Houzz Tour: A Period Flat in West London Gets a Creative Makeover
A grand, listed building in the capital is transformed with contemporary influences and quirky touches
You might think that the interior of a stately, stucco-fronted terrace filled with original period details would be a breeze to design. But when the owners bought this four-bedroom property in west London, which was built the year before Queen Victoria came to the throne, it was difficult to visualise how the dark, cramped rooms, laid out across several floors, could become a sophisticated and stylish family home. And that’s not forgetting the tricky building and planning constraints that came with the project, which is part of a Grade II listed terrace.
‘When the clients purchased the building it was in poor shape,’ recalls Jennifer Creighton of Hub Architects. ‘The apartment was “boxy” and laid out as a series of poky rooms with poor light and circulation. They wanted a robust, stylish and spacious family home.’
‘When the clients purchased the building it was in poor shape,’ recalls Jennifer Creighton of Hub Architects. ‘The apartment was “boxy” and laid out as a series of poky rooms with poor light and circulation. They wanted a robust, stylish and spacious family home.’
The flat sits over the upper ground, first and second floors of a large, early 19th-century building, on the northern side of Hyde Park in London.
‘The terrace is Grade II listed so it was important that the original fabric of the building was preserved,’ explains Creighton. ‘To open up the spaces and provide the airy and flowing living areas that the client wanted, we negotiated Listed Building Consent for the large sliding doors between the reception room and kitchen/dining area.’
Bleached wood flooring throughout enhances the light and airy ambience.
Rugs, B&B Italia.
Bleached wood flooring throughout enhances the light and airy ambience.
Rugs, B&B Italia.
At the centre of the home is a spectacular, south-facing reception room with views overlooking tranquil communal gardens below, and access to a sizeable roof terrace via three French doors.
‘Most of the original cornices needed to be reinstated and the job was expertly carried out by plaster and mouldings specialist, Troika,’ explains Creighton.
The owner is an installation artist and bespoke jewellery designer and a keen collector of photography and art.
The intriguing gallery wall is made up of pictures and prints from Andy Warhol, Irving Penn, David Bailey, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton and Annie Leibovitz.
Sofa and coffee table, B&B Italia.
The owner is an installation artist and bespoke jewellery designer and a keen collector of photography and art.
The intriguing gallery wall is made up of pictures and prints from Andy Warhol, Irving Penn, David Bailey, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton and Annie Leibovitz.
Sofa and coffee table, B&B Italia.
‘The client discovered the giraffe on display at a Banana Republic store,’ explains Creighton of the unusual oversized animal in the reception room. ‘It was carefully dismantled, taken by the builders to the site, and “nurtured” until the works were complete.’
The main living space is filled with an eye-catching mix of furniture, accessories and artworks from different eras, and blends seamlessly with the adjoining eclectic kitchen.
An antique French mirror is offset with modern, low-slung seating.
An antique French mirror is offset with modern, low-slung seating.
Antique tribal artworks from the Sumba tribe of Indonesia are on display in the living area.
More ways to display global finds
More ways to display global finds
A small, existing ‘breakfast’ kitchen and second reception room towards the back of the house (plus a large chunk of the huge reception hallway) were knocked through to become a single, fluid kitchen/dining space, practical for family life.
And far from being purely functional, these eating and cooking zones are as colourful and eclectic as the rest of the house. Books, pictures and artwork line the walls to create a one-off statement with real design clout.
What was the property’s primary kitchen space has now been transformed into a study, which can just be viewed here through new sliding doors.
Dining table, Maxalto, Tulip chairs, Conran Shop.
And far from being purely functional, these eating and cooking zones are as colourful and eclectic as the rest of the house. Books, pictures and artwork line the walls to create a one-off statement with real design clout.
What was the property’s primary kitchen space has now been transformed into a study, which can just be viewed here through new sliding doors.
Dining table, Maxalto, Tulip chairs, Conran Shop.
‘The clean-lined, minimal kitchen was supplied by Boffi,’ says Creighton. ‘It’s ideal for family eating and entertaining.’
Crisp, matt white, handle-free doors create the perfect blank canvas for a peppering of individual touches, such as the trio of metallic pendants hung over the dining table and the long boat painting above the wall units, which is the handiwork of the owner’s nine-year old son.
Pendant lights, Prandina.
Crisp, matt white, handle-free doors create the perfect blank canvas for a peppering of individual touches, such as the trio of metallic pendants hung over the dining table and the long boat painting above the wall units, which is the handiwork of the owner’s nine-year old son.
Pendant lights, Prandina.
‘The children are keen chess players,’ reveals Creighton, ‘and the built-in table and chairs were commissioned by the owner to fit in neatly at the far end of the kitchen.’
The vibrant, clashing pops of bold hue in the hallway are brave and fabulous all at once.
‘The stairwell, with its eclectic mix of art on a patchwork of colour was the client’s inspiration and feels like a walk in a Peter Blake painting,’ says Creighton.
Be inspired with more ideas for using super-bright colours
‘The stairwell, with its eclectic mix of art on a patchwork of colour was the client’s inspiration and feels like a walk in a Peter Blake painting,’ says Creighton.
Be inspired with more ideas for using super-bright colours
The stairwell had been replaced in the 1920s, so HUB drew up plans to reinstate a staircase to match the original, with a cast-iron balustrade by a north London firm. Now, each floor is connected by the beautiful staircase.
‘The main core of the apartment was dark and uninviting,’ says Creighton, ‘so we achieved Listed Building Consent for a new L-shaped roof light, installed by an architectural glazing company, over the stairwell, bringing in masses of natural light.’
Cast-iron ballustrade, Tilleys. Roof light, Cantifix.
‘The main core of the apartment was dark and uninviting,’ says Creighton, ‘so we achieved Listed Building Consent for a new L-shaped roof light, installed by an architectural glazing company, over the stairwell, bringing in masses of natural light.’
Cast-iron ballustrade, Tilleys. Roof light, Cantifix.
On the first floor, the luxurious master bedroom has grand proportions and amazing views of the communal gardens.
‘There was a master en suite in this same space but the layout was very different, with an introverted, closed-off space,’ says Creighton.
HUB had to again negotiate Listed Building Consent to reinstate the high ceilings (a false lowered ceiling had been in situ) and to build the mezzanine gallery level with modern glass balustrade. Accessed via a side staircase, a row of sleek, built-in wardrobes offers masses of storage space. ‘The mezzanine levels in the bedrooms provide extra floor area and valuable storage space,’ Creighton adds.
The bedroom also has a beautiful, en-suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe.
Bed & carpet, B&B Italia. Wall paint, Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball.
‘There was a master en suite in this same space but the layout was very different, with an introverted, closed-off space,’ says Creighton.
HUB had to again negotiate Listed Building Consent to reinstate the high ceilings (a false lowered ceiling had been in situ) and to build the mezzanine gallery level with modern glass balustrade. Accessed via a side staircase, a row of sleek, built-in wardrobes offers masses of storage space. ‘The mezzanine levels in the bedrooms provide extra floor area and valuable storage space,’ Creighton adds.
The bedroom also has a beautiful, en-suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe.
Bed & carpet, B&B Italia. Wall paint, Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball.
For a hint of rock ‘n’ roll glamour, the compact cloakroom (at mezzanine-landing level) is decked out with wall-to-wall panels of sheer mirror and a statement lit-up Union Jack ceiling.
Oozing with Cool Britannia chic, the striking ceiling was transformed with a mix of red, white and blue neon lighting bars and mirrors.
Oozing with Cool Britannia chic, the striking ceiling was transformed with a mix of red, white and blue neon lighting bars and mirrors.
The newly-designed, master en-suite bathroom was opened up as far as possible to let the natural light flow. The team installed hidden sliding pocket doors which can be pulled across for privacy when required.
Merging old-school glamour with modern finishes, the reproduction, French-style, bateau bath is double-ended with a polished finish.
‘The WC and shower are contained behind the vanity area in their own private cubicles and lined with mirrored glass to allow reflections of the outside park greenery within,’ says Creighton.
Bath, Drummonds.
Merging old-school glamour with modern finishes, the reproduction, French-style, bateau bath is double-ended with a polished finish.
‘The WC and shower are contained behind the vanity area in their own private cubicles and lined with mirrored glass to allow reflections of the outside park greenery within,’ says Creighton.
Bath, Drummonds.
The slick and super-hygienic double vanity basin is formed from a seamless piece of Corian – a man-made composite material which is warm, hard-wearing and easy to clean.
The spacious roof terrace is accessed via three large French doors from the upper ground reception room.
The historic, stucco-fronted exterior of the terrace is quite a contrast to the contemporary style and eccentric touches inside.
TELL US…
What do you think of this quirkily decorated London home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
What do you think of this quirkily decorated London home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Robert and Gurmit Campbell and their two sons
Location West London
Size 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Built 1836 and originally designed by the architect John Crake
Architect Jennifer Creighton,HUB Architects
Building work MEVO Construction
For this project, HUB’s role was mainly architectural: helping to maximise the spaces and grand, architectural features of the property, while meeting listed building and planning constraints and the technical construction issues surrounding building of this age.
‘The colours, furniture and decorative artefacts were the inspiration of the client,’ explains Jennifer Creighton of HUB.