My Houzz: At Home With... Interiors Blogger Cate St Hill
Continuing our series visiting interiors bloggers at home, Cate St Hill opens up her south London home
Amanda Pollard
16 February 2018
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
Visiting the home that Cate St Hill shares with her partner, you’d never believe it was a draughty, neglected space when they moved in 18 months ago. But a nasty surprise just a couple of days after they’d purchased the property prompted the couple to get their skates on to transform the house into the beautiful, calm space it is now.
“Before, the kitchen and the living room both felt dark, dingy and cramped; now, the open-plan space flows seamlessly,” says St Hill. “One of us can be chilling on the sofa and the other cooking in the kitchen or working at the dining table and we can still see each other and chat.”
“Before, the kitchen and the living room both felt dark, dingy and cramped; now, the open-plan space flows seamlessly,” says St Hill. “One of us can be chilling on the sofa and the other cooking in the kitchen or working at the dining table and we can still see each other and chat.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Interiors blogger, stylist and designer Cate St Hill, with her partner, Olivier, and dachshund, Francis
Blog Cate St Hill
Property A Victorian terraced house
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Location Herne Hill, south London
Who lives here Interiors blogger, stylist and designer Cate St Hill, with her partner, Olivier, and dachshund, Francis
Blog Cate St Hill
Property A Victorian terraced house
Size 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Location Herne Hill, south London
What do we need to know about your blog?
I share simple interior design for everyday living. I believe good design should be accessible and affordable to everyone, so I try to show stylish spaces that feel authentic and are easy to achieve. I particularly like pared-back, Scandinavian-inspired spaces with neutral, understated décor as a backdrop to everyday life.
Recently, I’ve also set up my own interior consultation business, so now I combine my spatial planning skills from studying architecture at university with my design knowledge gained from working as a writer for the past six years.
I share simple interior design for everyday living. I believe good design should be accessible and affordable to everyone, so I try to show stylish spaces that feel authentic and are easy to achieve. I particularly like pared-back, Scandinavian-inspired spaces with neutral, understated décor as a backdrop to everyday life.
Recently, I’ve also set up my own interior consultation business, so now I combine my spatial planning skills from studying architecture at university with my design knowledge gained from working as a writer for the past six years.
What made you start blogging?
I began my blog in 2011 when I was first starting out in design journalism. I felt I needed a corner of the internet that was completely my own, where I could write about anything I fancied and share interior stories from my home.
Find grey and blue kitchen ideas in the Houzz Shop
I began my blog in 2011 when I was first starting out in design journalism. I felt I needed a corner of the internet that was completely my own, where I could write about anything I fancied and share interior stories from my home.
Find grey and blue kitchen ideas in the Houzz Shop
How long have you lived here and how did you and your house meet?
I’ve lived in this house for a year and a half now. We moved from a two-bedroom flat in central King’s Cross to a two-bedroom house with a garden near Brockwell Park in south London. I’d always loved north London, but after visiting friends living south of the river, I fell in love with this green corner of the city. It took me a couple of viewings to decide on this house – it certainly wasn’t love at first sight – but we recognised its potential.
Herne Hill has a lovely village feel, with lots of local shops, a friendly atmosphere and a farmers’ market on a Sunday. I now work freelance from home, with my sausage dog, Francis, to keep me company, and it feels a world away from the hubbub of central London.
Kitchen, Ikea.
I’ve lived in this house for a year and a half now. We moved from a two-bedroom flat in central King’s Cross to a two-bedroom house with a garden near Brockwell Park in south London. I’d always loved north London, but after visiting friends living south of the river, I fell in love with this green corner of the city. It took me a couple of viewings to decide on this house – it certainly wasn’t love at first sight – but we recognised its potential.
Herne Hill has a lovely village feel, with lots of local shops, a friendly atmosphere and a farmers’ market on a Sunday. I now work freelance from home, with my sausage dog, Francis, to keep me company, and it feels a world away from the hubbub of central London.
Kitchen, Ikea.
What was the house like when you first moved in?
It’d been used as a rental for a number of years and felt a bit neglected. A lot of the period details had been ripped out or hidden away and it just felt as if it lacked character. It was liveable, but didn’t feel anything like home.
After a couple of days, the 1970s gas fire fell out of the wall and we realised the boiler was hidden behind it and needed replacing and moving, so we decided to begin work almost straight away. We got builders in to do the bulk of the work – ripping down the wall between the kitchen and living room, removing a chimney breast in the kitchen, plastering the walls, sanding the original floorboards back and installing a new kitchen. We also fitted new wooden sash windows.
It’d been used as a rental for a number of years and felt a bit neglected. A lot of the period details had been ripped out or hidden away and it just felt as if it lacked character. It was liveable, but didn’t feel anything like home.
After a couple of days, the 1970s gas fire fell out of the wall and we realised the boiler was hidden behind it and needed replacing and moving, so we decided to begin work almost straight away. We got builders in to do the bulk of the work – ripping down the wall between the kitchen and living room, removing a chimney breast in the kitchen, plastering the walls, sanding the original floorboards back and installing a new kitchen. We also fitted new wooden sash windows.
Which is your favourite spot in the house and why?
I love my Ikea kitchen – it’s so neatly designed and everything has its place to make the most of the small space. It’s my favourite shade of grey and it feels like such a lovely space to be in. I spend most of my week working at the dining table and love being able to look out onto the greenery of the garden.
That and the corner of the sofa, which we fight over to get the best spot for watching the telly!
I love my Ikea kitchen – it’s so neatly designed and everything has its place to make the most of the small space. It’s my favourite shade of grey and it feels like such a lovely space to be in. I spend most of my week working at the dining table and love being able to look out onto the greenery of the garden.
That and the corner of the sofa, which we fight over to get the best spot for watching the telly!
What’s your next big decorating project?
The guest bedroom. Now I work from home, I want to make it more of an office. There’ll still be a bed so friends can stay, but I need more built-in storage and shelves for books and samples for interiors projects. It’s going to be painted in Farrow & Ball’s Lamp Room Gray I think.
I also need to sand the stairs and paint them white. We stripped off the awful brown carpet, but haven’t got much further yet. We’ve done a lot to the house since we moved in – the kitchen, living room and bedroom are how I want them – but it takes a long time to make a house a home. It’s a constantly evolving thing and there’s no such thing as a perfect home.
The guest bedroom. Now I work from home, I want to make it more of an office. There’ll still be a bed so friends can stay, but I need more built-in storage and shelves for books and samples for interiors projects. It’s going to be painted in Farrow & Ball’s Lamp Room Gray I think.
I also need to sand the stairs and paint them white. We stripped off the awful brown carpet, but haven’t got much further yet. We’ve done a lot to the house since we moved in – the kitchen, living room and bedroom are how I want them – but it takes a long time to make a house a home. It’s a constantly evolving thing and there’s no such thing as a perfect home.
What’s your proudest DIY achievement?
The floorboards downstairs, which I did myself. I prepped them, buffed them up after the builders did a poor sanding job, filled them then painted them white. For years I’d been collecting pictures of Scandinavian interiors with white floorboards and finally I had that look for myself.
Walls throughout the ground floor painted in Blackened; floors painted in All White floor paint, both Farrow & Ball. Sofa, Made.com.
The floorboards downstairs, which I did myself. I prepped them, buffed them up after the builders did a poor sanding job, filled them then painted them white. For years I’d been collecting pictures of Scandinavian interiors with white floorboards and finally I had that look for myself.
Walls throughout the ground floor painted in Blackened; floors painted in All White floor paint, both Farrow & Ball. Sofa, Made.com.
What makes you happiest at home?
Chilling at the weekend, candles lit, Classic FM on, a good book and a new magazine, curled up on the sofa with my dog.
Chilling at the weekend, candles lit, Classic FM on, a good book and a new magazine, curled up on the sofa with my dog.
What do you love to do on Sunday afternoons?
My favourite Sunday afternoon involves a walk to the farmer’s market in Herne Hill, picking up a homemade cake from one of the stalls and having a slice with my boyfriend, a big pot of tea and the Sunday papers on the sofa.
Discover ways to disguise your sofa if you don’t love it
My favourite Sunday afternoon involves a walk to the farmer’s market in Herne Hill, picking up a homemade cake from one of the stalls and having a slice with my boyfriend, a big pot of tea and the Sunday papers on the sofa.
Discover ways to disguise your sofa if you don’t love it
Do you have a design rule you live by?
Less is more. I like the William Morris quote, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Less is more. I like the William Morris quote, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
I have a coffee and a scroll through Instagram.
I have a coffee and a scroll through Instagram.
What do you think is the next big interiors trend and why?
I’m seeing Scandinavian interiors playing around with colour more, using richer tones and new neutrals, such as terracotta, blush pink greys, soft ochres and forest greens, to add warmth and cosiness.
You’ll see spaces that use hues in new and intriguing ways – colour on the ceiling, for instance, or skirting boards painted in the same shade as the walls.
PAX wardrobe, Ikea.
I’m seeing Scandinavian interiors playing around with colour more, using richer tones and new neutrals, such as terracotta, blush pink greys, soft ochres and forest greens, to add warmth and cosiness.
You’ll see spaces that use hues in new and intriguing ways – colour on the ceiling, for instance, or skirting boards painted in the same shade as the walls.
PAX wardrobe, Ikea.
Is there anything you couldn’t live without?
The things that make a house a home – the people I enjoy it with, my boyfriend and my dog.
Bedside table and dresser, Heal’s.
Take a look at Cate’s blog.
Are you a UK interiors blogger? Talk to us! If you’d like to submit your home for this series, please send details to ukeditor@houzz.com.
The things that make a house a home – the people I enjoy it with, my boyfriend and my dog.
Bedside table and dresser, Heal’s.
Take a look at Cate’s blog.
Are you a UK interiors blogger? Talk to us! If you’d like to submit your home for this series, please send details to ukeditor@houzz.com.
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Hi Ruth, the bedroom is painted Peignoir by Farrow & Ball, thanks, Cate
I love it. A real haven of peace from the city. I love how thorough Cate is as she renovates each element of her house one by one. Something I, and my clients, should strive for (if budget is not there to do it all 100% in one go!) as it often gives the most satisfaction.