michaelis boyd intervenes georgian apartment in london with floating red staircase

in london’s royal borough of kensington and chelsea, michaelis boyd presents the renovation of a georgian apartment building, its interior defined by a floating red staircase. the original architectural work took place in 2010, when the studio combined two existing flats into a four-bedroom maisonette. almost a decade on, the architects returned to incorporate playful design details that would reflect the creative personality of the clients and their children who enjoy the social and open nature of horizontal apartment living. with this in mind, michaelis boyd makes considered choices in order to apply this concept to a home with all the richness and detail of a georgian property.

images by gavriil papadiotis

in the design of its interior renovation, the team at michaelis boyd incorporates playful detailing, with a floating red staircase as its centerpiece. the team curates a space in which the client lives with their art, rather than having it on display. this concept led to the new staircase, inspired by the floating red ‘staircase-III’ by doh ho suh, exhibited at the tate modern. connecting the two floors, this unique sculptural staircase is made from perforated red steel and floats above the living room floor. 

it is a true example of michaelis boyd’s commitment to working closely with clients to challenge expectations, resulting in unusual spaces and playful features. collaborating with diapo and webb yates engineers, the team met the challenge of retaining the functional integrity of a staircase for a family home.

project info:

interior design: michaelis boyd

location: kensington, london

levels: three

area: 350 m2

photography: gavriil papadiotis