Houzz Tours: A Modern Loft Extension Flat in a Period London Building
A contender for the chicest urban pad ever, this flat is in an unlikely setting – a listed 19th century building on London’s Strand
Meera Innes
14 August 2015
Houzz contributor. Freelance writer and lover of beautiful things. I grew up in Japan so my taste in interiors runs to the minimalist with an emphasis on natural colours and textures - but the Indian in me can't say no to sumptuous fabrics in glorious jewel tones either! I'm a big lover of combining old with new, so expect to see plenty of upcycled pieces and interiors featuring contemporary twists on period character.
Houzz contributor. Freelance writer and lover of beautiful things. I grew up in Japan... More
One of the surprising things about central London is that, amid all the traffic and storefronts, residential spaces are passed unnoticed by thousands of people daily. Walking down the Strand in central London, for instance, you might never imagine that tucked away behind the facade next to the Adelphi Theatre is Gatti House, formerly the Adelphi Theatre restaurant, and now a five-storey apartment building with its own courtyard.
This flat in the newly renovated – and listed – building is perhaps the most interesting home, as it’s a largely new extension to the original architecture. ‘Whereas the other apartments are built into the existing structure of the listed building, most of the structure of this apartment is new,’ explains Lucy Barlow of Barlow & Barlow, who led the design of this unusual space.
Barlow’s brief for redesigning the home was ‘industrial luxury’, and the feel of the property and materials used cleverly reflect the flat’s presence as a new addition to an old building.
This flat in the newly renovated – and listed – building is perhaps the most interesting home, as it’s a largely new extension to the original architecture. ‘Whereas the other apartments are built into the existing structure of the listed building, most of the structure of this apartment is new,’ explains Lucy Barlow of Barlow & Barlow, who led the design of this unusual space.
Barlow’s brief for redesigning the home was ‘industrial luxury’, and the feel of the property and materials used cleverly reflect the flat’s presence as a new addition to an old building.
Houzz at a Glance
Location The Strand, central London
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Property An extension to a Grade II period listed property, formerly the Adelphi Theatre restaurant opened by the Gatti family in the late 1800s
Architect Lucy Barlow of Barlow & Barlow Design
Date completed January 2015
That’s interesting The ground floor is a Byron hamburger restaurant, and there’s a dumb waiter in the flat so the owner can have a burger sent straight up.
Check out more design ideas for open-plan living
Location The Strand, central London
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Property An extension to a Grade II period listed property, formerly the Adelphi Theatre restaurant opened by the Gatti family in the late 1800s
Architect Lucy Barlow of Barlow & Barlow Design
Date completed January 2015
That’s interesting The ground floor is a Byron hamburger restaurant, and there’s a dumb waiter in the flat so the owner can have a burger sent straight up.
Check out more design ideas for open-plan living
When Lucy Barlow was tasked with designing a new extension to an old, listed building, she chose to emphasise this element, starting with the use of reclaimed oak throughout.
‘The wood is all reclaimed,’ she explains. ‘I believe this oak came primarily from old farm buildings. It’s great for cladding walls and for flooring.’
Reclaimed oak, Havwoods.
‘The wood is all reclaimed,’ she explains. ‘I believe this oak came primarily from old farm buildings. It’s great for cladding walls and for flooring.’
Reclaimed oak, Havwoods.
The steel staircase was designed to work in a tight space. The treads are made from the same reclaimed oak used on the floors and walls; the cladding stops halfway up to expose the brick, painted white, which is the outer wall of the original building.
Barlow decided to disguise an empty space set into the wall by covering it with a stunning mirror, which is a converted old factory window. ‘It mimics where the original window used to be,’ she explains.
The staircase features a black-painted steel handrail with wire spindles. The steel beams, also painted in glossy black to look industrial, echo the banisters. ‘In a traditional build, the beams would be boxed in, but in a modern design like this, keeping them exposed works better and makes them part of the design,’ says Barlow.
Antique factory window mirror, Aldgate Home.
Barlow decided to disguise an empty space set into the wall by covering it with a stunning mirror, which is a converted old factory window. ‘It mimics where the original window used to be,’ she explains.
The staircase features a black-painted steel handrail with wire spindles. The steel beams, also painted in glossy black to look industrial, echo the banisters. ‘In a traditional build, the beams would be boxed in, but in a modern design like this, keeping them exposed works better and makes them part of the design,’ says Barlow.
Antique factory window mirror, Aldgate Home.
The staircase leads up to the first floor living area. ‘We wanted an open-plan space so the living room, dining area and kitchen would all be on one floor, hence having it on the upper storey,’ says Barlow. ‘The bedrooms are downstairs.’
The big, steel-framed glass wall with a heavy steel door was designed to look like a Crittall framed window and door, to segue the industrial feel of the hall into the room.
The central wooden beams were kept exposed for a warehouse feel, although they are purely aesthetic rather than structural. Unlike the reclaimed oak used elsewhere, these are brand-new pine beams, distressed and varnished to make them look older.
Barlow added skylights to fill the fairly low-ceilinged room with light. The skylights can be opened manually or with a remote control, and are fitted with electric blinds.
The TV wall, covered with tongue and groove panelling, tidily conceals the air conditioning and entertainment system.
Midcentury armchairs, Circus Antiques. Glass coffee table, Alfies Antique Market. Rug; marble side table, both West Elm. Silk cushions, bespoke.
The big, steel-framed glass wall with a heavy steel door was designed to look like a Crittall framed window and door, to segue the industrial feel of the hall into the room.
The central wooden beams were kept exposed for a warehouse feel, although they are purely aesthetic rather than structural. Unlike the reclaimed oak used elsewhere, these are brand-new pine beams, distressed and varnished to make them look older.
Barlow added skylights to fill the fairly low-ceilinged room with light. The skylights can be opened manually or with a remote control, and are fitted with electric blinds.
The TV wall, covered with tongue and groove panelling, tidily conceals the air conditioning and entertainment system.
Midcentury armchairs, Circus Antiques. Glass coffee table, Alfies Antique Market. Rug; marble side table, both West Elm. Silk cushions, bespoke.
The compact kitchen continues the industrial theme. Brushed-steel units and polished concrete worktops give the space a utilitarian feel. The monochromatic coupling of the black fridge-freezer and white metro tiles perfectly completes the fuss-free theme, while reclaimed wood shelves maintain consistency.
The copper bar stools come in an unusual flatpack design and have to be bent into shape along perforations in the seat. ‘It’s actually kind of fun,’ laughs Barlow, ‘and they’re surprisingly comfortable and sturdy!’
Copper bar stools, Blu Dot at Heal’s. Fridge-freezer, Smeg.
The copper bar stools come in an unusual flatpack design and have to be bent into shape along perforations in the seat. ‘It’s actually kind of fun,’ laughs Barlow, ‘and they’re surprisingly comfortable and sturdy!’
Copper bar stools, Blu Dot at Heal’s. Fridge-freezer, Smeg.
The guest bathroom also follows an unabashedly monochromatic theme; metro tiles with dark grey grouting are an unfussy complement to the bold striped wallpaper. As always, luxury isn’t overlooked; a white Carrara marble basin rests atop a bespoke reclaimed oak vanity unit, made by carpenters on-site.
Taps, Perrin & Rowe. Heated towel rail, The Sterlingham Co. Bronze mirror with leather strap, John Lewis. Wallpaper, Ralph Lauren. Metro tiles, Walls And Floors.
Taps, Perrin & Rowe. Heated towel rail, The Sterlingham Co. Bronze mirror with leather strap, John Lewis. Wallpaper, Ralph Lauren. Metro tiles, Walls And Floors.
Instead of going through the arduous and costly process of plastering and polishing the bedroom wall, Barlow opted for polished plaster wallpaper. ‘It’s the most realistic polished plaster I’ve ever seen without doing the real thing, which is expensive,’ she says. In a range of colours and textures, the wallpaper can be bought by the roll and is handmade to order.
Bedside lamps, Julian Chichester. Cushions, bespoke by Philip Jeffreys. Polished plaster wallpaper, Studio E at Fromental.
Bedside lamps, Julian Chichester. Cushions, bespoke by Philip Jeffreys. Polished plaster wallpaper, Studio E at Fromental.
Every detail was created thoughtfully and luxuriously. The doors of the wall-to-wall bespoke wardrobe are made from the same reclaimed oak as the vanity units in each bathroom, with a horsetail wallpaper insert framed with brass.
Steal these easy wardrobe hacks
Steal these easy wardrobe hacks
The poured concrete units were bespoke; they’re offset with the warm colours of the reclaimed oak vanity unit and medicine cabinet, and the floor tiles, which are brown emperador marble. ‘It was important to use a texture that sits well with the concrete,’ explains Barlow, ‘and this is a nice stone that looks luxurious and softens the scheme.’
Mirror, Sterlingham and Co Ltd. Sanitaryware and shower fittings, Perrin & Rowe.
Mirror, Sterlingham and Co Ltd. Sanitaryware and shower fittings, Perrin & Rowe.
The huge double shower features a concrete bench (out of shot) and is finished with a bespoke, frameless-glass screen and door.
The balcony was an existing feature of the old part of the property, and looks down onto the courtyard. To create a pleasant and lush outlook, Barlow had a living wall of grasses and wildflowers created to stretch the full height of the five-storey building.
The balcony was an existing feature of the old part of the property, and looks down onto the courtyard. To create a pleasant and lush outlook, Barlow had a living wall of grasses and wildflowers created to stretch the full height of the five-storey building.
The guest bathroom features Carrara marble on the floor, bath and basin, which sits on a poured concrete shelf. Barlow gave the bathroom’s grey palette a further textural twist with mosaic marble flooring and crackle glazed metro tiles.
Basin; floor tiles, all Mandarin Stone. Metro tiles, Laura Ashley. Wall lights, Holloways of Ludlow.
Basin; floor tiles, all Mandarin Stone. Metro tiles, Laura Ashley. Wall lights, Holloways of Ludlow.
The guest bedroom is neutral and softly lit. Even in such a sparsely furnished room, the distressed wood finish and underfloor heating, used throughout the home, make this a cosy and welcoming space.
Roman blinds, Andrew Martin. Brass side tables, Alfies Antique Market. Cushions, Heal’s. Lamps, Ochre.
TELL US…
What do you think of this newly created apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Roman blinds, Andrew Martin. Brass side tables, Alfies Antique Market. Cushions, Heal’s. Lamps, Ochre.
TELL US…
What do you think of this newly created apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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