Bacon Mews House South Kensington interiors, west London artist home design, English property photos

Bacon Mews House, South Kensington, London

7 December 2025

Design: Philippa Rae Interiors

Location: South Kensington, West London, England, UK

Photos: David Butler

Bacon Mews House in South Kensington, west London

Tucked away on a quiet street in South Kensington, once home to the artist Francis Bacon, this newly developed mews house was reimagined by Philippa Rae Interiors as a warm, art-led retreat for a young entrepreneurial couple. When the clients purchased the property, it was a pristine white shell. It was beautifully executed by the developer but lacking depth and individuality. The brief was to create atmosphere and identity without altering the architecture, transforming a clinical new-build into a home full of texture, tone, and narrative.

A rich, layered palette of burgundies, blues, and soft greens grounds the scheme, balanced with textured wallpapers and bespoke joinery that introduces warmth and tactility. The lower ground-floor living space features a custom shelving unit and an American walnut dining table, designed and installed together for cohesive proportion and detailing. Alabaster and brass lighting adds a subtle luminosity, while a Moroccan embroidered artwork conceals the television near the entrance, softening its presence.

Photos showing the opening process of the Moroccan embroidered artwork that conceals the television:

Each room carries its own distinct surface language. I used woven wallpaper in the living area, Japanese washi paper in the study, herringbone linen in the master bedroom, and pink textured hemp in the guest room. Framed antique embroidered linens and carefully curated artworks provide the final layer of personality. The result is a home that feels cocooning, expressive, and quietly luxurious. It’s a study in balance, warmth, and modern craft.

What was the initial vision for the interior design of this newly developed Kensington mews house? How did the unique characteristics of a mews house influence the design brief and subsequent execution?

The artist Francis Bacon once lived on this street, and that became an early point of inspiration. The house itself was newly redeveloped. It was a pristine white box that felt well executed but clinical. My clients, both entrepreneurs in their late twenties, wanted a home that reflected their pace, energy, and appetite for art and culture. We started by building a palette that felt expressive yet refined, burgundies and deep blues layered with softer greens and pinks. Textured wallpapers introduced warmth and tactility, while bespoke joinery gave the space structure and purpose. The overall effect is intimate but confident. A home with personality rather than polish.

Mews houses often present specific design challenges, such as space constraints or natural light limitations. What were some of the key challenges encountered during the design process for Bacon · Mews House, and how were they addressed?

The house was purchased straight after redevelopment, so there was no need to alter the architecture. This also meant every surface was bright white, with little sense of depth. While traditional mews houses can be dark, this one benefited from a glazed roof light that spans the width of the property, allowing light to cascade through the core. I wanted to enhance that vertical flow and create a more dynamic visual rhythm. We introduced art and bespoke lighting within the void to draw the eye upward, and layered colour and texture throughout to balance the abundance of light. It became less about adding volume, and more about giving the space a visual heartbeat.

South Kensington is known for its rich architectural heritage. How did you balance contemporary interior design elements with the historical context and charm of a London mews house in this project?

Kensington’s mews houses have a distinct character, discreet, tucked away, and historically tied to craftsmanship. I wanted to respect that intimacy but reinterpret it through a contemporary lens. While the base architecture was clean and modern, I used materials and tones that evoke a sense of history: brass and bronze detailing, natural linens, timber textures, and rich, art-led colour. The balance comes from restraint. Nothing overly polished, nothing too nostalgic. It feels current but grounded, as though it has quietly evolved over time.

Are there any particular design elements, materials, or features in Bacon · Mews House that you consider signature to this project or reflective of your overall design philosophy? What feeling or experience did you aim to create for the inhabitants?

My work often begins with texture and tone, the elements that make a space feel lived in, not just styled. At Bacon · Mews House, the combination of rich wall finishes, layered lighting, and bespoke furniture design created that sense of tactility. I wanted the clients to feel enveloped, to walk in and sense calm, but also individuality. Every detail was considered to balance their professional lives with a slower domestic rhythm: comfortable, elegant, and quietly expressive. It’s a house that unfolds gradually, rather than shouting its design credentials at first glance.

How involved were the clients in the design process, and what was their reaction to the final outcome? What do you consider the ultimate success of the Bacon · Mews House project?

The clients were wonderfully engaged, curious, decisive, and open to exploring ideas. They wanted a space that reflected who they are now but would also grow with them. We worked collaboratively on the art selection and bespoke pieces, ensuring everything felt authentic to their story. When they moved in, they said it finally felt like them – still modern and minimal, but with character and warmth. For me, that’s the true success: transforming a newly built property into a home that feels collected and lived in, with soul behind the design.

Every project tells a story. What emotional atmosphere or narrative did you want to convey through Bacon · Mews House?

It was about creating warmth and energy within what began as a stark white space. The clients are young, creative, and fast-paced so the interiors needed to feel grounding yet dynamic. We achieved that through contrast: rich colour against calm neutrals, expressive art alongside crafted details. The house feels sophisticated but not still. It has movement and personality, like the people who live there.

Art seems to have played a defining role in shaping the interiors. How did you approach integrating art and design in this project?

From the start, the art led the conversation. We treated the rooms as if they were framing pieces rather than decorating around them. The colour palette evolved from the tones in the artworks, allowing the house to feel curated rather than styled. It’s always about creating a dialogue between the art, the architecture, and the person who lives there – never one dominating the other.

Your clients were young entrepreneurs commissioning their first interior designer. How did that influence your design process?

They were very clear that they didn’t want a “show home.” They wanted a place that felt like them – modern but layered, elegant without formality. Working with younger clients often means the brief is more open, less about rules and more about feeling. It allowed us to experiment with bolder palettes and textures, while still keeping everything grounded in craftsmanship and longevity.

Can you tell us more about the materials and finishes used, and how they shaped the atmosphere of the house?

Every element was considered to soften the new architecture and introduce warmth, texture, and rhythm to what began as a crisp, white space. We designed and installed a bespoke shelving unit and dining table together to ensure the proportions and finishes felt cohesive. The table was crafted in American walnut with black legs to echo the black metal supports of the bespoke shelving unit, creating a quiet visual dialogue across the lower ground floor.

Bespoke alabaster lights with brass detailing bring a soft, diffuse glow to the space, enhancing that feeling of intimacy and balance. The large joinery piece on the ground floor was painted tonally to blend with the wall colour — intentionally recessive, so the room feels calm and integrated. To the front, I added a Moroccan embroidered artwork (in two parts) that conceals the television and introduces warmth and narrative. The clients wanted a large TV, but this is also the main entry point to the house; it needed to feel cocooning rather than dominated by technology. Positioning the sofa to face away from the door helped achieve that sense of retreat.

Each room carries its own tactile character: a woven wallpaper on the ground floor for warmth, Japanese washi paper with a wave motif in the office, herringbone linen in the master bedroom, and pink textured hemp in the guest room. Throughout, framed antique embroidered linens add a layer of quiet history and craft. Together, these details create a home that feels layered, personal, and unmistakably lived in — elegant without being over-designed.

Looking back, what did Bacon · Mews House teach you as a designer?

It reminded me how transformative colour and art can be in redefining a space. Even the most polished new-build can feel impersonal until you start layering narrative and texture. It’s also a project that reinforced the value of trust. When clients are open to exploration, that’s when the most interesting work happens.

How does this project reflect where your studio is heading next?

My focus is on creating homes with longevity. I hope to create spaces that feel authentic from the start, even if the architecture is new. Increasingly, I’m drawn to projects where art, light, and texture converge to create emotional resonance. Bacon · Mews House was a pivotal moment in that journey — a reminder that true warmth in design comes from character, not excess.

Bacon Mews House, South Kensington, London, UK – Building Information

Design: Philippa Rae Interiors – https://philipparae.com/

Project size: 0
Site size: 1830 ft2
Project budget GBP 120,000
Completion date: 2023
Building levels: 4

Photographer: David Butler (dnbutler.com)

Bacon Mews House, South Kensington, London images / information received 071225

Location: South Kensington, London, UK

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