Felix and Catherine Finkernagel of architecture and interiors studio Finkernagel Ross have brought a touch of Parisian elegance to a Kensington mews house.

With its cobbles and charming mews homes, Napier Place is as quintessentially London as a red phone box or a double-decker bus. Originally built by Hammersmith brickmaker William Scott as stables to serve the surrounding townhouses, there’s an undeniable romance to these once utilitarian dwellings, even if they’re often lacking in space and light. 

These were the shortcomings that faced architects Felix and Catherine Finkernagel, directors of Finkernagel Ross, when tasked with transforming a home on this stretch of cobbles. “In the truest sense it was a former stables, and the interiors felt like that,” says Catherine. Dark, with small rooms and low ceiling heights, it wasn’t somewhere that you’d want to spend time in.

Not so anymore. By entirely rebuilding the original structure – and doubling its volume in the process with a new basement level – natural light and generosity of space are now distinguishing features. Sensitive design and reclaimed bricks ensure the house appears as though it’s been standing for centuries, not a matter of years.

Look closely, however, and you might spot some subtle flourishes that mark it out from its neighbours. “The slender, French-style windows we’ve used are different from the traditional square sash windows you’d find in a mews house. It was our way of making the house a bit more elegant,” explains Felix. “They allow more light in but they also make the rooms feel taller and more inviting to be in. That’s one of the key challenges with this type of house – creating that illusion of space.”

Inside, one solution to the space conundrum was to remove the entrance corridor, which originally carved the ground floor into two compact rooms on either side. Moving the staircase has created sweeping lateral domains on each of the home’s four floors. A functional, finessed kitchen, dining and reception room occupies the ground floor. Below, the new basement level accommodates an atmospheric cinema room with unexpectedly high ceilings. Meanwhile, the principal bedroom suite spans the entire first floor, with two further guest bedrooms above.

“We wanted to elevate the idea of a mews house into something that felt a little more refined than what was once the servants’ quarters,” says Felix. Not only does this come through in the reconfigured footprint, but the choice of materials. Throughout, a consistent, natural palette imbues everything with a calming, quietly luxurious atmosphere.

White oiled oak floors, aurisina marble and silver travertine bring a tactile quality, elevated by timeless design – from the Carl Hansen kitchen table to the Maxalto dining chairs. Other bespoke pieces, including the custom-made linen sofas and the Roxburgh Construction kitchen give a considered finish with a strong Scandinavian undercurrent. “A common theme across all our work is exploring how design can be approachable and warm while still feeling elegant,” notes Catherine.

There’s also a sense that everything, as the pair puts it “is working really hard”.  Take the versatile joinery that greets you when you open the front door. It gives a sense of purpose and arrival, while offering a practical storage solution.

“There are three really important points that you have to get across with a mews house,” Catherine elaborates. “One is the illusion of space, one is the illusion of height and the other is to make things work hard. You can see that theme that we’ve developed in the architecture also carried through to the interior design. That consistency, that thread it creates, means you end up with a space that just feels right.”

Napier Place is available for short stays from £1,250 per night