California Dreamin’

Victorian lines meet Californian light in this detached Grade II listed villa, creating a unique fusion of heritage and contemporary aesthetics. We were tasked with attentively restoring this historical property in a conservation area, designed by architect John Shaw and built circa 1844, while modernising the lower ground floor in the airy, luminous style of Palm Springs.

Upstairs, we preserved and refurbished the original features: cornices, skirtings and mouldings designed in a rustic Italian style with Grecian detailing. Below, we took inspiration from Desert Modernism, with its floor-to-ceiling glass, clean lines and celebration of natural materials. The lightweight glass extension sits on a monolithic terrazzo plinth, which reaches outwards like ‘fingers’ into the surrounding West Coast style garden.

Indoor and outdoor blend seamlessly into each other, with polished concrete floors and Douglas fir joinery extending from garden to kitchen to living area. The soft, light timber creates an elegant lattice roof that appears to float above the multifunctional living space, suitable for entertaining as well as hosting work events. At the heart of the room, a banquette for informal dining evokes the timeless appeal of an American diner booth.

If you step outside, a discreet garden room is nestled in the far corner, functioning as both yoga studio and home office. Surrounded by greenery and known as The Hide, the structure is clad in sustainable cork, combining smooth and wavy patterns that mimic the bark of a tree.