The TV presenter and model bought the west London property in the summer of 2019 with her husband Richard James Sutton.
The house was dated, with a 1990s white frame conservatory at the back and cold, dark granite and pale blue cabinets in the kitchen – nothing felt cohesive and the main colour scheme in the other rooms was a sterile white.
Finally, in March this year Katie decided it was time to begin the much-needed and postponed renovation that hopefully would be ready in time for Christmas.
The whole house was gutted, walls came down and the layout rejigged. ‘It was a total renovation and we are so delighted to have it completed in time to enjoy our first Christmas in it together as a family.’ explains Katie.
‘[The property] was always planned to be a project, as we bought it to be our forever home. As soon as we saw it, we knew it was the one.
‘When we viewed it, we loved its size, the driveway, the big garden and the privacy. It has a peaceful countryside feel, with easy access to main roads, so it’s ideal. The house has always had a warm homey feel to it. Immediately we envisioned the space being used for family get-togethers. Crucially, it had potential to make it our own, and turn it into our dream family home.’
One of the key challenges was to combine Katie and Richard’s individual styles into this family home that they share with their two daughters. Working with interior designers Nick Snow Design Studio, the renovation was completed in just eight months.
‘It was a big project for us, having never done anything like this before together,’ continues Katie. ‘Having both owned separate properties before meeting, my husband and I had very different styles so had quite a mish-mash of stuff and styles. Initially we were living at the house but moved out when the extension was started, and walls started to come down.’
The result is handsome interior spaces with a defined luxury in monochrome definitions and metallic detailing. There are glamorous art deco touches but the spaces remain modern with well-defined, pared-back contemporary furniture. But above all, it was important for Katie that this felt like home, and was somewhere that family and visitors can relax.
‘A home to me is warm and inviting,’ she says. ‘It makes guests want to relax, friends want to put their feet up and the kids want to take over. The colour palette of the whole house is grounded in warm neutrals, bringing a contemporary feel with a sophisticated monochrome scheme. We decided to incorporate panelling into certain rooms to add character. It’s a lovely combination of textures and colour, bringing in accents of green, navy blue, velvet and gold for a super luxurious yet homely, cosy feel.’
The carefully balanced comfort and opulence, along with the bold use of contrasting hues and metallics, lend a Hollywood Regency look to Katie’s home. For her Christmas decorations Katie also looked to American films for inspiration, channeling the sumptuous and all-embracing interiors of some of her favourite seasonal flicks.
‘I’ve grown up watching American Christmas movies with beautiful garlands going up the stairs, so have always wanted this look in my own home. We chose one with a light dusting of sparkle to make our house feel festive for the kids. After a few quiet Christmases we’ve decided to be a bit ‘extra’ this year and have three trees – one in the hallway, one at the bottom of the stairs and another in the open plan living area which is the heart of the house.’
Working with Wayfair the house has been given a sparkling, festive makeover too. Katie’s spruce features antique golds, matte winter whites, and ombre, with a mix of materials, including glass and ceramic. In place of tinsel, the tree has been layered with metallic feather tree picks and finished with a stylish seagrass tree skirt to hide the metal tree base. Each of the hand-painted baubles is bespoke – no two families will have the exact same decoration hanging on their tree.
‘Our family room is glam with shades of gold, burnt oranges and sparkles. In the hallway we’ve gone for a super chic monochrome including a mixture of bold black and wonderful winter whites while still sparkly. Then at the bottom of the stairs we decided to go traditional with pops of blues, greens and golds because the girls love colour at Christmas.’
Wayfair’s resident style adviser, Nadia McCowan Hill, says one of the key themes is contemporary glamour. ‘The Christmas looks created in Katie’s home truly have the wow factor. The newly renovated rooms are bright, fresh and modern, and the Christmas schemes chosen reflect this.
‘Traditional festive colours have been used, but with a contemporary, luxe feel. These include golds, copper, naturals and white -with a mix of faux and real greenery. Pops of colour have been added to keep it feeling super fresh.’
The stairway is inspired by classic Christmas movies. Using swags, stockings and garlands weaved between under and over the banisters, it is the picture perfect entrance. Mistletoe garlands Katie’s are relaxed and organic, rather than synthetic.
The table has been layered with dried oranges, baubles, miniature Christmas trees and candles, with deco touches like World Menagerie coasters and a Owensville marble cake display stand from Wayfair.
‘Don’t be afraid to add personal touches [to the table],’ says Katie. ‘Home crafted name tags for example add a personal touch and make people feel really welcome without taking up too much of your time.’
For Christmas, Katie will be taking the time to stop work and spend a fantastic few days with family.
‘It’s been a quiet few festive years for most of us so it’s extra special to be together now. The family under one roof – in our newly renovated home, all decorated from top to bottom – the dream.’
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