Real Home Tour: This Island Home Is What Beach Dreams Are Made Of
Although Olivia Scullion and Mark Waterer both spent most of their teenage years living on the Isle of Wight, their paths were not to cross until they met in London in their twenties. “I was living in Sweden at the time and visiting friends in the city when I met Mark in Covent Garden,” recalls Olivia. “It’s not often that you meet someone who has lived on the Isle of Wight, and when you do, you feel a certain affinity.”
When the opportunity presented itself for them to settle there, the couple jumped at the chance and transformed a Victorian terrace into an idyllic seaside house, decorated in a style influenced by the Scandinavian origins of ‘Olivia.
If you’re inspired to tackle restoring your own home, we’ve got plenty of ideas and helpful tips on what to do and where to start in our home improvement article.
Located in the picturesque harbor town of Yarmouth, this beautiful terrace has instant appeal
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
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The owners Olivia Scullion (@trulynordic), clinical research associate, her partner, Mark Waterer, audiovisual design engineer, and their Japanese Shiba Inu, Tamu
The property A two bedroom Victorian terrace in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Project cost £ 40,000
After their first meeting, Olivia moved to join Mark in London, where they rented an apartment in West Hampstead. Despite being born in Sweden and Mark in Kenya, both were keen to return to the island where they grew up, so when Olivia got the chance to work from home, the couple took the opportunity to relocate. “As Mark works away most of the week and my parents still live on the island, it made sense to create a home here where I could be closer to my family, especially considering the prices real estate suited our tight budget more than in London, ”she adds. .
The uncluttered dining space remains bright and light thanks to minimalist window treatments and glossy white walls. The beautiful parquet floors – painstakingly restored by Olivia and Mark – contrast with the neutral furniture and walls, bringing interest and texture. Glass pendant light, Easy lighting. House Doctor placemats, Nordic Nest. For similar dining chairs try following
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
They were eager to find a renovation project they could put their mark on, only to spot it in the quaint harbor town of Yarmouth on the west coast. “While it’s not as big or bustling as Cowes, there’s a lovely vibe here with art galleries, cool cafes, and rows of pretty period homes,” says Olivia. “We fell head over heels in love with this Victorian terrace as soon as we saw it, even though it was in a sad and run down state. She admits that as novice renovators, they were a little naive about the scale of a DIY project they had undertaken. “We planned to do most of the work ourselves. Luckily the house had good bones and we didn’t need to make any major structural changes. It was simply a matter of eviscerating it and giving it back its character.
Scandi meets industrialist in the kitchen, where warm wooden surfaces and natural stone floors have been combined with exposed copper pipes and steels. Doing all the work themselves, except for the electrical and plumbing, the couple created a bespoke space that is both hip and extremely welcoming. Doors and drawer fronts, The cooking workshop. Work surface, Express work plan. Carcasses, B&Q. Appliances, all purchased online
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
Living with Olivia’s parents nearby for most of the year, the couple spent all of their free time renovating. The first job was to create a larger kitchen by removing a few non-loadbearing walls that housed a small utility and a downstairs toilet. They then added dark contemporary French doors and a matching bay window above the sink. As this room can be prone to darkness, we wanted to keep it warm and inviting with earthy tones and textures, so we opted for rich wood cabinetry and rolled sandstone floor tiles for their cozy Nordic vibes. “, explains Olivia.
Olivia picked up a second-hand chest to store it in the hallway, updating it in a light gray to match the other vintage pieces.
Chest painted in Gray Manor, Farrow & Ball
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
The duo then installed the furniture and wooden worktops themselves, and hired professionals to install the plumbing and electricity. “Learning DIY through YouTube tutorials not only saved us a fortune on labor costs, but it also allowed us to customize the look to get exactly what we wanted.”
To showcase the vintage doors and plinths, Olivia painted the woodwork in a soft gray tone, while natural textures such as jute, bamboo and linen add a warmth and comfort that is synonymous with Scandinavian interiors. Sofa, Sofa.com. Jute rugs, Ikea. Painted woodwork Hardwick White, Farrow & Ball
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
The couple’s new skills were put to the test in the living space when they had to hand scrape a layer of tar covering the old floorboards. “It was horrible and took forever, but revealing them was so worth it. We then enhanced their natural beauty with a clear oil, ”explains Olivia.
The couple restored a period fireplace in the guest bedroom to give it a focal point. They found it in the island’s online market, called Wightbay. Olivia herself mixed the color of the wall using teal and white. For a similar white wood chair, try the Stéphane, Ikea. Try it Dunelm Festival, for a pompom cushion
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
The couple stuck to the bright white on the walls, with the vintage baseboards and door frames painted a calming gray. In the seating area, Olivia paired a linen sofa with vintage rattan tables and chairs for a calm feel, while a mix of heirlooms and vintage finds in the dining room creates a classic feel. . She also continued those subtle pops of pattern and color upstairs, where the master bedroom’s vibrant blue wall showcases the period fireplace.
The master bedroom, including the fireplace, is crisp white. The fireplace mantel is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue for contrast. New floor-to-ceiling cabinets were built by a local carpenter to make the most of every inch of space. Four poster bed, The White Company
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
The result was a neutral house that could be easily changed. “We’ve added character through the pattern, color and textures, and these can all be refreshed or seasonally changed. A home has to tell a story about its owners, and we feel like we’ve succeeded in bringing together our unique legacies in this place we both love.
(Image credit: Holly Jolliffe)
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