Des res redefined: Bespoke design boom reshaping London living

As home designs and services have become a standard part of the mass-market, so the demand for original design solutions has increased among discerning clients. Many now demand tailored, high-end features to create unique spatial designs that more closely reflect their individuality and tastes.

Today, clients want control over the technical specifications, shapes, colours and textures of big-ticket items, such as a kitchen or hand-crafted staircase, to the little touches that create subtle moods and effects, such as alcoves, patterned glazing and lighting. In this way, ‘bespoke design’ essentially refers to solutions tailored to a client’s individual requirements, and its popularity looks set to continue growing strongly.

Bespoke design elements now form a very prominent element of our own work, as is clear from our most recent projects in Chelsea, Belsize Park and Hampstead. For instance, staircases are becoming signature pieces, turning otherwise functional areas into distinctive spaces in their own right. In addition to stairwell dimensions and location of skylights, more clients will specify the materials and finishes for the stairs themselves.

Hand-crafted elements are very popular, creating a unique overall effect. A client might specify handrails hand-crafted from a specific wood, with the staircase finished off with Mediterranean-style ironwork and tiled risers. Specialist joinery work is now a feature right across the home, along with fine lacquer finishes, inlay detailing and the use of handpicked handles on furniture and doors. LED mood lighting is also commonly incorporated into coffered ceilings and picture rails.

Stockbridge’s loft conversions construction director, Adeel Bhatti, said: “We’re passionate about delivering on our clients’ vision, and we work with highly-skilled specialists to make it happen. Today, they’re increasingly looking for innovative design solutions that incorporate multiple materials – iron, steel and other metals, as well as wood, glass and acrylic.

So we work with the very best architects, metalworkers and stonemasons, carpenters and joiners, glaziers and glass manufacturers to produce the very best work. All are artisan or master craftsmen, experts in their field who can be trusted with even the most demanding and complex requirements.”

All of these elements have expanded the scope to create rare spaces and broad themes that can make a home distinctive, quirky and full of character, and today’s clients are much clearer on the wow factor they want from their property conversions, extensions and new-build projects. Stockbridge is very much part of this design boom, where innovative design comes as standard.

Welcome to the Stockbridge blog

Under construction: One of Stockbridge’s latest building projects, a town house in the Chelsea Conservation Area

We’re a team with a wealth of construction industry experience. And, while we’re not looking to use this blog to break the mould, our interest goes beyond the everyday business of completing projects for our clients – though that is, obviously, very important.

We’re also interested in the social dimension of construction and land management – planning and land use; the form, function and location of buildings; design trends, fashions and what these might say about us and the way we want to live our lives.

We’re also interested in new building products and innovations, as well as the environment and climate change – an all-encompassing set of challenges that loom large on the agenda.

We will have to confront these challenges whether we want to or not. And as the need to make our buildings and our lifestyles more sustainable rises, so will the focus on the best options for moving the construction industry forward.

So there’s a lot to talk about and we intend to use this space to cover some topics as they arise. Some might be quite technical, others more general and ‘lifestyley’. Either way, we hope it will be of interest.