What used to be a commercial showroom has now been transformed into a warm family home in central London. Welcome to Danish Mews House, the brainchild of London architect and residential project maestro Neil Dusheiko. And while mews houses are traditionally small in size, meaning they can end up feeling cramped and dark, this contemporary mews renovation has resulted in a flowing, open and light-filled home with a range of social spaces to boot – responding directly to the owners’ needs and desire for a base that is ‘perfect for entertaining, relaxing and cooking’.
The project occupies a corner of a cul-de-sac and was historically used as the coach house to Georgian properties behind, set within the capital’s Bayswater Conservation Area. Sitting, quite literally, in the shadow of nearby taller structures, the compact building felt restricted – both in natural light and footprint. Dusheiko and his team addressed this by inserting a central staircase at the building’s heart, set behind glazing and featuring a skylight at the top. This helps daylight travel through all levels. Six new dormers on the very top floor create a bright master bedroom with a private terrace for the owners.
The sense of family warmth this home exudes is also a result of the masterful use of wood throughout – from the built-in planters, timber battens and exposed Douglas fir beams, to the wealth of finishes sourced from Denmark, creating a palette of natural, sustainable materials. A furniture selection, including pieces by Montana, Carl Hansen, and Hans J Wegner, and lights by Louis Poulsen, complete the mews house’s soft Danish theme – a response to the owners’ roots. The overall composition feels organic and gentle, but also refreshingly uncluttered, nodding towards modern minimalist architecture.
Combining style with substance, the design is also planned with the long term in mind, the architects explain: ‘The home is future-proofed for the elderly clients. At entry level, a lift has been provided to create easy access to the upper floors. An accessible bedroom with easy access to a small kitchenette has also been provided on the ground floor, which will double as a guest bedroom in the short term.’
INFORMATION
-
A Mexican clifftop retreat offers both drama, and a sense of placeCasa Yuri, a clifftop retreat by Zozaya Arquitectos, creates the perfect blend of drama and cosiness on Mexico's Pacific Coast
-
Tour David Lynch's house as it hits the marketDavid Lynch's LA estate is for sale at $15m, and the listing pictures offer a glimpse into the late filmmaker's aesthetic and creative universe
-
A new Tadao Ando monograph unveils the creative process guiding the architect's practiceNew monograph ‘Tadao Ando. Sketches, Drawings, and Architecture’ by Taschen charts decades of creative work by the Japanese modernist master
-
The new 2025 London Open House Festival tours to book2025 London Open House launches this weekend, running 13-21 September; here, we celebrate the newcomers in the residential realm, flagging the exciting additions to the festival's growing home tour programme
-
The wait is over – the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 shortlist is hereThe restored home of Big Ben, creative housing for different needs, and a centre for medical innovation – the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 shortlist has just been announced, and its six entries are as diverse as they can be
-
Slides, clouds and a box of presents: it’s the Dulwich Picture Gallery’s quirky new pavilionAt the Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London, ArtPlay Pavilion by Carmody Groarke and a rich Sculpture Garden open, fusing culture and fun for young audiences
-
Bay House brings restrained modern forms and low-energy design to the Devon coastA house with heart, McLean Quinlan’s Bay House is a sizeable seaside property that works with the landscape to mitigate impact and maximise views of the sea
-
A whopping 92% of this slick London office fit-out came from reused materialsCould PLP Architecture's new workspace provide a new model for circularity?
-
Meet the landscape studio reviving the eco-brutalist Barbican ConservatoryLondon-based Harris Bugg Studio is working on refreshing the Barbican Conservatory as part of the brutalist icon's ongoing renewal; we meet the landscape designers to find out more
-
A refreshed Victorian home in London is soft, elegant and primed for hostingSobremesa house by architects Studio McW shows off its renovation and extension, designed for entertaining
-
15 years of Assemble, the community-driven British architecture collectiveRich in information and visuals, 'Assemble: Building Collective' is a new book celebrating the Turner Prize-winning architecture collective, its community-driven hits and its challenges
