UK architectural practice Aleksa studio has recently refurbished a Victorian-era property in south London for the textile and accessories designer Carolina Wong. The house has been reinterpreted through a design collaboration between client and architect, which resulted in an experiment with a palette of rich materials, textures, geometries, and shades of color. The house acts as a gallery of the client’s wares and features handcrafted fittings that she has sourced from her travels to Morocco.
This end-of-terrace house was formerly dark, run-down and in need of full refurbishment and so the existing kitchen was demolished and extended, providing the opportunity to make better use of the garden and bring natural light into the space. A large rooflight now oversails an open-plan dining area that features a herringbone pattern floor, made up of two shades of porcelain tiles, that stretches outside and creates one seamless environment when the patio doors are fully opened.
A scallop pattern on the dark kitchen units creates a tactile surface that is offset by the smooth marble worktop. Brass details and pendant lights are used as a deliberate contrast to the monochrome backdrop. In the living area, the herringbone pattern continues across the floor, uniting different rooms, and is made up of oak planks in three different shades.
The project also features a new rear dormer extension occupied by a master bathroom with white-washed timber battens creating an ephemeral screen concealing the stairs to the bedroom. Bespoke joinery featuring brass elements, stained birch ply and marble creates plenty of storage space throughout the house and echoes the Victorian attention to detail.
“This house renovation was a deeply personal project for Carolina and we have used carefully balanced design details to reflect her distinct tastes,” says Aleksa studio director, Aleksa Rizova. “The mix of materials helps to differentiate each space within the house and we’re very proud of the way that contrasting surfaces work in harmony with one another. Domestic spaces can inspire and delight and Pattern House shows how this can be achieved on a small scale.
