With under a year to transform a five-floor Notting Hill townhouse, designer Saskia Blyth embraced bold decisions and a family-focused approach.
Faced with the challenge of a full interior renovation in less than a year, many designers might have hesitated. For Saskia Blyth of Blyth Collinson Interiors – whose work spans Alpine chalets to private jets – the prospect was met with enthusiasm.
Enter Sunderland Terrace, a dilapidated, five-floor townhouse ripe for reimagining. “It was tired and fragmented – all awkward little rooms, one bathroom and a dark basement with low ceilings,” Saskia explains. “The owners wanted it transformed from the ground up.”
Though enthused by the creative freedom, the timeline was tight. Saskia and her team were tasked with completing the renovation by December the same year, in time for the owners to move in by Christmas. “Twelve months initially sounds like a lot, but less so when you look at what you have to accomplish. It was a year without sleep,” she laughs.
With a December deadline looming, they set to work stripping the home back to four brick walls. Entirely overhauled, everything was replaced from new electrics, plumbing and flooring to a reconfigured staircase. In the entrance hall, stone tiles reclaimed from a French castle set the tone. “We were so fortunate to find just enough,” Saskia enthuses. Elsewhere, solid oak flooring from Danish artisans Hanson spans the living spaces, while marble dominates the bathrooms. In the hallway, lanterns sourced from Jamb add a flicker of glamour.
One of the most transformative decisions came mid-project, relocating the principal suite to the top of the house. “As a parent, you come to value any privacy you can get in a busy family home,” she smiles. “It was a bold move late in the build, but it paid off. Now you have this beautiful private space with a balcony and views, plus a little extra peace for the parents.”
Brave decisions also appear in the home’s embrace of bold hues; vibrant pops of colour are found in sunny yellow accents and striking furnishings. “People are often afraid of colour,” Saskia muses. “It’s easy to stick to neutrals – creams, beiges, grey – but colour transforms a space. For me, it’s what makes a house feel like home.”
This philosophy is most vividly realised in the first-floor reception room, the designer’s favourite space. “The owners didn’t want anything that felt generic or bland, so we sourced beautiful antique doors from France, paired them with a reclaimed fireplace from Jamb and added specialist wall finishes. The result is this cosy, inviting feel – like it’s hosted countless gatherings.”
"Design isn’t just about how a space looks; it’s about how it lives. A house has to work, not just shine."
- Saskia Blyth, Interior Designer
Elsewhere, reclaimed materials and antiques run like a thread through the home. “They bring this character you can’t replicate with something new. The entrance hall’s tiles, the doors, the fireplaces, all have a history. I don’t buy pieces for trends or projects. I buy what I love, and they find their place.” Her trusted network of antique dealers and furniture restorers ensures no detail is overlooked. “I have an antique dealer who’ll call me from the road, and a furniture restorer who’s brutally honest. These relationships are everything.”
But for Blyth, form is always tied to function. “Design isn’t just about how a space looks; it’s about how it lives. As a mother, I think about the details – where kids take off muddy shoes, how much storage you need for towels, whether there’s a plug for the vacuum. A house has to work, not just shine.”
Sunderland Terrace is available for rent.
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