Situated in the Barnsbury Conservation Area of Thornhill Grove in London, a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse was in need of refurbishment. The clients, an art historian and museum curator, were looking to blend the contemporary with the classic. Enter Architecture for London, a renowned London-based practice with a special sympathy for historic buildings and a considered approach to environmental impact. Project architects Amrit Marway and Ben Ridley took inspiration from curator Jim Ede’s Kettle’s Yard where modern meets antique across furniture, fittings, and objects. (We photographed and profiled the space in 2018 for our post 12 Design Lessons from Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge.) In keeping Georgian details in tact while extending and opening up living spaces, the architects set about to unveil interiors to entertain, raise children, to think, to read, and write in. Join us for a tour of the result.
Photography by Nick Dearden for Architecture for London.
Above: The house exterior is painted in Magnolia from Dulux.
Above: The carpet is the Coir Panama Natural Carpet from Alternative. The table and chairs are vintage Bruno Rey for Swiss Dietiker from 1971. The floor lamp is the Gubi Tynell 9602 Floor Lamp designed by Paavo Tynell in 1935.
The lower ground floor was formerly a dark space with a “convoluted kitchen arrangement” as the architects describe. Here, a modest side addition was made to accommodate a shower room and pantry off the kitchen. The original timber joists in the ceiling were exposed and painted white. These updates resulted in a kitchen/dining space that is light filled and multi-functional.
Above: The kitchen is designed with opaque white Zellige tile (color 1018) from Mosaic Factory and a Carrara marble surface. The kitchen faucet is by Aston Matthews.
Above: The brick tile floors echo those seen at Kettle’s Yard. The tiles are Staffordshire bricks made by Ketley Brick. The custom kitchen cabinetry is English oak in a textured sawn finish with internal cabinets lined in heritage red-painted timber.
Above: The walls are painted in Wimborne White from Farrow & Ball carrying from the kitchen into the dining area. The wall panels are Farrow & Ball Schoolhouse White.
Above: The dining chairs are Danish classics J39 Mogensen Chairs by Børge Mogensen. The pendant is the Ceramic Classic Pendant from The French House.
Above: On the lower ground floor, an existing rear conservatory was replaced with a metal-framed extension finished in RAL 6003 Olive Green powder coating.
Above: The main bedroom is painted in Setting Plaster and accented in Dimity, both Farrow & Ball colors. The historic soot-stained fireplaces, as in other rooms throughout the house, were revealed and celebrated.
Above: In the corner is a vintage Ercol Stacking Chair.
Above: Hallways connecting the bedrooms are painted in a sunny shade of Farrow & Ball Babouche.
Above: The upstairs bath features traditional fixtures beneath a newly-constructed circular skylight. The zellige tile continues from the kitchen into the bath as tub surround. The floors are linoleum flooring from Forbo Flooring Systems.
Above: The nursery is painted in White Tie with an accent of Wimborne White, both from Farrow & Ball, with Westex Natural Loop Bouclé Sandcastle carpet.
Above: In another bedroom, the walls and radiator are painted in a darker shade, Farrow & Ball Broccoli Brown. The oversized pendant is the Hotaru Double Bubble Pendant made by Barber & Osgerby for Ozeki & Co. Ltd.—the Japanese manufacturers of Noguchi shades.
Above: Bespoke joinery forms a desk and concealed guest bed with a newly-constructed bay window seat. The walls are painted Calke Green from Farrow & Ball. Another Bruno Rey chair serves as a desk chair and a Noguchi Akari 1AT Light Sculpture.
Above: The shower room as part of the new lower ground floor extension features Forbo Flooring Systems linoleum flooring.
Above: Zellige tile and Aston Matthews brass fixtures in the shower.
Above: Reclaimed finishes were used where possible such as the stone to the rear patio.
For more historic London homes see our posts:
- Making History: A Primrose Hill House Brought Back—and Forward—in Time By Mark Lewis Interior Design
- A Composed Life: A Rarefied London Townhouse Remodel by Jonathan Tuckey Design
- The New Road Residence: A Curated London House from Hostem
- House Call: A Georgian Townhouse in Edinburgh Remodeled for an Artist
- A Rescued Georgian in a ‘Time-Capsule Enclave’ in the Center of London
