The new owners of this Grade II-listed 19th century townhouse in Knightsbridge’s Garden Square say: “We wanted the house to be stripped back and retain its period feel.” says.
Staircases, grates, mantels, wooden floors, cornishing and joinery were chosen to ensure the home’s design was authentically Georgian, conveying the quality and distinctive elegance of the early 1880s. ” explains the client.
Cabinet, Breaks London. Pendant light, Urban Electric Company. Bespoke table, Christian Bence, with tiles, Freya Lee. Red bar stools, ocher. Cactus silk rug, knot rug.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
“We wanted to create the feeling that this house had been lived in by a family that collected the best interiors and art from then until now. An eclectic mix of works has been developed.”
Renowned firm BLDA Architects and interior designer Christian Bense were tasked with realizing this ambitious vision. A key inspiration was the location of the square. Located just a stone’s throw away from Harrods, this square feels like an oasis in the city.
Cabinet, Breaks London. Sand I, Paint & Paper Library Wall. Ceiling light, Miles de Lange.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
“The trees look like they’re growing in the bedroom, so in the height of summer you feel like you’re completely surrounded by this garden space with garden views on both sides. That’s our main feature. It was a reference point and that shaped our design story,” Christian explains.
The Garden of Eden inspired the upper floors of this home, and the room that most celebrates nature is the luxurious main bathroom, a favorite space of both the clients and Christian. “We agreed that the bathroom should feel like a lived-in room, not a modern-style tiled bathroom,” says the client.
Peignoir, Farrow & Ball Wall. Sofa, Lawford Contemporary. Covered with fabric designed by George Spencer. Cox London custom chandelier. Lug, Luke Irwin.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
Dark floors, Georgian fireplaces and copper bathrooms give a sense of period vibrancy, but the real impact is created by the grasscloth walls of the Tuscan landscape.
“The bath is at the heart of the room, surrounded by a rich landscape of 17th-century tapestries,” says the client. “There’s a sense of intimacy and luxury in this room. It’s like taking a forest bath.” Opening the pocket door reveals a vanity and sink for even more “wow” moments.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
The upper floors focused on the tree canopy, while the lower floors became globes with a slightly more moody aesthetic. “We leaned into it, using materials, pippy oak and wooden joinery,” Christian says.
In the dining room, a green rug represents the grass, and an olive branch chandelier draws the eye upwards. “There were a lot of high levels of botanical elements,” Christian says. The living room also features botanical motifs overhead and a dramatic oak branch chandelier.
Table designed by Christian Bense/Treeslounge. Theater chair, Rose Uniack. Curtains, Zoffany. Rag, hadeda. Wallpaper, Tatyana Tuffle.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
The soft lilac palette was inspired by the colors of the National Portrait Gallery and lends a subtle sophistication to the space. Period furniture is juxtaposed with contemporary pieces like a brutalist coffee table and playful zebra stools.
A two-storey extension with a kitchen above ground floor and a garden room below will replace what Christian described as a “James Bond villain-style glass extension” at the rear of the house. Constructed. “We wanted to create an extension that felt sympathetic to the original building, rather than a modern addition.”
Custom made cabinets, Treeslounge. Legacy Table, Matthew Cox. Wall, Argile Peinture. Curtain fabric, Jennifer Shortt.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
The solution was a lightweight greenhouse that blended seamlessly with the house. This photo shows a pill-shaped roof light in the kitchen. This shape is repeated in various places throughout the house, including on the dining room table and behind the cabinetry in the study.
“The idea was to create a kitchen that felt as if it was fully furnished, while still having enough space to meet your needs,” says Christian. “The space is not large enough for a built-in island, but also a very contemporary element, so a narrow table was chosen, which also features botanical motifs.” I had flower petals and leaves drawn on the surface of the tiles.It looks like they are scattered all over the island.
Bespoke joinery by Christian Bense, manufactured by Yorick Bespoke. Pendant, Porta Romana. Fabric curtains by Mark Alexander. Marble fireplace, Jambu.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
The result is a thoughtful home that beautifully combines old and new. “The design aimed to maintain the architectural elements and emphasize them, but juxtaposed them with slightly more eclectic furniture and different time frames to create a more layered and curated story.” explains Christian.
Bath, Drummonds. Pendant, Vaughn. Wallpaper, Watts 1874. Zellige tile and mosaic factory. Joinery, Yorick Bespoke.
(Image credit: Alexander James)
4 rules of simplicity
Christian Bence talks about how to keep your decorative period lean and beautiful
Proportion is the key to creating a streamlined interior. This means everything is perfectly sized to begin with and you don’t need to add anything, allowing for simple yet effective styling. Substantive depth is important. Nothing should be flat or one-dimensional. Wallpaper: Textile. Material: Mixed. Fabric: Where you lived. Antiques are the key. Not only does this help meet the “period” quota, but it has the humility of creating a stripped-down interior that only antiques can provide. Although it is light, it is never white. Layer with neutrals, but avoid bright whites.
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