Brass House in West London by Simon Astridge

The beauty of travel is its power to reframe our perspective. If we’re fortunate, our experiences expose new histories, cultures and traditions that create lasting impressions. And although we’re left with memories, the tangible distillation of experience is commonly embodied by photographs, books or souvenirs. It is remarkable then that the owners of this terraced house in West London were able to imbue their fond memories of holidays in Portugal and Israel into this newly completed renovation. Working with Simon Astridge Architecture Workshop, the family undertook a complete remodel of their house including a new basement level with the intention of creating a home that is “tailored to [their] overall happiness and…the way their children grow up and experience the house.”

Inspired by the opulent and visually rich interiors they encountered abroad, brass was chosen as the unifying tone of the design. Gleaming, golden detailing is punctuated throughout the house and is also used dramatically and extensively in the open kitchen and dining spaces. According to the architects, the brief was “to bring these memories back with… honey coloured bespoke brass kitchen cabinetry, tapware and cladding – which were an anchor for further brass detail throughout the house – such as lighting, linings for door frames, furniture and a feature brass circular roof light which creates a natural warm glow which floods down the stairwell.” The lustrous polished brass elements sit beautifully amongst the existing heritage fabric, and soften harder materials such as dark timbers, stone and steel.

Joyous instances of pattern playfully pervade this home in the form of parquet floors and ornate tiles. In the main bathroom, blue embellished art deco tiles marry seamlessly with clean and uncomplicated joinery adjacents. Similarly, in the new open plan master suite on the top level, the “combination of large porcelain slabs and ornamented tiles create an elegant bathing zone with the use of planting as a lush and soft material to balance the space,” explains the design team. The master bedroom is a room that cleverly maximises natural light with the help of a series of new skylights that infiltrate the bathing and dressing areas.

Located in a conservation area, the terraced home retains many of its Victorian features however the newly excavated basement embodies a moodiness that is starkly different from the light-filled floors above. A new folded mild steel staircase ushers you down to a contemporary family space that has been designed to accommodate different activities and functions. The architects explain that “the careful use of colour and texture was chosen to divide the open plan basement zone allowing for flexible use.”

Simon Astridge’s Brass House embodies the unlikely characteristics of boldness, sensitivity and verve. The design manages to balance light and dark, old and new, playfulness and sophistication, opulence and simplicity, and most importantly, memory and potential. Reinforcing these connections must make this home a truly wonderful place to inhabit and we are all truly envious.

See more projects by Simon Astridge Architecture Workshop on Yellowtrace.