Optimised for Living

Finkernagel Ross’ full refurbishment of this Highgate house is a compelling example of how sometimes it’s not about adding more space, but making what already exists work harder. Layout changes, better lighting and a unified approach to the palette of colours and materials have worked wonders, thanks to the architecture and interiors practice’s considered approach.

This was the second time that the homeowners had used Finkernagel Ross, and their previous home was even on the same street. The move was prompted by a desire to live differently, says practice director Catherine Finkernagel: “Their first house was large, expansive and designed to feel like a gallery, and after the life-changing events of the pandemic they decided it would suit their family better to have something more manageable, intimate and cosy.”

The practice advised the homeowners to buy the house because they could see past its dark panelled rooms, glitzy gold stair balustrade and low ceilings pock-marked with many spotlights, envisioning a home that could fulfil the brief for a warm, family-friendly home. What’s more, Finkernagel thought that she could transform this property without completely stripping it out – costly elements such as flooring, doors and the staircase could be retained, leaving more in the budget for important layout changes that would have a transformative effect on the way the house could be lived in.

Looking at the before and after photos, it seems astonishing that some of these features are the same. The creamy stone flooring in the hallway that looked shiny and opulent paired with heavy gilt furniture has somehow changed, chameleon-like, to fit the pared-back new aesthetic – a testament to Finkernagel’s vision as well as the timelessness of quality natural materials.

“For the most part, the rooms have stayed the same in terms of shape and size, but we have relocated some of them or opened them up. We needed to rethink the flow of the house and make better use of the space.” One major change has been moving the kitchen into what was a TV room, to create a unified living and dining space, now a flowing series of rooms that are as useful for everyday living as for entertaining. A run of tall windows has been added to bring light in across the entire back of the house, with some additional rooflights in the kitchen for even more natural light.

There have been further layout changes in the master bedroom suite, which almost takes up a whole floor. “It used to be one large bedroom and sitting room combined with a smallish bathroom and walk-in closet to the side,” says Finkernagel. “We merely divided off the sitting room to create a much larger dressing room and bathroom and now they have more of a bedroom suite which feels special, luxurious and more practical, with plenty of storage for their clothes.” Rather than sitting against the wall, the bed itself is freestanding, so it can take advantage of garden views and the run of storage can continue behind it: Finkernagel designed a back fluted velvet headboard , which has a cosy, anchoring effect so that the bed frame doesn’t feel too lightweight in the room. The velvet also picks up on the slabs of black marble used in the adjacent bathroom and dressing room.

While there was nothing to be done about the low ceilings, some intelligent design has lessened the oppressive feeling of the house in its previous guise. “Vertical panelling, floor to ceiling curtains and painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls all help and allow your eye to travel up,” says Finkernagel.

A chunk of the budget was designated to replacing ceilings to remove the plague of spotlights, and replacing it with a more intelligent approach. For example, large statement lighting is possible if it’s sited where no one can walk underneath – case in point, the magnificent Murano glass piece above the dining table. Moooi’s massive spun-resin Random lights fill the grand double-height hallway: they’re visually lightweight but their bold scale is exactly what’s needed for the proportions of the room.

“The problem with full scale renovations sometimes is that everything can feel too new when it’s all complete, so we created a vision which involved vintage pieces which were either refurbished or not, depending on their state when we purchased them,” says Finkernagel. “They took some time to find but were so worth it for the character they bring to the spaces.” She’s particularly pleased with the pair of French rattan chairs in the living room, found at a vintage market in the UK “in somewhat dire condition, but we could see that when they were fully restored they would be not only beautiful to look at, provide texture and interest but be very, very comfortable. Our upholsterer, Ivy Upholstery in Norfolk, did an absolutely brilliant job stripping the wood, repairing the rattan and making new cushions. They were a labour of love but so, so worth it.”

One amiable thing about this project was that it gave both architect and homeowners the chance to build upon an existing relationship. When so much about hiring an architect or an interior designer is about establishing trust, teasing out what you like (and what you don’t) and getting used to ways of working, all of that had already been done in this case, giving everyone a head start. “There is something really special about working with repeat clients,” says Finkernagel. “There is a huge amount of trust that needs to be shared when designing someone’s home and it is a deeply personal relationship, so the second time around it’s like meeting up with an old friend. It is an honour to be invited back into their life again.”