Regent’s Park Townhouse by Studio Arthur Casas | Photography by Frederik Vercruysse
Regent’s Park Townhouse by Studio Arthur Casas | Photography by Frederik Vercruysse
Regent’s Park Townhouse by Studio Arthur Casas
Regents Park, London
Resident to one of England’s oldest royal parks, an early 19th-century townhouse in Regent’s Park balances complex heritage codes as it transformed to meet the contemporary needs of a young family of four. Governed by a rigorous heritage overlay, Studio Arthur Casas was commissioned to navigate the design process for the 1822 townhouse that belonged to a collective of 20 terraced houses. “Our approach to the design was guided by the strict regulations imposed by the preservation area, which restricted any alterations to the facade and visible internal modifications. We intended to create a harmonious blend of the townhouse’s historic character with the family’s modern needs,” Studio Arthur Casas founding architect Arthur Casas explains.
Assigned with a brief that required the architectural integrity to be preserved, the design needed to negotiate the family’s needs within the historic fabric. As an art curator, it was essential to house the wife’s extensive art collection with an opportunity to allow the collection to expand, Casas explains. Working with the architectural framework, the program “emphasised the need for modern functionality, including comfortable circulation, family-friendly spaces, and up-to-date technology,” Casas says.
Regent’s Park Townhouse by Studio Arthur Casas | Photography by Frederik Vercruysse
Regent’s Park Townhouse by Studio Arthur Casas | Photography by Frederik Vercruysse
Kensington Townhouse by Banda
Kensington, London
There’s nothing more exciting for a designer than developing an interior around a striking artwork. Multidisciplinary global design studio Banda found themselves in this unique position when an avid art collector whose collection includes paintings, photography, and sculpture by the likes of Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, and Tracey Emin engaged them. “We were lucky to have full access to the client’s collection of incredible pieces collected from far and wide,” Banda founder and creative director Edo Mapelli Mozzi says.
The property was not without innate assets. The five-storey Victorian townhouse has an enviable location in Kensington Village, close to Hyde Park. Despite being situated in central London, it’s exceptionally wide, with the lower ground kitchen and dining level opening out onto an artfully executed garden by Olivia Truelove, equal parts manicured and wild. Below the garden is an unexpectedly light-filled basement complete with a cinema, gym, pool, sauna and steam room. “The current owner and his family have lived there for over 20 years and asked Banda to undertake a full-scale, top-down redesign and renovation,” Edo recalls of the one-year process from start to finish, during which Banda led the interior design and project management.
Kensington Townhouse by Banda | Photography by Ben Anders
Kensington Townhouse by Banda | Photography by Ben Anders
Kensington Townhouse by Banda | Photography by Ben Anders
Kensington Townhouse by Banda | Photography by Ben Anders
Belgravia Townhouse by Child Studio
Belgravia, London
In the distinguished neighbourhood of Belgravia, London, a Georgian townhouse stands redefined with nostalgic European modernism. Owned by an entrepreneur and art collector, the three-storey residence is generously portioned at nearly 300 square metres. “We focused on traditional techniques and natural materials while the overall atmosphere is cosy and serene,” Child Studio founder Alexy Kos says.
The designers commenced working with the two upper levels. A voluminous double-height ceiling was formed by exposing the mansard roof, where the curved slopes of the slanted roof are accentuated with the tactile plaster finish. This directional move allowed a mezzanine level to be integrated, connecting the space to the outdoor terrace through a spiralled iron staircase. Taking advantage of the soaring five-metre ceiling height, a wall is lined in bespoke mahogany cabinetry, shelving the owner’s extensive book collection on art and design inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s Parisian library.
In the lounge, mahogany panels and shutters grace the walls, creating an intimate and insulated space reminiscent of the Milanese Villa Necchi. Various elements subtly balance this richness, including a custom-designed mohair daybed, Art Deco and Modernist lamps, and a 20th-century African coffee table. “This layered mix of treasured objects from different eras is crucial for us to create a cosy, lived-in atmosphere,” Child Studio founder Che Huang says.
Belgravia Townhouse by Child Studio | Photography by Helen Cathcart
Belgravia Townhouse by Child Studio | Photography by Helen Cathcart
Belgravia Townhouse by Child Studio | Photography by Helen Cathcart
Belgravia Townhouse by Child Studio | Photography by Helen Cathcart
Sheffield Terrace by Nice Projects
Kensington, London
Nice Projects have reimagined a Georgian terraced townhouse in London’s Holland Park with a quiet confidence, balancing respect for heritage with a contemporary sensibility. Working across five levels, the London and Sydney-based studio reinstated the home’s classical proportions after the original architectural features were stripped completely by a previous owner. Designed to meet the needs of a young family, the reconfigured plan allows light to move through the internal courtyard and into the living spaces, with a new rear extension cohesively connecting the kitchen, dining and lounge areas.
Throughout, materiality plays a central role: wide oak floorboards, Irish Blue Limestone and honed Argento Scuro stone form a muted, tactile palette that frames the artist client’s extensive collection. “We wanted to create a home that really celebrates the beauty of Georgian proportions, while using materials that will stand the test of time,” co-founder Simone McEwan says. “The design had to be distinctive, but with a neutral backdrop that would showcase the art without overwhelming it,” she adds.
Carefully curated furniture—both vintage and contemporary—adds layers of texture and personality, such as Pierre Paulin Groovy armchairs, Scarpa 121 dining chairs, a Louise Roe aluminium coffee table, and Santa & Cole lighting. The result is a home that honours its Georgian past while embracing the rhythm of modern family life.
Sheffield Terrace by Nice Projects | Photography by Studio Hahn
Sheffield Terrace by Nice Projects | Photography by Studio Hahn
Sheffield Terrace by Nice Projects | Photography by Studio Hahn
Pine Heath by Studio Hagen Hall
Hampstead, London
Located within North London’s leafy Hampstead Conservation Area, Pine Heath by Studio Hagen Hall revives a 1960s modernist townhouse into a sophisticated home suitable for contemporary family life. Attached to a collection of nine neighbouring townhouses, Pine Heath is one of five that was originally designed by South African architect Ted Levy, Benjamin & Partners in the late 1960s—representing a significant moment for London’s post-war architectural landscape.
Drawn to the home’s mid-century appeal, the clients and architect worked together to envisage and transform the dated terrace into a warm yet modern residence that would prioritise comfort and energy efficiency in equal measure.
“Pine Heath is one of our favourite projects to date,” Hagen Hall director Louis Hagen Hall says. “Our refurbishment and reconfiguration promotes a rich and harmonious dialogue between the existing character and contemporary interventions, introducing rationalised circulation routes while improving the functionality of communal and living spaces to elevate usability and comfort,” he adds.
Pine Heath by Studio Hagen Hall | Photography by Felix Speller
Pine Heath by Studio Hagen Hall | Photography by Felix Speller
Pine Heath by Studio Hagen Hall | Photography by Felix Speller
