Transforming an urban terrace by light touch

This large Victorian Italianate terrace house in a conservation area was ready for a restoration to revive its many original features and enhance its functionality for a busy family. With clients who’s professional lives required as little disturbance as possible, this project was an exercise in preparation, speed and tight scheduling.

Our approach to the renovation was to juxtapose the patina and texture of restored original features with a sympathetic, monochrome overlay of the new.

Rendered walls, millwork, plaster cornices and ceiling roses were all revived with an all-white paint work to form a backdrop to the restored original features of marble fireplaces, kauri pine floorboards, cedar staircases, tessellated tile hallway, door rim locks, brass door and window hardware. For new bathrooms, kitchen and joinery, we played with the Victorian language and achieved an exaggerated, traditional style using heavy moulding and slick brass detailing. The classic marble bathrooms incorporated various tile patterns and slabs, complimenting the many original Carrara marble fireplaces and tesselated tile details. Continuity was achieved with a monochrome palette and select finishes.

The client’s 20th century Scandinavian furniture was incorporated into the scene by featuring two mid-century Kalmar Chandeliers and classic waxed linen curtains. Conversion of one fireplace to gas increased the functionality of the living room.

A reconfiguration of the master bathroom, using large sliding doors, opened up the master bedroom, incorporated an original fireplace and gave better access to natural light. 

The kitchen / garden connection was created using large trifold and bifold doors. The resulting kitchen design sits seamlessly in its context, boasting robust detailing and quality finishes from the black herringbone tiled floor and smoked oak cabinetry to a stunning granite stone top and a full wall of contrasting white cabinetry to maximise storage.

Details such as diverting the electrical board and conduits and consolidating air-conditioning units enabled an enhanced presentation to the street and rear garden. Working with the client’s suggestion of a monochrome palette we balanced a black facade and a stone coloured rear wing to great effect.

A beautiful butterfly emerged in record time.