Former Dairy Turned Architectural Home in North Kensington

Hewer Street, Kensington 伦敦, 英格兰 W10 英国

Set on a quiet street in North Kensington, this three-bedroom, three-bathroom house with an additional guest restroom carries an unusual story. Built in the Victorian era as a cattle shed, it was converted in the late 1990s and has since been shaped with care over two decades by its artist owners. What was once a working building has become a home defined by light, scale and bold architecture.

Theo Otten of Otten Partners Architects led the transformation, approaching the structure almost as a piece of sculpture. Double-and triple-height spaces open up the interior, soaring to over 30ft and linked by glass-sided walkways and steel-framed Crittall doors. Original timber trusses are lit like artworks by discreet ERCO lighting, while polished concrete floors and a vaulted skylight draw the eye upwards. The mood is part industrial, part contemporary gallery: clean lines softened by dark, textured finishes.

The ground floor centres on a pared-back kitchen, its white surfaces a counterpoint to the vast living and dining space beyond. Here, daylight falls from above, shifting through the day, while a matt-black snug offers a smaller, more private corner. Upstairs, two calm ensuite bedrooms bring warmth with oak floors and soft grey tones. A third bedroom sits at the top of the house, alongside a generous newly built roof terrace, which has planning permission but currently no direct access; however, an easy access solution could be created.

Hewer Street has always had a creative undercurrent. Once home to dairies and a post office, it has gradually become a cluster of studios and distinctive houses, each shaped by its industrial roots. This former dairy sits quietly within that story, carrying the marks of its past while standing firmly in the present.

A few minutes away, Golborne and Portobello Roads bring a different kind of energy – antique markets, small cafés, restaurants that draw people from across the city. The Grand Union Canal and Kensal Green Cemetery offer long, tree-lined walks, while North Kensington as a whole balances neighbourhood life with a spirit of independence and artistry.