townhouse restoration, clapham common
.jpeg)
this handsome grade II listed townhouse on clapham common northside was built in 1860, one of a pair of terraces for city businessmen. by the time our developer client bought it, years as an hmo (a house in multiple occupation, let as shared rooms) had left it poorly treated and its grand interiors hidden.
we restored it as a single family home, keeping its finest historic features and adding a calm contemporary refurbishment and new landscaping. the finished house was later featured by ft property among europe's best homes with frescoes.
a listed building can evolve without losing its identity.
listed buildings don't have to mean a slow, risky start. by splitting consent into stages, we let work begin early while the more ambitious changes were properly designed and argued. that lowered our client's risk and produced a better house.
03
a family home again
shared rooms and partitions gave way to a house that works as one, with contemporary kitchens and bathrooms set carefully among the historic rooms and a landscaped garden to match.
02
consent in stages
we made a series of applications, from light-touch repairs to more substantial alterations, and gained consent for all of them. the developer could start on site quickly on the lighter scheme, saving cost, while we designed and justified the bigger changes in close dialogue with conservation officers and consultants.
01
ceilings revealed
the house's original painted ceilings and gilded plasterwork had survived years of neglect. specialist conservators restored them to their full richness, and they now set the tone for every principal room.
