Being bold with your home’s layout and your material choices can profoundly enhance both the aesthetic appeal and functionality of your living space. At Lion House in Fulham, we embarked on a daring renovation project that reimagined the traditional design of a South-West London home to unlock its full potential.
The NLS studio’s vision was to free up space and flood the house with daylight. In many Fulham homes, you find the staircase directly in front of you as you walk through the front door. With a wall often separating the hallway from the living space to the side, the result is a cramped and shadowy entrance hall. This creates an uninviting first impression and an impractical use of space.
For this residential project, our clients trusted us in taking a bold approach by moving the staircase to the centre of the floor plan. Beyond simply providing an opportunity to make a unique architectural feature out of the stairs, this strategic shift offered several transformative benefits, improving spatial dynamics and creating a more inviting, light-filled environment.
Crucially, relocating the staircase freed up valuable space at the front of the house. The result was a larger, better-proportioned front room that is now ideal for family gatherings and entertaining guests. The improved layout allows for more flexible furniture arrangements, further enhancing the room’s usability and comfort.
We also opted to incorporate glass elements into the design. Glass stair railings and expansive windows were chosen for the stairwell to maximise light flow and create a sense of openness. The fact that the staircase was centralised within the home improved to the illuminating effect further, immediately enhancing the natural light distribution throughout.
The transparency of glass allows light to pass through freely, reducing shadows and making rooms feel more expansive. At Lion House, sunlight now penetrates deeper into the interior, illuminating every corner and creating a bright, warm and welcoming atmosphere. This improved light flow not only enhances the visual appeal of the space but also positively impacts mood and wellbeing.
By rethinking traditional layouts and thoughtfully selecting materials, including the strategic use of glass, we can transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary homes. The key to maximising your space lies in understanding the potential of your existing layout and embracing innovative changes. Whether renovating an old home or designing a new one, consider how structural modifications and material choices, particularly the use of glass, can work together to create a harmonious, light-filled and inviting environment.
