House to home – the design of our Richmond family home

Families play an integral part in the design of many of our beautiful homes, from our elegant period property in Holland Park designed with our clients’ young children in mind with its paired down design scheme, rounded edges and clutter-free surfaces to the exquisite mock-Tudor family home in Richmond, where the heart of the home revolves around both formal and informal family entertaining rooms.

In our Richmond residential project, the ground floor of this extended 1920’s family home is divided into a series of living spaces, allowing for a hierarchy of entertaining functions. The older part of the property houses the richly panelled snug and Sunday room – intimate spaces for relaxing and lazy weekends, while the modern part of the house has a large open-plan living area featuring an eclectic mix of old and new with its luxury interior design.

The snug has been designed keeping the original features and beautiful architectural elements of the room in mind, including the fireplace, but it hasn’t been overdone: the furniture and artwork are modern and the room has been finished with an eclectic mix of accessories, including a parchment-covered drum used as a side table. This warm and welcoming space is perfect for nights in front of the fire.

Across the hallway, the Sunday room continues the look and feel of the snug with its rich oak panelling and double aspect that allows light to flood into the room and the interior to extend to the greenery of the gardens beyond the original crittall windows. Our client wanted the room to perform the function of a relaxed family room for informal meals but a space that could also be transformed into an intimate dining area to host more formal family functions. Great care has been taken to ensure that the space is comfortable in either layout through the carefully considered design of the extendable dining table and beautifully oversized vintage linen slip covered chairs. When the table is not extended, the design allows for the extra chairs to form a seating area around the log fire on the opposite side of the room. The key feature that brings the design scheme together is the fantastic artwork. Painted by the client’s uncle, the piece perfectly reflects the greenery that can be seen through the window and gives a traditional room a contemporary feel.

The open-plan living area outside the snug and Sunday room has been designed as a space for the whole family. It features an eclectic mix of old and new, such as the modern sofa that is flanked by a pair of 1970’s armchairs. Bespoke contemporary lighting hangs above a Frank Hudson Refectory dining table with wishbone chairs. The bay window seating is cushioned comfortably to allow for a seating or reading area with plenty of natural light, while the bespoke L-shaped sofa is upholstered in a wool base with back cushions for extra comfort.

The living spaces of this beautiful family home have been designed around their function and are filled with character and charm.

View our full Richmond project here. To view more of our residential design projects visit our Portfolio page. We are delighted that our Richmond project featured in Homes & Gardens magazine and chosen to grace the cover of the December 2017 issue.

Photography by Richard Waite