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Gemma Gordon-Duff ’s redesign of this Chelsea townhouse dovetails its Georgian elegance with cool, contemporary shapes

- JO LEEVERS

As she redesigned the interiors of this Chelsea home, the fine lines of its Georgian architecture were never far from Gemma Gordon- Duff’s mind. ‘The form and proportion of the house, the light and period detailing are the natural stars of the show,’ she says. But Gemma, who is managing director of Gordon-Duff & Linton, has built on that heritage to take this home into the 21st century.

With lighting that cuts a dash, art-deco motifs and herringbone flooring, Gemma’s schemes are all about creating visual interest with the ‘harder’ elements of design. ‘By this I mean we played with the intersection of shapes and geometry in the joinery, lighting and statement rugs, rather than adding pattern via fabrics and wallpapers,’ she says.

The owners were carrying out a full refurbishment of the Grade II-listed property, including a top-floor extension and the addition of a garden room at the back, which was managed by Jo Cowen Architects. Of course, any changes to its fabric had to minimise heritage conflicts and several traditional features were even reinstated during the work.