Open plan: Echlin debut Kenure House, a home centred on greenery
Openness and greenery are at the heart of every Echlin project, explain the young London-based design studio co-founders Mark O’Callaghan and Sam McNally, and their newest residential project is a true representation of that mantra. Created by the clever combination of three adjacent properties sitting on two parallel streets in West London’s Norland Conservation area, Kenure House is a clever transformation of a townhouse and two mews houses into a comfortable, modern family home.
‘Each façade tells a different part of the building’s history’, says O’Callaghan. ‘The front dates back to the 19th century whist the back is a completely new interpretation of a mews house. Neither shows a full indication of the contemporary and spacious home which lies beyond.’
Indeed, the plot created by this union is long but fairly narrow, giving an elegantly modest impression from the street’s carefully retained main façade. The house however spans an impressive 3,900 sq ft, five levels and five bedrooms, as well as several entertainment areas.
But its crowning glory sits with Echlin’s masterful handling of openings and natural light, in this narrow site that could have easily ended up dark and awkward. Light wells and courtyards dot the plans, while carefully removed walls and glass partitions ensure sunlight seeps everywhere that's needed, even on the lower floors.
‘At Kenure House there is immediate access to outside space from most parts of the house,' adds McNally, 'with four outdoor areas, and your eye is naturally drawn toward the green core.’ In total, there is over 650 sq ft of outside space in the house.
An entrance lounge, a garage and a large kitchen occupy the first floor; the main living area and two bedrooms sit on the first; while the second floor houses the master suite, dressing area and a roof terrace including a dedicate bath area. Meanwhile, a study area, two further bedrooms, a media room and utility area make for a lower ground level that doesn’t feel underground at all.
A rich material palette of marble, stone, linens, leather and timber create a tactile and warm interior environment. These are complemented by furniture that is either bespoke or carefully selected by the Echlin team, making this new London family house a true labour of love.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Echlin’s website
Photography: Nathalie Priem
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
The Emory, RSHP’s first luxury hotel in London, is a rising star
New London hotel The Emory presents the perfect showcase of RSHP’s signature functionalist style and hospitality group Maybourne’s elevated luxury
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
‘Born in Oasi Zegna: The Book’ looks back to the house’s Alpine roots
Published by Rizzoli, ‘Born in Oasi Zegna’ looks towards the Oasi Zegna natural territory in the Italian Alps, where ZEGNA opened its first wool mill in 1910 and has since fostered a thriving natural ecosystem of more than 500,000 trees
By Jack Moss Published
-
The New York art exhibitions to see now
From MoMA to the smaller spaces, here are the best New York art exhibitions to catch before they close
By Hannah Silver Published
-
The Emory, RSHP’s first luxury hotel in London, is a rising star
New London hotel The Emory presents the perfect showcase of RSHP’s signature functionalist style and hospitality group Maybourne’s elevated luxury
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Inside Harry Handlesman's Manhattan Loft Gardens penthouse in London
Manhattan Loft Corporation CEO Harry Handlesman's Manhattan Loft Gardens penthouse in London goes on the market for £17.5m
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architects collaborate on geometric extension to radically re-shape a London house
Mediterranean influences, earthy tones and quirky angles abound in this geometric extension and the soaring living spaces of this reconfigured Victorian townhouse
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
London’s Reciprocal House complements an existing Norman Foster extension
Reciprocal House by Gianni Botsford replaces a north London Victorian structure, preserving its early Norman Foster extension and bringing the whole to the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Stephen Friedman Gallery by David Kohn is infused with subtly playful elegance
Stephen Friedman Gallery gets a new home by David Kohn in London, filled with elegant details and colourful accents
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Henry Wood House’s postmodernist bones are refreshed by Nice Projects in London
Nice Projects breathes new life into the Henry Wood House in London, offering ample flexible office spaces for modern workers
By Daven Wu Published
-
‘Bio-spaces’ exhibition at Roca London Gallery celebrates biophilic design
‘Bio-Spaces: regenerative, resilient futures’ opens at the Roca London Gallery as ‘a call to action to stop designing nature out’
By Clare Dowdy Published
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2024: London’s bold, bright and boutique home renovations
Don’t Move, Improve 2024 reveals its shortlist, with 16 home designs competing for the top spot, to be announced in May
By Ellie Stathaki Published