• Victorian terrace refurbishment
• Structural layout change
• Conservation Area
• 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
• Architecture
• Interior Design & Project Management
• Furniture and accessories

Within the red-brick walls of this handsome West Hampstead townhouse every square foot is precious. Home to a bestselling author, who writes from the kitchen table, her work-from-home husband and teenage daughters, plus a dog, two guinea pigs and two cats, the challenge was to find cohesion, flexibility and functionality, all within a calm and contemporary styled interior.

The ground floor has been completely re-planned, with the main partition wall re-positioned to create a cosier living room to the rear, with a larger kitchen and dining area at the front of the house.

The functions of these areas have been flipped: dining now takes place in the bay window, and the kitchen is positioned in the centre.

By opening up the wall to the hallway the full width of the house is brought in to the kitchen, enabling space for a central island, which would otherwise not have been possible.

A wall-sized sliding door means late-night parties need not disturb sleeping children (or indeed sleeping parents!) This provides the perfect panelled backdrop to the dining area when standing open, and slides closed on an exposed ‘barn door’ runner as needed.

The bespoke kitchen has subtle shaker styling and is painted a rich blue to complement the deep tone of the hardwood parquet ( first installed when the owners moved in and now carefully restored).

Brass accents here, and throughout the house, give warmth and a relaxed vibe.

The island is raised off the floor on delicate legs, giving it the feel of a kitchen table – despite it housing ovens and hob. The black and white tiled extractor hood drops down over the island, hinting more towards Soho tapas bar than suburban kitchen.

The window seat features sumptuous patterned velvet cushions which pick up on the original stained glass above. The extendable oval table allows family dining to turn to full-scale entertaining with minimal effort.

The newly black-painted staircase leads down to more geometric cement tiles and ochre walls. Clever layout adjustments on this floor have transformed it from an abandoned storage area into daily use.

The utility room, created from a small store area, is entirely new. The original stained glass adds a jewelled reflection on the ceiling

Two central bathrooms, left over from the house’s previous incarnation as two flats, have been transformed and reconfigured. They now form a stunning cloakroom off the hall and an ensuite for the refurbished guest room.

The room at the rear was an indistinct TV room. This is now the principal home office with direct garden access and exposed painted brick wall, a move that has freed up bedroom space on the first floor.

Upstairs the first floor now features two large bedroom suites each with their own shower room. By sacrificing a small amount of space from the large rear room we have added a new en-suite shower room, tucked under the stairs and accessed from a dressing room lobby.

In the bedrooms bespoke built-in wardrobes and book-shelves, each with their own distinct style, maximise space.

Distinct tiling schemes in each of the five bathrooms bring personality and richness, while the simple and consistent sanitaryware ties them together. Un-lacquered brass taps continues the informal warmth within the house.

On the top floor a dividing partition has been removed to create one large bedroom from two small rooms, restoring the proportions of the original window and lofty ceilings.

The top floor bathroom has also been extended to provide space for a walk-in shower and full-size bath-tub. Crisp geometric tiles are offset by a wall of bronzed antique mirror that conceals storage cupboards.