Our clients are a super stylish young family who had found their forever home. A substantial three-storey corner-plot Victorian house, complete with a well-executed basement renovation housing a TV room, kitchenette, bathroom and two bedrooms. The renovation had been done well, but it wasn’t in the family’s style and needed an injection of heart and soul. We hate ripping things out for the sake of it, so we set about reviewing which bits of the six-year-old reno could stay and be enhanced or improved, and which bits needed to start again.

The family adore colour and texture — but in a desaturated, elegant, serene way. And they love vintage, which was absolute music to our ears. That became the design brief: tactile minimalism meets members-club warmth, with just enough patina and nostalgia to make the whole house feel lived-in rather than newly “done”.

The house is filled with RFTH signature custom design — from the panelling and joinery to the bespoke corduroy curved banquette with its dentil-detailed plinth. The green-veined marble-topped round dining table (also a custom design) and the velvet tub chairs form a wonderful vignette for games, cocktails and Sunday morning papers. The banquette was designed with a rear shelf for two retro mid-century table lamps to create a cosy evening mood. The joinery surrounding the banquette is a remodel of the previous cabinetry — the carcasses were retained but the new doors were designed in a modern Art Deco style, curving the middle section and adding vintage timber panelling for that lived-in, always-been-there feel.

In front of this nook is the main cinema room sofa — a U-shaped gem with a rectangular bespoke footstool covered in an amazing metallic-thread fabric, perfect for lounging and stretched-out legs. An oversized rug frames the TV zone — a custom RFTH design created in collaboration with the amazing team at Pelican Rugs.

Upstairs on the ground floor the property comprises a wide entrance hall, powder room, connecting room, a large open-plan kitchen/diner with Crittall doors onto the garden, and a formal living room to the right of this connecting space. The previous owners had used this “middle room” as a home office. The challenge we were given was to think of a different destination use for it — rather than it being the landing pad from the hall where you must choose left to the kitchen/diner or right to the lounge.

We created The Snug — a truly family-focused social space with a large bespoke L-shaped banquette, complete with a beautifully undulating backrest and ruched fabric detail. It hugs the large sash window and has in-built storage for the family’s homework, art supplies and all kinds of everyday necessities. The circular bobble-edged table with brass details is another custom design, perfect for coffees, lunches, pre- or post-dinner drinks and doing homework. A quieter spot than the kitchen/diner and a more supportive lounging spot than the lounge.

The family now find this is guests’ favourite place to perch — the gunslinger spot between the kitchen and the lounge, right in the heart of the action. The curtains and embroidered café-height blind are another special moment. Above the table hangs a feature pendant designed by us and made by the team at IntoLighting. Art sits on signature RFTH bronze rails and chains, giving it a sense of occasion. The irregularly shaped rug (another Pelican collaboration) was made especially to follow the curves of the banquette and avoid that awkward square edge in such a high-traffic zone — so extra curves and organic shapes were added.

Every piece of furniture was chosen for its form and function — beauty and comfort. This is a busy young family and their downtime is precious.

The travertine console, sourced from Restoration Hardware, sets off the abstract art and organic accessories beautifully.

The Snug leads onto the open-plan kitchen/diner through a wide archway.

The living-room joinery from the previous renovation was well built and we didn’t want to strip it out. But we did repaint and remove a number of the shelves to create a more breathable, organic feel — making space for art and adding antique mirror to the lower sections to create a reflective “home bar” moment. The living room is sumptuous, with an indulgent claret velvet sofa that sets off the clients’ artwork beautifully.

The dining room features a large dining table designed by us with an antique brass circular edge detail and curved legs — surrounded by upholstered dining chairs in a mix of fabrics (another RFTH design). The central pendant sputnik-style light is an original vintage 1970s brass piece. Rise-and-fall pendants above the island allow the mood to be lowered by dusk. A Murano glass chandelier presides over the stairwell leading down to the cinema/club-room basement and the lower-ground office and guest bedroom.

A special highlight is the stunning Henry Holland floor lamp — a sculptural work of art.

The kitchen itself had been nicely done in the previous renovation so we simply repainted, refurbished the worktop and added some extra shelving and accessories. It feels important not to contribute to the excesses of the interiors industry. It’s just not tenable to rip things out for the sake of it — we need to be more thoughtful as designers.

The master bedroom is a light-filled space which needed more intervention. We designed a custom bed and re-upholstered a lovely vintage chaise-style armchair and footstool in a new fabric.

In the bathrooms, we only replaced what wasn’t working — altering some vanity fronts, changing colours, adding new mirrors, lighting and styling to bring the clients’ personality into the spaces — without ripping out components that already had value.

The kids’ rooms are serene and creative at the same time, with a hidden door between them cleverly integrated into the wardrobe. There are two additional bedrooms, but we ran out of time on shoot day to capture them. It is a very big house.

The al fresco spaces sit just beyond the kitchen/diner and have been styled with mid-century flair, using pattern and practicality in equal measure for family life.

Loads of custom-designed pieces of furniture were created for this gorgeously stylish, hyper-social home. It’s a very special project — showcasing our hospitality expertise and how those design principles sit so harmoniously within a modern family home. Today’s interiors are wonderfully hybrid — fusing the best bits of creative workspaces, boutique hotels and members-club comfort.

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