January 26, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
a CONTEMPORARY TAKE on a LONDON HOME
words YUZU Editorial
interior design Casa do Passadiço
photos Francisco de Almeida Dias
production Karine Monié
Located in one of London’s most established residential neighbourhoods, this six-storey Victorian townhouse has been carefully restored and reimagined by the Portuguese interior design studio Casa do Passadiço. Built in the early 1900s, the house retains its architectural character while being adapted for contemporary family life.
Casa do Passadiço oversaw the full remodelling of the interiors, from interior architecture to decoration. The aim was to strike a balance between elegance and comfort—creating a home that feels refined, yet genuinely lived-in.
A CONTEMPORARY READING OF A VICTORIAN HOME
For Cláudia Soares Pereira and Catarina Soares Pereira, the project began with the house itself. Elements typical of 19th-century English homes—proportions, surface treatments, and detailing—formed the foundation of the design approach.
“The challenge was to respect the home’s identity and traditions, while bringing it into the present with a contemporary vision,” the designers explain. Rather than a nostalgic recreation, the result is a measured reinterpretation, where history remains visible but never dominant.
COLOUR, MATERIAL, AND ATMOSPHERE
A soft, restrained palette runs throughout the house, punctuated by carefully placed contrasts. Corridors are treated in black and white, offering graphic clarity, while the reception room remains largely white, accented with subtle gold details. In the dining area, a bespoke hand-painted wallpaper by de Gournay introduces a botanical motif that recalls a traditional English garden—bringing colour and depth without overwhelming the space.
Neutral tones define the family room and study, where darker woods and leather finishes lend the home office a quietly masculine character. Upstairs, the atmosphere becomes more personal: warm hues and walnut wood in the main bedroom; soft pinks with aqua green accents on the girls’ floor; and layered blues throughout the boys’ level.
ART, CRAFT, AND COLLECTED PIECES
Natural materials—plaster, wood, stone, and wallpaper—were selected to honour the house’s history. In the living room, sculptural sofas by Vladimir Kagan are paired with hand-carved wooden wall panels crafted in Portugal by Casa do Passadiço’s artisans.
Art plays a central role in shaping the home’s character. All artworks are by women artists, including pieces by Beatriz Milhazes and Tracey Emin, adding cultural depth and a contemporary edge. Custom de Gournay wallpapers also appear in the powder rooms on the ground and lower-ground floors, reinforcing a sense of continuity throughout the house.
The result is a home that feels distinctly British yet quietly international—characterful without excess, elegant without formality, and designed to be lived in as much as it is to be admired.
