The house was very intriguing,’ says Studio Indigo’s Mike Fisher of the seven-storey townhouse in Kensington that the company were asked to renovate five years ago. ‘I was familiar with the property as I had lived opposite it for many years. The previous owners had begun renovating it but a change in circumstances meant they had to put it on the market unfinished. Our client, who has four children, purchased the house with a view to creating a more substantial family home and we were asked what we thought we could do to it. As we had already worked on several properties

in the local area, we knew exactly what improvements to make.’ The main challenge thatMike and interior designer Fleur Liversidge faced was the positioning of the principal rooms – whether they should be at the front of the house, which faces north or at the rear. In the end, they decided to orientate the main rooms to the beautiful street at the front. ‘What is lovely about the property is that you can stand in the centre of the house and look to the street at the front or you can look through to the garden. Light comes in from front to back,’ saysMike. As the house is seven storeys high, the installation of a lift was essential, in addition to the staircase. However,

Studio Indigo’s plan was to make the staircase a central feature. The original Victorian design was the inspiration but it was made grander, more elegant and less steep. Other major structural work included the building of a double basement to house a swimming pool and a gym. For Mike, the project was about the journey his team went on with the owners. ‘I love how sophisticated their taste became, ’ he says. ‘They d and had a desire to seek out the unusual, fascinating and cutting edge. ’