Tucked away on a quiet hidden street behind Knightsbridge road and comprising part of historic Georgian mews building within the Belgravia Conservation Area, the project at 87 Kinnerton St sees the refurbishment and extension of the property over three storeys.
Initiated originally with Turner Works, the project was developed, designed and guided through planning, securing consents from both the local authority and Grosvenor estates, commencing on site before being taken to completion by Well Street Studio.
Formerly, the principal stairs within the property cut deep into the plan of the house creating compromised upper floor spaces and uncomfortable routes between rooms. In order to restore a sense of continuity and legibility to the house two fundamental changes were proposed: moving the main stairs into the existing rear extension, and removing and replacing the conservatory, lowering the ground level beneath to create a new double-height volume thereby connecting to and expanding the existing lower ground floor.
In addition, by opening the entire rear and south facing façade of the property it was possible to bring light deep into the building plan, enabling the creation of a generous and bright living room space overlooking the double height volume.
Site-cast architectural finish concrete joists were inserted over the new double height space, forming both loadbearing support to a new glazed flat roof and a sculptural element serving to modulate daylight within the space; rebounding ambient light and casting articulated shading across the walls and floor. The upper rear façade was reinstated in reclaimed and reused site brick following the removal of a bulky blocked off chimney structure. Here a new folding steel - frame double doorset and bespoke cast iron Juliette balcony create a view out across the new glazed roof and concrete fins, providing glimpses through and into the double height space and dining room below.
Permitted by the removal of the old back access and stairs, the deepened entrance space also allowed for a full reconfiguration of the circulation between each of the floors. The elevation of the new rear extension is set back from the adjoining property accommodating an external space. The elevation is fully glazed in slender profiled and thermally-broken steel in a pale grey-white textured finish. Large stone pieces, consisting of three different types of marble were each carefully selected, shaped and arranged, giving a highly customized and defined character to the finish.
Broad grained solid ash floorboards are used throughout the upper floors and stairs, finished in a soft white oil and soap lye wash. Pale grey and subtly toned stained ash joinery compliments the floors in each of the bedrooms, dressing room and living room upstairs. Italian Ceppo di Gré was utilized as finish for the bathroom as a monolithic material incorporating the bath, washbasins and shower, below dado level. The stone was sourced directly from the quarry in Bergamo to ensure matching panels and consistency in quality.
