{"id":453002,"date":"2026-03-02T03:42:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T03:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/453002\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T03:42:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T03:42:29","slug":"this-west-london-townhouse-hid-a-secret-studio-now-its-a-showstopping-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/453002\/","title":{"rendered":"This West London Townhouse Hid a Secret Studio \u2013 Now It\u2019s a Showstopping Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

In many ways, this double-fronted townhouse in west London has a very classical look, but behind its handsome facade lies a rather special addition.<\/p>\n

When interior designers Pamela and Kate Cox first visited their clients\u2019 new home, they were surprised to discover a studio building in the rear garden. \u2018It had been used as an art gallery space by the previous owner,\u2019 says Pamela. \u2018But it struck us both that if it was connected to the house, this fabulous, light-filled structure would be the perfect location for the new kitchen and dining room.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Dining room: This light-filled space overlooks the garden and flows into the kitchen at the rear. ‘The mood in here is soft and relaxed,’ Pamela says. Grignano wall lights, Richard Taylor Designs. Arrow rug, Studio H\u00e1m.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

Mother and daughter Pamela and Kate are part of family-run H\u00e1m Interiors<\/a> and were brought in to revitalize the inside space, working alongside Nick Cox and his interior architecture team, who oversaw the structural side of the house\u2019s renovation.<\/p>\n

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While this may sound like a major upheaval, the process consciously worked around the family\u2019s busy day-to-day routines, so the transformation was achieved in a calm and measured fashion. \u2018The beauty of working gradually rather than rushing in and out is you acquire a really good feel for a house,\u2019 says Pamela. \u2018Ideas are suggested, discussed, and developed in a very organic way.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Kitchen: The pitched ceiling and porthole window hint at this space\u2019s former life as an art studio, which is now seamlessly connected to the main house. Bespoke cabinetry, H\u00e1m Interiors; painted in Sudbury Yellow and Hague Blue (island), both Farrow & Ball. Gibson pendants, The Urban Electric Company. Range cooker, Lacanche.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

The family who own this house were open to all of Pamela and Kate\u2019s suggestions, particularly when it came to color, which plays a key role in the home\u2019s new character. \u2018There are two ways to do color,\u2019 explains Pamela. \u2018You can stick with a safe base and add layers of brighter colors on top, for example, with fabrics. Or, as we did here, you can be bolder and make strong colors your starting point.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Living room: The warm terracotta shade makes a fabulous gallery wall for the clients\u2019 art collection. Walls in Malahide, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. Weekender sofa, Studio Atkinson. Pinecone lamp; Ticking shade, both Studio H\u00e1m. Bespoke sofa (far left), Studio H\u00e1m; in Stanhope, Guy Goodfellow Collection.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

She admits that the idea of painting a double living room<\/a> orange might sound alarming to some people, but their clients were on board from the start.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s vital to listen to your clients at every stage and there was a constant back and forth between us as ideas evolved.\u2019 The moment they knew \u2018operation orange\u2019 was a success came when the couple\u2019s own artworks and books were brought out of storage. Until this final stage, these items had been safely packed away and Pamela and Kate hadn\u2019t set eyes on them. \u2018But as soon as their vibrant paintings were hung and their books were arranged on the shelves, the color was softened, and it all worked perfectly,\u2019 Pamela recalls.<\/p>\n

Design expertise in your inbox \u2013 from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.<\/p>\n

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Boot room: A lower ground floor entrance area includes a window seat \u2013 a favorite spot of the family\u2019s dachshund. \u2018She likes to sit there and look out,\u2019 says Pamela. Walls and bespoke cabinetry in Pigeon, Farrow & Ball. Bench cushion in Racing Stripe, Mulberry Home. Antique caddies, Studio H\u00e1m.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

This warm terracotta shade \u2013 Malahide by Edward Bulmer Natural Paint<\/a> \u2013 is used in both areas of the living room then subtly repeated in fabrics elsewhere in the house, such as on the striped window seat in the boot room<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Through setting up such echoes, the use of a bold color feels coherent rather than jarring. The shade is also a great partner for the moody blue tones that appear throughout the home.<\/p>\n

\u2018Dark blues are a consistent thread, from the paint shade used on the kitchen island<\/a> to soft furnishings in the living room and the walls of the main bedroom<\/a>,\u2019 says Pamela. This fosters a feeling of continuity: \u2018When all the internal doors are open, the spaces feel connected.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Main bedroom: \u2018This wonderfully restful shade was a natural choice,\u2019 says Pamela of the moody blue on the walls, which offsets the luxuriously layered fabrics and rich-toned wood beautifully. Walls in Inchyra Blue, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke New Gloucester bed, Max Rollitt.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

Pamela and Kate\u2019s clients also fell for the mellow yellow shade Nick suggested for the kitchen<\/a>, where the bespoke cabinets have a hint of country style without feeling out of place in this city setting. \u2018When you walk into this home, the colors evoke character without feeling overwhelming,\u2019 Pamela adds.<\/p>\n

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Child’s bedroom: A sumptuously gathered canopy in a fine-check pink gingham neatly frames the bed and creates a timeless feel. Bespoke joinery in Pink Ground, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke bed and canopy in Jay Check, Colefax and Fowler. Lizzie wallpaper in Rose\/Stone, Jean Monro.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

In the bedrooms<\/a>, however, color is used to calm and soothe. The children\u2019s rooms were decorated first, because it was important for them to feel settled as soon as possible. The daughter\u2019s scheme features a romantic canopy draped around an upholstered bed, creating layers of softness in dusky pinks. Meanwhile, bespoke bunk beds come with curtains that can be drawn across to create a cozy Moonrise Kingdom-style hideaway. Even in the main bedroom, the four-poster has a similar wrap-around feel, while the bed\u2019s proportions suit the room\u2019s high ceiling.<\/p>\n

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Child’s bedroom: The home\u2019s key colours of orange and blue are echoed in this scheme, where the bespoke bunk beds are recessed and curtained for a cosy feel. Walls in Skylight, Farrow & Ball. Joinery in Blue Blood, Paint & Paper Library. Artwork; Rufus table (just seen); both Studio H\u00e1m.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Will Slater)<\/p>\n

One of the things Pamela loves most about this home is its genuinely relaxed feel. \u2018It\u2019s a fabulous house but not overly formal, and children and dogs have the run of all the spaces,\u2019 she says. \u2018Now that the studio is integrated into the main house, there\u2019s a sense of flow and every area of the home is well used.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In many ways, this double-fronted townhouse in west London has a very classical look, but behind its handsome…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":453003,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-453002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=453002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453002\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/453003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=453002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=453002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=453002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}