Amazed by the grandeur of this striking Italianate villa and the ease of the commute, our clients eagerly moved from London to Tunbridge Wells. However, four years later, the initial wow factor and scale of the villa had given way to the reality of an awkward layout, disjointed extension, and poor heating and plumbing. They missed the ease and contemporary feel of their previous London home and approached us for help in modernising and reconfiguring the house.

The refurbished house now flows effortlessly and offers six bedrooms, three bathrooms, two beautiful period reception rooms, and a large, contemporary, double-height kitchen-dining space, all looking onto the garden. The house also boasts a panelled dining room, a study, a cloakroom, plus a utility and basement gym.

To restore the grandeur of the house, period details were protected and recreated where they had been lost.

The two large reception rooms now make the most of their period features, with high ceilings, original shutters, and French windows opening onto the garden.

Externally, the period house has been refurbished with new timber double-glazed sash windows, restoring the proportions of the windows and doors to their original form.

The extension has been stripped back and reglazed with full-height aluminium framed glazing.

Inside, concealed lighting subtly highlights the old pitched roof and beams against the sleek, white backdrop, and the floor of Scandi-look porcelain plank tiles.

The contemporary window looks down from the new landing link at first-floor level – keeping the whole of this large house feeling connected.

An exposed log burner makes the bright kitchen cosy, come rain or shine.

A pair of panelled doors leads back into the second period living room.

This family living room is less formal and has a more relaxed feel. A patchwork of inexpensive rugs helps to break up the large floor area and allows for spillages without stress.

A wall of family photos and the children's artwork brings additional personality to the space.

The new linking corridor at first-floor level connects the main house to the upper mezzanine of the coach house. This turns the previous four bedrooms into a fully usable six.

Adjustments to all the bedrooms have provided more even sizes for the three children, while retaining the period proportions. This also allowed us to enlarge the main family bathroom.

The bathroom now features separate wc and shower alcoves, with lots of concealed storage. A change of floor tile defines the zones and the use of a curved bath and floating basin counter makes sense of the awkward room shape.

The linking corridor is lined with joinery panelling and a bookshelf spans the opening. Concealed light runs down its length and a hidden door leads to a 'secret' bedroom.

The master bedroom now features full-height built-in wardrobes, and the contemporary headboard floats in the centre of the large room, creating a dressing area behind.

The period marble fireplace has been retained and the calm heather colour scheme takes its influence from the traditional tiling in the surround.