House in Chelsea, London

A feeling of light and space together with an intimate relationship with the garden were the main tenets for the refurbishment of the run down and rather shabby early Victorian terraced house in Chelsea.

Typically small-roomed and dark, the Grade 2 Listed property arranged over four floors has been opened up and 'aired' through careful handling of modern elements and the existing period features, making a house that is practical and comfortable to live in. Clean and uncluttered, the dining room, kitchen and conservatory now unify front and back, giving unobstructed views and access to the garden, whilst blocks of colour clarify the internal spaces. The single sheet of reinforced glass that forms both the balcony to the rear of the ground floor and the roof over the conservatory below allows further light penetration into the heart of the house. Asymmetrically etched to provide a non-slip surface, the pattern on the glass echoes the variegated shade of the overhanging branches and is reflected in the rhythm of the steelwork balustrade.

The shower room located in the rear extension on the first floor has a 'frameless' glass roof and bespoke mosaic tiling. Thinly veiled screening to the garden continues the outdoor aesthetic of the lower floors. While the palette of materials used throughout the building is generally limited and subdued, the rich cobalt blue tiling illuminated by bright natural light gives a feeling of opulence and exuberance to the process of taking a shower

The House in Chelsea project was exhibited at MODE in the Business Design Centre in 1999 and shown again in 2000 in the Architects Journal 'Under £150K' Exhibition at the RIBA.

The use of metalwork on the project was shortlisted for an award by the Galvanizers Association.