Chelsea

In collaboration with interior designer Olivia Fear and construction specialists Birchley, Langstaff transformed this dated four-storey townhouse in Chelsea into a magnificent, design-led home, with personalised spaces for every member of the family.

Chelsea

In collaboration with interior designer Olivia Fear and construction specialists Birchley, Langstaff transformed this dated four-storey townhouse in Chelsea into a magnificent, design-led home, with personalised spaces for every member of the family.

The Entrance Hall

Step inside this grand Chelsea townhouse and a sense of crafted elegance unfolds. In the entrance hall, an entire wall is dedicated to bespoke cabinetry, its proportions tailored to touch the soaring ceiling above. Designed in a classic shaker style, each door is inlaid with beading and fitted with custom-made antique brass handles by Joseph Giles, in keeping with the home’s period character. Inside, motion-sensor lighting glows softly, illuminating the antique brass rails.

The Media Room

Just off the hallway, the playroom is a space made for unwinding, designed with the owners’ sons in mind. A wall-to-wall Langstaff TV cabinet, painted in Little Greene’s Dock Blue, brings depth and character to the room, with walnut veneer shelving specially pressed by Mundy Veneer. The modern shaker doors, inlaid with Blue Shagreen leather to echo the flecked James Hare wallpaper, are finished with industrial-style ironmongery—handsome details that speak to the room’s relaxed, masculine energy.

The Kitchen & Living Space

At the rear of the house, the open-plan kitchen and living space are unified by seamless, handcrafted joinery. Langstaff’s bespoke-beaded shaker cabinetry runs throughout, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White and finished with solid oak, dovetail-jointed drawers. Even the transition from tiled to wooden flooring is perfectly aligned with the cabinetry, a marker of Langstaff’s attention to detail.

A restrained palette allows the soft pink veining of the Breccia Rosa marble worktops and backsplash to take centre stage. Hidden lighting wraps around the kitchen, casting a warm glow across the stone, with thoughtful design details, including custom spice racks, brass towel rails and a suite of invisibly integrated high-spec appliances, balancing beauty with function.

The Utility Room

Featuring bespoke-beaded shaker cabinetry, also painted in Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White, the utility room maintains visual continuity with the kitchen and living area, unified by green walls that harmonise with the pink tones of the Breccia Rosa marble worktops. Despite its compact footprint, the room is amply equipped for daily life, with a ceiling-mounted Pulleymaid, antique brass coat hooks, a built-in bench seat and a magic corner pull-out—practical additions that maximise space without compromising on character or design integrity.

The Formal Living Room & Snug

The formal living room and snug are two distinct spaces, connected by shared design details. At either end, Langstaff has installed floor-to-ceiling cabinetry with continuous shaker panels, each outlined in brass inlay and clad in specially pressed ash veneer. The grain runs both horizontally and vertically, making them a design feature, while integrated lighting activates at the touch of a door.

Unique to this project, the upper cabinet doors are overlaid with toughened antique brass mirrors, arranged in a grid and finished with brass cabochons. In the snug, they conceal a TV, hidden behind an integrated pocket door system; in the formal living room, the mirrors reflect the warm glow of lit shelving into the room.

The Study

The study is a quiet, contemplative space where clean-lined cabinetry is elevated by bespoke-beaded shaker doors and carved upright cut-out panels. These details bring a touch of tradition into this modern environment. Integrated compartments house the essentials, while antique brass picture lights and Phillip Jeffries wallpapered back panels introduce soft tones of green and blue into the otherwise neutral palette.

The Principal Bedroom Suite

In the principal bedroom suite, rich textures and refined finishes create a sense of tactility and softness. Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes feature C-shaped shaker doors inlaid with leather and paired with antique brass ironmongery throughout. The geometric headboard, framed in liquid metal and upholstered in Romo Villa Nova fabric, is flanked by bevelled mirrors and defined by delicate brass inlay, adding depth and sculptural elegance to the room.

The Principal Suite Bathroom

In the principal suite bathroom, a floating twin vanity clad in dramatic Calacatta Gold marble-effect porcelain sets a striking tone. Above it, a bespoke mirrored cabinet with mitred corners is framed in antique brass, echoing the marble’s golden veining and complemented by classical Thomas O’Brien sconces.

The Dressing Room

The second dressing room, designed for the man of the house, balances formality with convenience. Wraparound wardrobes feature stately double-step shaker doors with hand-painted two-tone beading and antique brass pull handles from Touch Ironmongery. Inside, bespoke pull-out shelving maximises space, with a hidden fridge and coffee machine cleverly concealed behind the wardrobe doors. Motion-sensor lighting illuminates the wardrobes throughout, an essential detail in this naturally lightless space.

The Powder Room

Part walk-in wardrobe, part vanity, the powder room was designed as a private sanctuary for the woman of the house. Full-height shaker wardrobes line every wall, painted in a delicate blush pink and inlaid with Phillip Jeffries’ August Sands textile wallcovering—a luxurious backdrop for bespoke brass hanging rails, pull-out shoe storage, mirrored doors and drawers for accessories. A custom dressing table, finished with specially pressed ash veneer, is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the garden views.

The Boy’s Bedroom

Tucked beneath the eaves, one of the boys’ bedrooms continues the deep blue palette of the playroom with bespoke floor-to-ceiling wardrobes painted in Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue. Sleek slabbed doors and chrome ironmongery give the cabinetry a crisp, modern edge, while a custom mirrored shelving unit, crafted to follow the slope of the ceiling, makes intelligent use of every inch of the room’s unique geometry.

The Ensuite Bathroom

In the ensuite bathroom, the deep-blue palette continues with a bespoke floating vanity clad in fluted panels, also painted in Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue. Chrome finger pulls echo those in the adjoining bedroom, subtly distinguishing the boys’ spaces from the adult areas in the house.