Natalie Sytner had walked past what is now her current home “a million times,” but never actually saw it until she came across it on a real-estate listing site in 2021. A former vestry tucked behind a deconsecrated church, the space had been converted into a five-bedroom home by an architect (although no-one is exactly sure when).
Intrigued, Sytner, the founder of pottery brand Bettina Ceramica, booked a viewing. “It was such a shock because from the street you really can’t gauge what’s there,” she says of the generously-sized property, which came with a one-bedroom cottage (once upon a time the priest’s lodgings) attached. “I could immediately see what a fun place it would be to bring up children,” she adds. A couple of months later, pregnant with her second child, she and her husband George had the keys.
The property had been thoughtfully finished with stained-glass windows and sills made from reclaimed wood. Vintage steel doors from nearby salvage specialist Retrouvius are a centerpiece in the lounge and kitchen. But other than that, the place had become neglected, and bizarrely, there was no electricity on the ground-floor. Sytner had just seven weeks to bring it up to scratch before her daughter Alba arrived.
Luckily, she had a very uncomplicated game plan. “I don’t like color,” she says with a laugh. Growing up, her Italian mother Bettina (after whom her brand is named) favored polished plaster walls, and this appreciation for simplicity clearly rubbed-off on her daughter. “It’s funny, because all my friends are super into the wallpaper and prints and I just love a contemporary, fresher feel,” adds Sytner.
Plus, white is the primary color of the ceramic pedestal bowls, wall sconces, and charming acquasantieras (holy water stoups) that artisans produce exclusively for her brand in Italy. Many are designs from the makers’ archives—“pieces no longer deemed trendy, which, together, we’ve tweaked and stripped right back,” explains Sytner. Here, she explains how her appreciation for all things super-clean informed her remarkably speedy renovation.
I had a vision for a very simple set of built-ins along this previously plain wall. It’s funny, several of my friends are interior designers, and one was saying to me: ‘You need to have different-sized sections and lighting under there and over here…’ but I was sure that I wanted a symmetrical grid. What’s on the shelves is always evolving: there are a lot of pieces from Bettina Ceramica, and my husband, who works for Mario Testino, collects photography books and vintage cameras. | Lamp, Anglepoise; Pedestal Bowl, Bettina Ceramica.This space was once the garage and the ceiling is the original concrete slabs. Again, one of my designer friends was trying to work out ways to disguise it, but I love it! The 1980s coffee table by Terence Conran is special to me as it’s the same one as I grew up with at home. I set up an eBay alert for it and two years later, it finally came up. The kitchen is pretty much what was originally here. The cabinets were built in solid wood but with very detailed beading and Shaker doors. I wanted to keep the bare bones of it, not only because we didn’t have the budget for a new kitchen, but because it’s actually really good quality. So I had our millworker make new fronts that are very plain. The counter was also thick wood, so we swapped it out for a pale marble. We also added an island.
Moving from a “normal” house, suddenly all our furniture didn’t make sense—it looked like it was for ants! I decided to zone the kitchen-dining area with the metal shelving units at one end, the table in the middle, and then a hang-out/play area. After about a year I finally got my hands on a Saarinen table from eBay. My secret? You just have to set up all the alerts and be patient.
I love open shelves; my dream is to own a stainless steel larder by Alpes-Inox, but they cost thousands. Instead we’ve got inexpensive catering shelves which feel a bit more industrial to counteract the classic kitchen units. | Shelves, Nisbets.
I’d been looking for a large canvas to go above my bed and had very specific colors in mind. When I couldn’t find it, artist Maia Larraz, who is a friend and also freelances with me, said she’d paint it for me. The table lamps are a new collaboration between my brand and Colours of Arley, who created the shades. | Art by Maia Larraz; Nightstands, The Spotlight Market.The only patch of paint color in the house is on the panel in the bathroom my daughters share. I let them pick it. I gave them a Little Greene color chart and they chose Pea Green. I just got my daughter Alba an antique day bed to sleep in. What I like about this style of wooden vintage furniture is how it creates warmth against the white of the walls. I’m drawn to pieces with a traditional feel and a clean profile. | Rug, Etsy; Robert Indiana print, My Art Broker.We rent the house out as a location house (Michael Fassbender was here shooting part of Black Bag last year!) The minimal backdrop lends itself to different vibes: with vintage furniture it can feel a bit like an English cottage, but it can also skew like an Ibizan finca. | Wall Light, Bettina Ceramica.Whenever I go to any market anywhere in the world, I try to bring the girls something back to put on their shelves. | Acquasantiera, Bettina Ceramica.Throughout the house I’ve used Shirting by Little Greene; it feels fresh and warehouse-y but still has a warmth to it. The en-suite was open to the bedroom but we closed it off with a door and windows. To maximize storage under the sink, I had a skirt made using fabric from one of my favorite shops, The Cloth Shop in Notting Hill. | Sink Skirt Fabric, The Cloth Shop; Tiles, Mandarin Stone; Pedestal Bowl, Bettina Ceramica.
