Clapham House

The starting point for this project is one of those low Victorian terraced houses that fill the streets of West and Southwest London. It had an awkward kitchen in the rear infill extension, and even a few internal windows. It all had to go. Over the course of about two years, we brought some life back into the home.

My initial idea for the decoration was two-fold: first, to create some sense of history on the ground floor by imagining the house had a sort of Arts & Crafts intervention in the late 19th century. To that end I added panelling and a new chimneypiece and fireplace insert to the dining room. And second, to make sense of the large rear sitting room and glazed roof by giving it a squarely 20th century personality. For that I relied on teak panelling to part of the room and more contemporary furniture and art. Upstairs, we designed simple, neat bathrooms to make the most of the spaces without breaking the budget. This project was a real labour of love, and I hope the effect is as intended: a home with an energetic soul that has accumulated over many decades.