When Greek-born, New York-based architect Lydia Xynogala was called upon to update, introduce light and a sense of the outdoors to an apartment in a Victorian London property, she knew it was a renovation that required some careful handling.
The home, which was in a listed Victorian house in the upmarket Knightsbridge area of the British capital, almost ignored the lush gardens it faced and featured a dark, awkwardly placed kitchen underneath a heavy staircase. The solution lied in meticulously removing all the unnecessary ornamentation and existing details that had been added to the interior over the years, to reveal a lighter, cleaner space that focuses towards the entrance and the gardens.
The original staircase was replaced with a new version made from streamlined, white perforated steel plate. This allowed plenty of light to flow through and into the compact kitchen behind it; when the light shines through the perforation, the stairs appear delicate and almost ethereal. On the mezzanine nestled above the kitchen, a set of shutters made from the same material as the staircase, reveal a guest room when opened.
The entrance to the house also received a thorough refresh, opened up towards the outside and the green spaces beyond. Further perforated steel plate details, such as shelves, seating and indoor planters, were added, creating sharp geometries and much needed visual continuity, while adding extra storage space to entry hall. All the new details were painted white to respond to the retained checkerboard floor.
Everywhere else, Xynogala refreshed and lifted the interior using subtle moves that opened up spaces, tidied up corners and smartened details, using bespoke fittings, streamlined cabinetry and a new, soft colour palette. The result? A subtly luxurious interior beaming with cleverly designed details that coexist comfortably within their Victorian shell as a coherent, contemporary whole.
The project involved the full redesign of the space in relation to the gardens it is facing
At the same time, bespoke detailing, such as minimalist indoor planters, brought a contemporary sharpness to the interior.
The existing kitchen, which was tucked away behind the main staircase, was reworked into a clean, light space.
The living spaces also received a sophisticated minimalist treatment.
The living spaces also received a sophisticated minimalist treatment.
Tailor made fittings and cabinetry highlight the quietly luxurious redesign
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Lydia Xynogala
-
Daisy Margarita Bar reimagines the Mexican tavern with vaquero flair in Los AngelesFrom frozen guacamole margaritas to lamb shank with frijoles puercos, this new Sherman Oaks destination mixes playful gastronomy with tradition
-
The best of California desert architecture, from midcentury gems to mirrored dwellingsWhile architecture has long employed strategies to cool buildings in arid environments, California desert architecture developed its own distinct identity –giving rise, notably, to a wave of iconic midcentury designs
-
Meet Rural Futurisms, 'agents for catalytic change' in South Africa's landscape design fieldLed by Lesego Bantsheng, the collective is challenging conventional ideas of landscape by reimagining how rural communities connect with heritage, ecology and design
-
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
-
Meet Studio Knight Stokoe, the landscape architects guided by ‘resilience, regeneration and empathy’Boutique and agile, Studio Knight Stokoe crafts elegant landscapes from its base in the southwest of England – including a revived brutalist garden
-
Tour this compact Kent coast jewel of a cabin with StudiomamaJack Mama and Nina Tolstrup take us on a tour of their latest project – a small but perfectly formed Kent coast cabin in Seasalter, UK
-
Boutique London rental development celebrates European courtyard livingLondon design and development studio Wendover unveils its newest residential project, 20 Newcourt Street, comprising nine apartments; we toured with co-founder Gabriel Chipperfield
-
A refreshed Fulham house balances its history with a series of 21st-century interventionsA Fulham house project by Bureau de Change creates a 21st-century domestic haven through a series of contemporary interventions and a deep connection to the property's historical fabric
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s favourite July housesFrom geometric Japanese cottages to restored modernist masterpieces, these are the best residential projects to have crossed the architecture desk this month
