Three-story brick row house with white trim, large bay window on the first floor, smaller windows above, and a black front door with steps. A streetlamp and a small garden with bushes are in front.

Town House, Old Richmond

Photographed by Richard Seymour
Styled by Giselle De Hasse
Completed 2011

Modern interior living space featuring an exposed brick wall with a floating staircase, a built-in wooden desk with decor and a tablet, colorful stools, and a dining table with lemons, illuminated by hanging spherical lights.

I led the design for the total retrofit of a period property in a historic part of Richmond. The basement was visible through all three floors after stripping out at the start of renovation work.

The property required a complete refresh, and the space's functionality was essential to the family. The clients travelled frequently and played lots of sports, so the ability to create as much storage for sports equipment and luggage was essential to the effectiveness of the finished design.

View of a modern interior hallway with staircase, a partial view of a room with a computer and a window with trees outside, and a bench on the right side.

A modern living room with a white sofa adorned with colorful pillows, a decorative carved wall panel, and a light blue sheer curtain dividing the space.

Town House Old Richmond Project by De Hasse Architectural and Interior Design Studio

The kitchen was carefully designed to accommodate clients who entertained frequently and to incorporate a pizza oven. Carefully considered finishes, including polished concrete, exposed brick, and silver-grey oak, were used to add a beautiful palette of neutral colours and textures to the design. Desk areas were designed for both children in order for them to be able to work near the hub of the house.

Modern white kitchen with a wooden dining table, a decorative sculpture of a seated figure, hanging glass globe lights, and a bowl of lemons.

Modern living room with a white sofa, colorful pillows, a gray rug, a white coffee table with orange flowers, a green armchair, a white sideboard with a lamp and decorative items, a wall-mounted television, a built-in wooden wall feature with plants and books, and a small workspace with a computer by the window.

The small dark warren of rooms on the ground floor was opened up, offering a large, practical, open space. To multifunction this room (entertaining reception, family, home cinema, TV space, office and practical, easy to use storage), as well as include the required four-seat sofa within a 3.6m square area, practical movement through and around the room, and inclusion of other items of furniture, required careful consideration.

Modern living room with a colorful sofa, decorative wall art, and a staircase visible through an entryway.

Living room with a gray sofa, colorful cushions, a white side table with a small flower vase, a green chair, a wall-mounted TV, and a window with a small desk and computer near it.

I wanted the design to reflect a strong visual lead in from the entrance. A floor-to-ceiling etched, curved glass wall, following the contour of the sofa from B&B Italia, began this aesthetic.

The practical element of this was privacy at night, as the sofa faced away from the glazed front door, which is now in full view due to the removal of internal walls. To retain an element of the original two-room ground-floor layout, although bespoke storage was specified for the whole side elevation of the house, differing finishes were used to nod back to the original configuration of the two separate rooms.

A bedroom with purple and white walls, a bed with colorful pink, green, and purple pillows, a white side table with a metal lamp and small decorative items, a window with a floral valance, and a wall shelf with books and toys.

Bright bedroom with two windows, colorful Roman shades, a yellow chair, a white desk with a laptop, a small blue table, a round blue armchair with a pink pillow, and a bed with turquoise, pink, and purple bedding.

Modern bedroom with teal bed, colorful pillows, white side tables with lamps, a yellow chair, a multicolored striped rug, and a wardrobe, with a door leading to a bathroom.

Bright blue wall with uniquely shaped white bookshelf holding books and decorative items, three colorful storage baskets on the floor, white desk with a laptop and lamp, and a yellow chair.