At Home With: Stephanie from Life at 139A

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you will know how much I love having a good nosey around someone else’s home. I used to be an avid buyer of Homes and Gardens magazine but these days I prefer to get my inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram. If I stumble upon a blog that features interiors then I’ve found the holy grail!

This month’s gorgeous abode belongs to Stephanie from Life at 139A. If you’ve ever asked the question ‘How do I successfully mix modern and traditional decor?‘ then Stephanie’s home is a perfect example. She’s definitely mastered the art of blending the modern with the traditional, transforming her 19th century home one room at a time.  Shall we take a peek inside?

Where do you live and who lives in your home?

I live in Greenwich, South London with my husband, known on my blog as MOH (Man of the House).

How would you describe your home style?

Eclectic – when we moved in back in 2002, we merged two households so had two of lots of things. Over the years we’ve replaced items and developed our own style. We have modern pieces mixed with more traditional pieces, which sometimes drives MOH a little crazy. I’m often the one pushing for modernity, he’s keen on a more traditional approach.

What were the first impressions of your home?

Well, to start with I wasn’t keen to view it as I didn’t think I’d be keen on the spiral stairs. But there was no way I was letting MOH view it on his own. And of course we both loved it and mentally moved in on that first viewing.It wasn’t all plain sailing though as at first our offer was rejected outright, and a few months later the estate agents got in touch to see if we were still interested. We were, but had to do that whole play it cool thing while desperately wanting to jump around and shout yes, we’ll do whatever it takes (which of course we wouldn’t have really).

Have you had any major work done?

It’s an old house – built in 1890 – so it’s an ongoing project. When we moved in we had it rewired, we’ve had the roof done – which is no mean feat as it’s a three storey house.

Every room has been redecorated (at least once), the bathrooms have been replaced, we’ve had a new kitchen, the treads on the spiral stairs (which I love!) have been sanded and revarnished, we’ve done lots of work in the garden, including building a base for our pizza oven from gabion baskets and last year revamped our conservatory.

There’s still more to do though!

What is your favourite room in the house?

That’s a tough question. I love the conservatory as it’s our most recent project and I enjoy spending time sitting in there marvelling at how much storage the dresser provides, or sitting at the dining table admiring the conservatory!

I also love the craft-room-come-study as it’s a great place to escape, and it’s full of stuff – I’m a stuff person, whereas MOH isn’t and he’s all for throwing everything out, which brings me out in a rash.

In the summer I spend much time pottering in the greenhouse too, so that’s another favourite place.

Is there anything that you would change about your home if you could?

If I could, I’d add side access – it would make getting rid of gardening waste and bringing in materials so much easier. Everything has to come through the house, which is a real pain.

What is the next home project that we can look forward to seeing on your blog?

We’ve some small boring jobs that need doing – repainting our front door (it’s south facing and takes a beating), replacing the sink in our bathroom which is showing signs of wear and tear. We also need to finish the landscaping in the garden – laying slate and finishing off by the pizza oven, so that’s on the cards if the weather ever warms up.

You can really see the love and care that’s gone into this home and I am in awe of the outdoor kitchen area. Despite Stephanie having reservations, the spiral staircase is a real feature of the home and I think you’ll agree that she has successfully mastered the art of mixing modern and traditional decor.

Do go and follow Stephanie on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest where you’ll find more home inspiration and midlife chatter. If you’ve been inspired and what to find out where Stephanie purchased some of the items in her home, take a look below.

Shop Stephanie’s Home Style

See you back here next month when I’ll be sharing another beautiful home. If you’d like to share your home with us then please do get in touch.