Incredible conversion of Venetian style water tower

This incredible conversion of an 1860′s Venetian Gothic style water tower by Arc Restoration encompasses five bedrooms, each with a different theme, two reception rooms, one with panoramic views of London and an eat-in, contemporary designed kitchen. The tower has an extension, nick named The Cube which houses the kitchen and reception room, as well as providing roof space for a fabulous terrace with skyline views. The Prospect Room at the top of the tower, in what was the original water tank, is the crowning glory of this monumental conversion comprised of 4,483 square feet (416 square meters). The four bathrooms, each with a personality of its own, have views and smart glass windows to switch between clear and opaque glass to ensure no view is unappreciated while privacy is retained when required. The property also features excellent security, a gym, lift, cellar and a garage, all of which are added benefits. Excellent attention to detail in the entire property, which was once owned by Charlie Chaplin, has been carefully considered.

Listed for sale at $7,393,375.00, from here.

Little Venice House showcasing playful design details

Little Venice House was designed for a family of four by Andy Martin Architect in Little Venice, West London, England. Warren and Claire Johnson live in Little Venice with their two young boys Charlie, three, and Jake, two. Their apartment is set on the ground floor of grade I listed mansion terrace overlooking one of London’s most beautiful garden squares. With ceilings reaching 4.5 meters, the space has been designed and converted to suit their busy work and family lifestyle. The architects were appointed to help achieve this.

Private rooms moved to the north and public living spaces to the south overlooking the gardens. Every area has been remodeled to offer abundant storage and walls purposely left free to offer space for their expanding art collection. Existing details were removed from doors and walls and reinstated the moulded ceilings and parquet flooring. New elements are made obvious by the use of color or texture, and are designed more like interventions.

Simply elegant Victorian flat in Notting Hill

This stunning Victorian flat in Notting Hill, London was designed by interior designer Katrina Phillips and her assistant Georgiana Huddart. The owner is a movie producer who chose to purchase the home to share with his wife and daughter as a vacation getaway. The Victorian facade gives way to the interior with a cozy and quiet elegance. The deep respect to the architectural heritage, the history and aesthetics of the building, guided throughout the project, but distribution, setting and treatment of the spaces start from a contemporary concept.

They selected the latest technology for comfort and safety, and a deliciously timeless style. In addition, an interesting work of research was conducted for each space: choice of colors, fabrics, furniture, decorative objects, nothing was left to chance. For example, they decided on a color palette of stone, ivory, antique gold, oxide red, ocher, which was the advice of an expert in historical painting. The treatment of light and colors was inspired by those used by the Italian painter Caravaggio and also the work of the master of the modern decor, the Belgian Axel Vervoordt.

Stylishly designed contemporary home in London

Blake House is a spectacular property in London, England that boasts a spacious open floor plan, high ceilings and bright spaces. With a loft-like feel, the apartment features a master bedroom retreat with a staircase that leads down into the voluminous space, with a two-story ceiling height, en-suite bathroom, and private home office. The apartment is perfect for entertaining, with a wall of glass paned windows that separates the living room from the fully equipped kitchen with breakfast nook. The home is decorated with a predominately neutral color palette with bold pops of red color scattered throughout.

Enjoy this inspirational home and be sure to leave us a comment of what you think of the decor!

Photos: Courtesy of 1st Option

Contemporary property in London: Mapledene Road

Mapledene Road house is situated in a conservation area in Hackney, London. The property had been stripped of virtually all its period features and had become run down and used as a “crack den” leaving it ripe for modernization. Refurbishment was conceived of as a landscape of interventions and new components by London-based Platform 5 Architects. The cellular ground floor was opened up and extended to the rear to allow the spaces to flow into each other and to the garden whilst the existing layout to the first floor was largely retained. Each room maintains an individual character giving a varied experience as you move through the house.

The kitchen and patio areas are unified by a power-floated concrete floor and London stock brick garden wall giving the internal space an external character. The existing flank wall has been removed and the kitchen is applied as a lining to the rough brickwork. A modern structural glass oriel window lined with cherry wood projects into the garden and juxtaposes with the Victorian bay that projects into the street. The expansive glass roof over the kitchen opens up the view to the sky; you can watch the planes fly over and the swifts catching flies.

Daylight is brought in from above to illuminate previously dark spaces, the walls, floors, roof, glazing and appliances have been upgraded to modern standards for insulation and efficiency. Overheating and glare in the kitchen is managed by shading from the surrounding buildings and trees, high thermal mass and the use of solar-control glass and blinds.

Photos: Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects

Stunning renovation in London: Book Tower House

Walls of books fold around a wooden staircase in this renovation and extension to a north London home by Hackney studio Platform 5 Architects. Book Tower House is a typical late Victorian mid-terraced house in Hampstead, London. The original property contained some Arts and Crafts influenced decorative aspects, which the owners were keen to retain and highlight, while introducing contemporary interventions.

The main feature is a double height library space at the heart of the house, created by combining the original rear reception room and a first floor bedroom.  The feature staircase, wrapped in oak bookshelves, leads up to a built-in desk and study area with views over the ground floor.

To the rear of the house, a side extension to the existing kitchen was formed by resting an oak rib and skin structure, externally clad in zinc, onto the brick party wall.

“We used exposed brickwork in the extension to link the room with the garden by continuing the garden wall into the interior, London stock brick is an essential part of the character of the city and it forms a beautiful backdrop to a domestic interior.”

A cozy seating area with slide-away corner glazing creates a space where you feel surrounded by the garden.

A kitchen island counter is made from exposed concrete, which the architects also used for the surface of the floor. “The robust finish sits comfortably with the muted tones and texture of the exposed brickwork and oak.”

Photos: Alan Williams

Stylish mews house in Knightsbridge Village

11RMS is a mews house located in the heart of Knightsbridge village, London. Designed by Elips Design, the internal planning responds to particular needs of the occupants. The design concept is driven by the willing to connect with one staircase the 3 floors to maximize the space. The living spaces were designed as open space to allow the natural light to enter, as well as through skylights. The ground floor can be used as a studio, for this reason the staircase, the fulcrum of the project, has a sliding panel created into the structure to divide the space between office and living, if required. Light is a dominant theme, both the natural one and the artificial one, designed in collaboration with Viabizzuno. The facade is left to preserve the visual integrity of the mews as a street.

An eccentric London refuge in Notting Hill

Originally encountered on Elle, this flat with a British air is the Notting Hill, London refuge of Bea Deza, the creator of signature fashion house Sister Jane, which is as eccentric and cool as she; daring and inspiring with custom made designs. Bea gave her living room an English lounge atmosphere, with a Katrina Phillips sofa and an Ikea sofa in leather and velvet. Bea has sought to create the perfect atmosphere in her home for inspiration. On the wall of the living room a deer head has been hung and warheads made with newspapers from Anthropologie. Freedom and eclecticism is breathed in the kitchen and in the living room.

The kitchen is a mix between pub bar and English country house, with tears lamp of Les trois garçons, shelf with antique books and a mirror.

The stools are Philippe Starck for Kartell.

Full of surprises, Bea applied an English forest atmosphere in the bedroom. Wallpaper is Katrina Phillips and the upholstered headboard was a custom design of Bea’s.

The quilt on the bed was woven by girls from Calcutta. On the wall is a portrait of Bea by Australian artist Steve.

In the window is French lace from the 18th century and green velvet curtains.

Creatively partitioned five-story Chelsea townhouse

The existing dwelling in Chelsea, London has a deep and narrow floor plate, with daylight penetrating from the east and west. The proposed project by architecture firm Elips Design aimed to enhance the amount of natural light by investigating levels of transparency both vertical and horizontally, through a play of reflections and perspectives. That is the reason why the architects chose to build an extension in complete glass, and used stainless steel for the structure in order to have the reflection of the surrounding green landscape.

The depth of the 52 square meters building creates a visual connectivity between the living space and the external landscaping, whilst maximizing transparency and natural daylight. The choice open space, creating a sequence of distinct functional areas where it is dismantled the concept of “room” for a context of spatial fluidity. The service areas including toilet and laundry cupboard are all together. The dining area is planned in the basement, along with the kitchen area, while the ground floor is dedicated to the living room and a library room.

The creation of a core services behind the kitchen frees up the stairs by expanding existing wardrobes across wide spaces and create a space for living adjacent to the well-being. The bedrooms, on the three floors below, maximizes the use of space with bespoke furnishings and creates contemporary yet cozy rooms.

Opulent Georgian terrace home in London

This luxurious home in Kensington, London was given a completely fresh interiors scheme for a new-build, six storey house by SHH Design. The property is a contemporary take on a Georgian terrace, set within a classic square. The client’s brief was simple it had to meet the needs of an international family with six children, combining all the conveniences of modern living with state-of-the-art AV and comfort cooling. The look had to be: ‘Cream, off-white and funky’. Layers of differing tones and textures allowed this simple directive to bear fruit in a cool, dramatic and elegant scheme.

The 12,000 square foot residence is comprised of a very generously proportioned reception room, large formal dining room, family room, cinema and pool room, all located on the lower three floors. The entire first floor is occupied by the master suite, with the remaining two floors taken up by five further bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms. The house is entered at upper ground level, which consists of a double volume entrance foyer, a free-floating staircase and the principle reception room. The garden is reached via the main staircase and is comprised of a passage leading into the family room at the back and the dining room at the front, both of which can be accessed through the centrally located internal kitchen.

The dining room, with is formal proportions, uses a minimalist Italian table and chairs from Minotti to great effect against the spectacular backdrop of a cross-combed polished plaster fire breast. The pool and leisure level is located in the basement of the house and encompasses the cinema, utility room, large pool, leisure room, plant room and staff quarters. The standout bedroom is the first floor master suite, entirely done in off-white. Together with the dressing room, the walls here have been hung in a delicate genuine mother of pearl wall tile, ingeniously hiding the tile joints, making the whole area ‘seemingly seamless’.