South London Vicarage Renovated by Vanrenen Hanbury Designers

Key Points

• An old south London vicarage, set on a generous plot, has been extensively renovated by interior designers Sarah Vanrenen and Laura Hanbury of Vanrenen Hanbury.
• The house is notable for its large size, unique off-line positioning from the street, and a magical setting with a walled garden and abundant greenery.
• The owners, who have lived there for over a decade and previously worked with the decorators on another home, wanted a refresh as their children reached their twenties.
• Initially conceived as a bathroom update, the project evolved into a larger first-floor reconfiguration and full interior redecorating.
• The interiors were transformed from tired and neutral to a bold scheme with confident use of colour, pattern, and texture while respecting the house’s architectural strengths.
• Key features include a dark green entrance lobby, a densely patterned Grenades wallpaper hallway, a drawing room with dark wallpaper and cobalt-blue accents, and an open-plan kitchen and dining area with a clever false chimney breast.
• Upstairs, the main bedroom suite layout was improved to create a better flow between the bedroom, dressing room, and an enlarged master bathroom painted in soft pink plaster.
• The renovation showcases a strong collaboration between owners and designers, with great respect for the home’s history, architecture, and the owners’ art collection.

What makes this south London vicarage unique and special?

As reported by Emily Fletcher of House & Garden, the house sits slightly off-line from the street, accessed through a gate into a walled garden with a rose- and olive-tree-lined path to the front door. Sarah Vanrenen describes it as “magical” with a countryside feel due to the surrounding trees and greenery. She says,

“It has such a unique and calm atmosphere, really solid yet full of light.”

The property, once part of a rural area southwest of the Thames, exemplifies how late 19th to early 20th-century villages on London’s fringes have been enveloped into residential neighbourhoods, often hiding such unexpected gems.

Why did the owners decide to renovate after living there over a decade?

Vanrenen Hanbury’s Laura Hanbury told House & Garden that the owners’ children reaching their twenties prompted the desire for change. What started as a plan to create a comfortable ensuite bathroom gradually expanded into a larger first-floor layout reconfiguration.

Laura explained,

“I don’t think the initial brief was really about structural changes, but as soon as we walked through the house, we realised we could improve the way they used the space.”

Sarah Vanrenen added that the interiors appeared tired and very neutral, which presented “the perfect blank canvas” for creative intervention.

How did the designers approach the interiors and decoration?

Emily Fletcher reported that Sarah and Laura enjoyed a longstanding trust with the clients which allowed them to introduce a bolder palette and textured scheme confidently. Sarah recounted,

“They told us at the start that they wanted us to help them be brave with their choices… they were amazing, very open and trusting.”

The entry lobby painted in dark green sets a calm yet characterful tone. The hallway features a densely patterned Grenades wallpaper by Antoinette Poisson, which the owners were initially unsure about but now love.

The drawing room, previously underused, was redecorated with dark patterned wallpaper balanced by bright cobalt-blue window frames and striped sofas, creating a comfortable space for family life and entertaining. Curtains were kept plain to highlight the owners’ significant art collection, which Sarah regards as a blessing that helped guide the decoration.

What changes were made to the kitchen and dining area?

Laura Hanbury shared that the ground floor’s kitchen and dining area was reimagined as an open space for cooking, eating, and relaxing.

“It’s quite unusual to have the seating in the middle of the kitchen,”

she noted, praising how the dining table’s position by tall garden-facing windows brings in light and connection to the outdoors.

Sarah Vanrenen highlighted a clever architectural solution: a false chimney breast erected to conceal awkward pipework in the middle of the room. This feature became practical as it housed the TV, which could be hidden behind sliding panels covered in colourful artworks.

What substantial improvements were made upstairs?

Laura Hanbury explained that the main bedroom entrance had been awkwardly placed near the guest bedroom door. The team repositioned it along the landing, creating a small lobby that links the bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom more gracefully.

The master bathroom was extended to double its original size, improving flow and accessibility. Sarah Vanrenen described how the older bathroom’s small, awkward layout was transformed into a calm and luminous retreat painted in soft pink plaster.

“By reworking the doors, we managed to open it all up and give the bedroom, dressing room and bathroom a much nicer connection,” she said.

How does the house embody the owners’ lifestyle and future chapter?

As covered by House & Garden, the transformed vicarage now feels ready for the owners’ next life stage: “comfortable, assured and entirely their own,” according to Sarah Vanrenen.

The formal dining area in the kitchen occupies the brightest corner, complemented by red leather chairs by William Yeoward and a family-owned table, creating an inviting atmosphere for both daily life and entertaining.