail, a soap holder from Etsy, and a vintage light from Vinterior. “I added a little piece of perspex above the sink to protect the paper – it’s the sort of detail that makes a room feel considered.”

The living room

In the living room, Brent-Smith replaced the ugly electric fire with a wood-burning stove framed by a wooden mantelpiece from Facebook, which she painted in Cordoba by Little Greene, then embellished with tiles left over from her son’s bathroom. She also repainted the joinery on either side of the fireplace and changed the handles. “There is just no need to rip everything out.”

The large bay windows are softened with curtains and pelmets in a double-width fabric from Warwick, which matches the colour of the walls. “Warwick is an affordable brand, and double-width fabrics are a good way to save money when you need lots of material. But it was still a big expense. When I work with clients and assign a budget for window dressings, there is often a sharp intake of breath, but it is necessary to finish a room.”

The other big expense was the rug, which Brent-Smith sourced from A Rum Fellow. “I find one pricier item often brings a room together.” In contrast, the stripy armchairs are from Urban Outfitters, and the stools were £10 each from a bric-a-brac shop. “They are beautifully made with a good shape and proportion. I just changed the turquoise velvet upholstery for a Romo stripe.”

The guest room

“When you’re decorating a house, it’s important to consider how paint colours will look from one room to the next. I love how this purple-red looks next to the green and brown of the hallway.” It is also a foil to the headboard, which is upholstered in Eden Cardinal from Warner Fabrics. “Warner Fabrics prints are beautiful and good value,” notes Brent-Smith.

An antique pot cupboard that she picked for its attractive grain has been updated with a chunky quartz top, then paired with a lamp and shade from Marks & Spencer. “There is great stuff on the high street, you just have to be selective. As well as M&S, H&M, Urban Outfitters, and La Redoute are worth a look.”

The main bedroom

In the main bedroom, Brent-Smith has used Fern by Dulux on the walls, ceilings, and built-in cupboards. “Because this room is in the eaves of the house, it has a lot of junctions; sticking to one colour makes it feel cohesive. I don’t always go for pale bedrooms, but I wanted something quite calm as a contrast to the colourful hallway.”

The floor is the same colour as the sitting room fireplace, creating a link between the spaces and adding a subtle note of drama. A vintage Italian blue lacquer chest of drawers from Fiona Macdonald, which serves as a bedside table, is another hit of strong colour and a happy contrast to the pretty off-the-shelf Laura Ashley blind from Next.

The main bathroom

“In our last rental flat, the bathroom tiles were like an icebox underfoot,” recalls Brent-Smith. As she had neither the time nor the budget to install underfloor heating, she opted for cork – a naturally warm and soft material.

“It’s quite a wild, swirly design, and it gives me pleasure every time I go into the bathroom.” It is partnered with London Plane by Little Greene, and tiles by Ca’ Pietra inspired by a wallpaper from Wimpole Estate. “They are very large, which made them more affordable.”