Iron and Ivory has been shortlisted for City Space – London Award in The International Design and Architecture Awards 2022.

Blending heritage comfort with contemporary functionality, Brondesbury Villas is a late 1800’s Victorian space that has been modernized by drawing inspiration from its original architecture and ornate detail. The apartment is in a Victorian villa in northwest London and complements the capital city’s architectural heritage whilst promoting modern-day industrial design styles and products.

Iron and Ivory looked to open up the apartment by removing the interior walls to expose the building’s base structure. From there the designers were able to redistribute the space. Working with local suppliers, they sourced premium materials such as the Calacatta Monet Marble, bespoke kitchen cabinetry and integrated joinery which also helped maximise the space. Due to the property’s high ceilings, all joinery had to be bespoke. The designers worked with specialist trade to design the cabinets and wardrobes that would make use of the available space, maximising storage and functionality.

The interiors are balanced, finding harmony between tradition and modernity with a respectful approach. The colour palette and soft furnishings are neutral, light, and warm to balance the black architectural detailing and hardware. The clean, light ambience is complemented by the open-plan design; the kitchen island has a bespoke metal support to keep a lightweight and flexible design for the open-ended seating area. With the apartment’s original features inspiring the design, the decorative cornices, marble fireplace and the sash windows were restored to layer in an old world touch.

Showing cognisance of the property’s history, Iron and Ivory had specialists repair the existing coving as it had been damaged over the last 125 years. The work was done entirely by hand, taking several days to repair and preserve the decorative mouldings. They had also intended to keep the original skirting, though this had been destroyed beyond repair. As a response, Iron and Ivory worked with a bespoke joinery company to remake the skirting and picture rail identical to the original profiles. The fireplace also needed restoration which was taken on as a DIY project to clean and purify the marble to remove obvious imperfections whilst still maintaining its natural patina.

Iron and Ivory

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