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).
-
Step inside Juno Omakase, London’s smallest counter dining experience
Juno Omakase, inside Los Mochis Notting Hill, offers a one-of-a-kind tasting menu in which Tokyo meets Tulum
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
‘Help me go faster’: How Nike Air is priming its athletes for Olympic success
Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nike’s chief design officer Mike Lotti opens up to Wallpaper* about its latest high-performance sneakers, developed alongside world-leading athletes and honed using AI technology
By Ann Binlot Published
-
A new book offers a cinematic view on Molteni & C
‘Molteni Mondo. An Italian Design Story’ published by Rizzoli celebrates 90 years of the Italian furniture company Molteni & C
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Timber-framed Wimbledon house is a minimalist, low-energy affair
A new timber-framed Wimbledon house is designed to blend into its traditional surroundings with a neat brick façade, careful massing and pared back interiors
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
London Science Museum’s Energy Revolution gallery champions sustainable exhibition design
The Energy Revolution gallery opens at London’s Science Museum, exploring decarbonisation through sustainable exhibition design by Unknown Works
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
This South Downs house stands as a testament to the value of quiet refinement
At one with the landscape, a South Downs house uses elements of quintessential country villas and midcentury gems with modern technologies
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ash Tree House offers a contextual approach to a north London site
Ash Tree House by Edgley Design is a modern family home in a north London conservation area's backyard site
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
In memoriam: John Miller (1930-2024)
We remember John Miller, an accomplished British architect and educator who advocated a quiet but rigorous modernism
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
River Wing at Clare College responds to its historic Cambridge heritage
University of Cambridge opens its new River Wing on Clare College Old Court, uniting modern technology with historic design
By Clare Dowdy Published
-
Camden Workshop offers flexible family space in a transformed north London warehouse
Camden Workshop, a transformed industrial space in north London, was designed by architects McLaren Excell to combine residential space and a creative studio for its owners
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The Haydon shows off its dramatic stepped volume and triplex penthouse
The Haydon, designed by architects Acme, reveals the triplex penthouse within its dramatic, stepped volume in London’s Aldgate
By Ellie Stathaki Published