A large and elegant drawing room, with various sitting areas furnished with an assortment of antique and contemporary furniture, a sculptural floor lamp, large scale artworks and a grand piano.

balance

architecture, full refurbishment, basement extension, interior design, FF&E, and art advisory

west kensington, london

The refurbishment of a grand house on a leafy West London square. We modified the spaces and remodeled this home as if it was a historical and listed building in order to adapt it to the changing needs of family life. All of the spaces of this Edwardian house were designed to accommodate the personalities of the owners, creating rooms that reflect the way they live and for the family to thrive and evolve.

Interior image with a large scale photographic light-box by Benjamin Faga above a long buttoned sofa; a polished brass coffee table appears with a tall thread wrapped floor lamp.
Interior image featuring a large photo of a woman's feet wearing high heels seen through water. Artwork hangs above an antique Chinese sideboard.
Vignette with 2 armchairs in purple velvet around a round antique table. 2 paintings on the wall behind in shades of blue an green.
A sophisticated library room with wooden panelling. A selection of Chinese and Danish antique furniture.
The same library viewed from the other direction. Floor to ceiling bookshelves and a large desk in front of the bay large bay windows.
Library detail with bookshelves surrounding a fireplace with a carved wooden fireplace surround. An ornate mirror hangs above the fireplace.
Kitchen detail showing high ceilings with cornices, dramatic white marble islands with veins in shades of purple. The tall cabinets are a medium toned oak with a strip of exposed brick visible above the cabinets.
A view down the length of the kitchen to the bay window at the front with original panelling and shutters. A large 1970s light fitting of many clear glass globes hangs above a round glass breakfast table.
A detail of the breakfast area with a grey Great Dane laying on a grey sofa. Above the sofa hangs a surreal photographic artwork on the exposed brick wall.
A view of the dining room with a large oval dark wood table with chairs upholstered in a striped orange and cream fabric. Against the far wall is a long sideboard made of lacquered scrap-wood, with a decorative Japanese wall panel in shades of gold h
A detail of the principal bedroom with a large armchair and ottoman, in front of the floor to ceiling wardrobe doors.
Detail of the principal bathroom with a bespoke vanity in blue de savoie grey marble, with the bath surround and walls clad in dramatically striped black and grey 'blackwood marble'.
A view of the back garden from above. The lower part is paved with a sitting area in front of the fireplace. Stairs lead up to a planted area above.
View across the stairway to the fully glazed lift shaft and light-well with exposed brickwork visible behind.
Exterior view of the roof terrace showing plantings, the iroko wood clad terrace and jacuzzi surround with the trees of the square seen behind.

area: 9,600 ft²

client: private

The external spaces were created from scratch on the roof and rear garden to provide additional entertainment spaces and to take best advantage of the green surroundings. We created additional floor areas through a significant basement extension, to create a cinema room, gym and entertaining rooms, a wine cellar and a private spa.

“There is an element of “rough luxe” to the exposed brickwork, here [lift shaft] and in the kitchen, which just tones things down in terms of the luxury of the house and says we can be grand but we also know where we are coming from”, says Hage. “These layers are about saying there is as much beauty in a brick wall as the intricate plastering or the cornicing. So why hide it? Let’s keep it as part of the decoration because there is a truth to it that ties in with the real architecture of the building.’

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