An existing three-storey house stripped back, remodelled and refurbished to emerge as a modern, elegant luxury home that marries functionality, the latest technology and ease-of- living.
The original house was a patchwork of several extensions where layers were added on as the envelope grew. On the ground floor, disjointed rooms with various floor levels and ceiling heights inhabited the space. The layout was simplified by creating a connected space through opening the area inward and outwards, lowering the ground floor level by about 1.5m to achieve the desired ceiling height, and reaching for light along the main facades.

Existing footings were underpinned, and the whole house was propped.
Simplicity was key in both planning and finishes. A floating timber staircase, a deep steel reveal and a secret pivot door punctuate the space and separate public and private. Terrazzo flooring, white walls, black steel and dark stained American oak veneer feature, with the sense of luxury enhanced via high-end finishes and furnishings.

The external main facade is stripped back with openings framed in steel reveals. At its centre is a new entry with a steel staircase and a Marmorino Veneziano feature wall. The double-height volume opens to the upstairs formal dining and living area.
The new central point of access within the house is critical in order to achieve good lighting and special arrangements throughout.

The original house was a patchwork of several extensions, layers were added on as the envelope grew throughout time.
This was particularly visible on the ground floor, where a series of disjointed rooms with various floor levels and ceiling heights inhabited the space.

The house lacked a main entry, so by demolishing an external staircase and building the new steel staircase inside at its centre, was given a new and impactful entry with a monumental black pivot door surrounded by steel frames.
Reworking the floor plan and stripping back the existing house transformed a previously unused space into an extensive entertainment floor with home theatre, a glass-surround cellar, gym and a generous dining/living completely open to the surrounding landscape.
The aesthetic is ultra-modern, elegant and deliberately stark, yet functional and welcoming. Simple connected spaces allow privacy where needed – separating bedrooms from the living area with a step threshold in steel – and open up the common area to abundant natural light.
The corridor becomes a ‘walkthrough experience’ with custom-designed lighting, selected finishes and clean lines.

Key products used:

The slide away panels that hides the kitchen are from Hafele: the Hawa Folding Concepta 25. 
This particular hardware allows for the front panels that hide the kitchen behind, to slide open and be parked in a stacked away position on either end of the benchtop, without encroaching with the circulation space.
We selected these particular fittings in order to ensure a clean finish and a smooth operation of each panels, as it’s adamant for a concept like this to be durable, efficient and easy to use.

The bathrooms feature a selection of Agape and Boffi fittings, together with textured natural stone from Salvatori, chosen for their clean design which complement the space.

The house has the latest technology (KNX home automation protocol) and everything has been taken into consideration throughout the design process to ensure it's integrated within the bones of the building to ensure optimal performance.

The modern interior-focused project utilises clean lines and bold use of colour to simplify the space and enhance a sense of calmness.
The dark backdrop houses the joinery cabinetry, with hidden doors and slide away panels that open up to other rooms or simply reveal a functional kitchen. The versatility of the spaces means you can change them pending on use –opening the kitchen up if needed, or the TV joinery.
The steel staircase was created by joining two hard surfaces – glass and steel – quite delicately and elegantly by sitting the glass on the extended profile of the stair, which runs above the joinery within the living space, celebrating the unfolding steps.

Team:

Designers: Sona Studio

Stylist: Holly Irvine Studio

Photographer: Tom Ferguson