Eco conscious living in a conservation area
Camberwell House
Searching for a long-term family home, our clients viewed a number of refurbished properties, yet none truly reflected the way they wanted to live. Rather than compromise, they chose to create something entirely their own — a home shaped around their family, their lifestyle, and their future. All they needed was the right partner to bring that to life.
This family wanted a calm, organised home that supported the flow of their daily routine. We brought their Edwardian property up to date with the help of some Scandinavian design principles – and added a splash of colour.
Pairing period styling with modern Scandinavian minimalism created a balance between warmth and functionality that suited their family. We preserved many of the building’s original Edwardian details, including the floral crown moulding and a cast-iron Art Nouveau fireplace. Now set against calm, minimalist designs, they are less crowded and more striking.
"Why pay for someone else's dream."
For this family of five, it was important that their home’s new layout facilitated big gatherings, whilst also providing small retreats for quieter moments. The addition of a spacious new extension has created an open kitchen and dining area with plenty of floor space for kids, as well as a window niche where the adults can steal a moment with a book while the kids play upstairs.
More playful details, including blocks of pastel colour, herald your arrival onto the kids’ floor. We stripped away the old plaster ceiling finish to expose the original ceiling joists, which stretch beneath the skylights like the ribs of an old ship.
A place for everything
One of the Scandinavian sacred pillars – particularly where families are concerned – is storage. Features like a new boot room combine functionality and cosiness, ensuring that wellies and raincoats are ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice but are never underfoot.
Natural materials freshen up indoor spaces, and have the durability required by an active family
Bespoke bedroom storage is carefully designed to maximise light, maintain clean lines and reinforce the sense of calm. Full height joinery provides generous storage while blending seamlessly into the architecture, allowing the room to feel open and uncluttered.
The natural choice.
A strong connection to nature is also central to the Scandinavian architectural sensibility. Large windows invite the outside world in, while the clean lines of the extension play nicely against a garden teeming with wildflowers.
This connection to nature isn’t just for show.
With new solar panels and an air source heat pump, the house is now fossil fuel free.
Combined with upgraded insulation and mechanical ventilation this means no more draughts, cold spots, condensation or mould, all of which would be anathema to the quiet functionality at the heart of Scandinavian design. It’s cosier for the family within the house, and kinder to the environment outside of it.
Photos: Henry Woide
