Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Refurbishment of a Grade II listed art deco family house built in 1936.
The flat roofs, metal windows and lavish interiors of this listed property required extensive repairs when the property was purchased. A careful process of restoration and conservation was therefore undertaken, preserving original features whilst adapting the building to suit the needs of a 21st century family.
Although the room layout was generally preserved, the kitchen and dining room were connected to create a generous and lively family room. The two spaces are now separated by walnut doors that fold and slide back into the dividing wall when formal dining is required.
The original kitchen had long been demolished and no records of its layout or appearance could be found. A new kitchen – whose cabinetry draws inspiration from Art Deco furniture – was therefore designed, allowing the addition of modern features such as a chilled pantry.
On the first floor the generous bedrooms were restored (removing layers of Artex plaster) whilst the marble and onyx bathrooms were repaired and re-plumbed using the original decorative fittings. A corridor leading from the main bedroom to a private terrace was transformed into a dressing room and the original rooftop tank room was extended providing an additional bedroom and bathroom.
Photography by Richard Powers.
The floor of the master bathroom was rotten and had collapsed —
the bath, basin and shower were propped from beneath and a new floor was inserted with Turkish limestone sourced to match the original.
— the kitchen and dining room were connected to create a generous and lively family room. The two spaces are now separated by walnut doors that fold and slide back into the dividing wall when formal dining is required.
A careful process of restoration and conservation was therefore undertaken—
— preserving original features whilst adapting the building to suit the needs of a 21st century family.
