Victorian bones meet contemporary design
Bishop’s Road
The property is a traditional terraced Victorian dwelling in the heart of Fulham. The client, who gained planning approval for a basement extension with a different architect, decided to hire the practice for both the interior architecture and interior design of the project.
The appointment included a comprehensive service where the internal layouts, all bespoke joinery, lighting and finishes were carefully designed or selected to ensure a strong expression of the design vision.
The project involved a complete strip-out of the ground floor, including the excavation of the rear patio and the creation of a large basement hosting entertainment rooms, a gym, one office and two more bathrooms.
At a later stage, the scope of work extended to the complete renovation of the first floor, the exclusive domain of the family’s three teenagers.
The brief called for a permeable ground floor, allowing visual connections between the main living spaces while maintaining a degree of privacy for the front snug. The family of five also wanted the new staircase to the basement to become a defining feature of the ground floor.
The design responds by positioning the new basement staircase at the centre of the plan, rotated 90 degrees in relation to the existing stair to the upper floors. Conceived as a sculptural element, it acts as a visual anchor, creating a strong focal point from every surrounding room.
Following the removal of the existing partition, the narrow Victorian hallway was expanded towards the kitchen and dining area. The wall was replaced with a multifunctional angled joinery element, establishing a diagonal geometry that aligns with the new stair balustrade and enhances visual connections through the ground floor.
The front room, designed as a sunken snug, addresses a common privacy challenge in Victorian houses. Lowering the floor by just 600 mm created a more intimate setting while remaining compliant with building regulations without the need for guarding or balustrades. The intervention reduces direct sightlines from the street into the seating area, providing a greater sense of enclosure without compromising openness to the rest of the house.
The new basement extension was designed to accommodate an entertainment room with a bar and home office, alongside a guest WC, utility room and a compact gym with an ensuite.
The brief called for a moody, Soho House-inspired atmosphere. In response, the design reinterpreted the iconic Electric Cinema within a contemporary domestic setting, with bespoke joinery and considered detailing evoking its intimate, theatrical character.
Extensive bespoke joinery was designed and integrated throughout all three floors, including the hallway, snug, under-stair storage, utility room, ensuite, media room, bar, home office, and children’s bedrooms.
The patio was designed to provide an easily accessible year-round BBQ area, an open space for the children to play, and a separate, more intimate seating area around the fire.
Despite the compact plot, the introduction of raised and staggered planting beds defined these distinct zones, making the patio feel more spacious and intentionally composed.
Completed in 2025.