‘We Literally Rebuilt the Whole House From the Inside Out’ – Explore a Small Dark London Mews That’s Been Given a Chic Contemporary Makeover
The architect and designer Nancy Gouldstone utilized arched forms and rounded furnishings to ensure every inch of this Chelsea mews house is both beautiful and functional
Once a warren of small and dark rooms, this late 20th-century mews, tucked away in a private gated street in Chelsea and built to blend with the period surroundings, now boasts a seductive, open-plan, and light-bathed interior. Soft hues, arched doorways, and swathes of beautifully veined marble ensure it has a distinct identity that exudes serenity and a quiet sense of luxury.
Nancy Gouldstone, founder of Nancy Gouldstone Architects, a London-based architecture and interior design practice, had worked on six other properties in the same street, and her house designs so impressed the young couple who bought the mews as their first home that they enlisted her to weave her magic and coax it into the 21st century. The result is an effortless, modern layout that completely reflects the clients’ lifestyle.
Hallway (left): Sight lines were carefully considered throughout the house. The front door opens to this view of the staircase at the heart of the house, surrounded by the open-plan kitchen/ sitting/dining area. It was designed to be narrower to allow for a downstairs cloakroom. Flooring, Havwoods. Walls in Shadow White by Farrow & Ball. Study (right): A bespoke modular shelving unit creates an eye-catching focal point. A clean-lined desk emphasizes the pared-back aesthetic. Walls in Shadow White by Farrow & Ball. Desk, Camerich. Re-imagined chair, Studiomama. Table lamp, Zoo Lane.
‘We literally rebuilt the whole house from the inside out,’ says Nancy. ‘We knocked down all the internal walls and went back to brick. We left the floor joists in place, and that was all. It was a big architectural structural reconfiguration – literally a new-build house within the four walls.’ The ground floor became fully open plan, and extra space was teased from an internal extension with an infilled light well.
The brief from the clients was to bring in as much light as possible, and Nancy achieved this with customary aplomb. ‘We’ve used architectural tricks such as roof lights, opening up space and mirrors,’ she explains. In addition, the backdrop consists of a pared-back palette of warm white paint that provides flow, as well as evoking a calm atmosphere. ‘The clients like warm hues and wanted a hint of a Mediterranean look.’
A fairly compact property, every inch needed to be carefully considered. For instance, a brand-new staircase comprising modern pale timber stairs was installed at the core of the house. Marrying both form and function, it was reimagined to allow connections to the rooms on both sides of the staircase, as well as an earlier turning point, and deliberately left undressed without a carpet or runner, enhancing the pared-back aesthetic of the interior.
Kitchen: Black accents are carried throughout the house. The monochrome kitchen scheme showcases black-stained oak cabinetry, with a note of brown for warmth, which tones with the marble’s veining. Bespoke cabinetry designed by Nancy Gouldstone Architects. Pendant light, Heathfield & Co. Bar stools, &Tradition. Vintage floor lamp, 1stDibs.
The open-plan heart of the home then wraps around this staircase, with a smart monochrome kitchen showcasing a marble backsplash, work surfaces, and an island to the left. The marble is continued throughout the floor, providing a cohesive thread. A trim at the bottom of the stairs evokes a sculptural effect, and a sleek, fluted marble fireplace makes a statement focal point in the sitting area on the other side.
Arched doorways are a foil for the home’s clean lines and help the interior feel softer and more spacious. ‘They are almost a signature of ours because a few of our projects feature them,’ explains Nancy. ‘They are useful in an open-plan house because they allow you to have a type of break between the rooms, and they make it more interesting than it being completely wide open.’
The sitting space flaunts arched steel glazed doors that echo the doorway, give the room definition, and coax in light, which is further enhanced with a roof light. The soft shaping is continued with a curvaceous rust-hued velvet couch, a gracefully curved Gubi armchair and rounded banquette, and a circular table and sculptural chairs in the dining area.
Dining area (left): An arched doorway separates the kitchen from the dining area, and Nancy has echoed the shaping with a curved banquette. Table, Soho Home. Chairs, House of Isabella. Bespoke banquette, designed by Nancy Gouldstone Architects; upholstered in Andes Ecru boucle, Warwick. Mirror, Preedy Glass. Pendant lights, Heathfield & Co. Sitting area (right): The faux fireplace was designed to create a focal point. ‘We wanted to add in some colorful elements with furniture and artwork to bring it to life,’ says Nancy. Artworks by Elliott Pittam. Sofa, Soho Home. Coffee table, vintage. Armchair, Pierre Paulin for Gubi; upholstered in Hallingdal 65, Kvadrat. Rug, La Redoute.
Upstairs, an arch frames the entrance from the sanctuary-like main bedroom into the dressing room. Practicality was a priority in the dressing room where wall-to-wall wardrobes with fabric-inlay doors and drawers provide considered storage, as well as hiding the air-conditioning unit, so ‘you don’t get to see any ugly services’.
Thoughtful details are teased through for consistency. The oversized headboard, designed to exude boutique hotel chic, showcases the same linen fabric used on the doors and drawers in the dressing room, while the headboard’s wooden trim is repeated on the dressing room joinery. Muted color accents of soft sage greens and plaster pinks evoke a soothing feel in the main bedroom, with the sage green carried through on a matching stool in the dressing room. Such attention to detail has ensured a fresh and modern interior that has been beautifully crafted to reflect the clients’ likes and personalities.
Main bedroom (left): ‘We opted for a modern low headboard design, which is padded for comfort,’ explains Nancy. A velvet bench introduces a sumptuous touch, while glass pendants lend an air of sophistication. Headboard designed by Nancy Gouldstone Architects; upholstered in fabric by Dedar. Cushions and throws, Zara Home. Bench, Soho Home. Wall light, Aromas. Dressing Room (right): storage was designed to make the most of the available space with angled wardrobe doors to accommodate the slope in the roof and a drawer unit fitted under the windows. Bespoke cabinetry by Nancy Gouldstone Architects. Flooring, Havwoods. Wall light, Aromas
Thoughtful details are teased through for consistency. The oversized headboard, designed to exude boutique hotel chic, showcases the same linen fabric used on the doors and drawers in the dressing room, while the headboard’s wooden trim is repeated on the dressing room joinery. Muted color accents of soft sage greens and plaster pinks evoke a soothing feel in the main bedroom, with the sage green carried through on a matching stool in the dressing room. Such attention to detail has ensured a fresh and modern interior that has been beautifully crafted to reflect the clients’ likes and personalities.
