The owners of a Victorian, two-stories apartment asked London-based firm Russian For Fish to intervene in a way that revitalised its dark ground floor into a lively space. The upper-ground floor was light and spacious, with high ceilings and a bay window. The lower-ground, however, featured narrow corridors, low ceilings and vacant spaces.

The final result was a gallery-style, welcoming space filled with polished, light-toned concrete and off-white walls. To add contrast, a vibrant yellow dominates the open-plan kitchen and continues to the stairwell, functioning as a threshold between the lower ground-floor and the more traditional interior beyond. More light was given through a large skylight and the layout was reconfigured to obtain additional usable space, allowing for the addition of a utility room and a shower room. The final touches were provided by the client’s own furniture and extensive record collection.