Powerscroft Road II London Townhouse by Daytrip Studio

London based Daytrip Studio has overhauled a five-storey Victorian townhouse in Clapton and the result is utterly sublime. Engulfed in light, the renovated home has been redesigned with an elegant and calm sensibility while respecting the distinctive characteristics of the original house.

“Contemporary inventions to the architecture are carefully executed with discretion and simplicity,” explain Iwan Halstead and Emily Potter, founders of Daytrip Studio.

The eternal struggle with the design of townhouses tends to be its limited exposure to natural light. Daytrip Studio has overcome this by adding light-wells and openings throughout the existing shell. From the top floor attic all the way down to the basement, clever openings allow light to engulf every room and touch every surface.

The designers point out that the basement was unearthed to “provide a vast and light-filled lower ground kitchen and living room with a continuous polished concrete floor which effortlessly spills out to the garden space.” Sandstone coloured brick paving complements the subtle mix of planting carried out by landscape designers Tyler Goldfinch.

Tonally, the home embraces the beauty of beige. And while being branded as beige might seem like an insult, in this scenario it’s worthy of adulation and applause. The warmth of materials radiates through the home from the douglas fir timber and honed Evora marble to the lime-washed walls and off-white powder-coated metalwork. The designers explain that the “artful continuity of materials and finishes aid the transition of old and new.”

With the help of Sophie Pearce of Beton Brut and Laura Fulmine of Modern Art Hire, the home is lavishly furnished and styled with the most enviable art, furniture and objects. According to Daytrip, “a careful, considered selection of antique, mid-century and contemporary pieces adorn the rooms with delicacy and artful refinement.”

Daytrip’s restored London terrace is a testament of the studio’s “strong understanding of the existing building, a natural awareness of style and an intelligent use of materials.” Old and new elements of the townhouse are expertly interwoven and conjure the feeling of serenity and composure.