A layered Paddington house, reimagined.

Reimagined by renowned architect Richard Archer, the remodel peels back the Victorian form to reveal light, scale and texture in new and unexpected ways.

Archer’s intervention, completed more than a decade ago, remains both restrained and dramatic. The multi-level setting has been recalibrated around a strong internal axis, allowing volumes to open vertically and horizontally. Floor plates have been subtly carved away, admitting shafts of light that transform the house across the day. The effect is theatrical yet deeply human, balancing the intimacy of domestic life with the drama of ambitious built form.

Materially, the home is elegantly layered. Rough sandstone walls, a remnant of the original structure, ground the interiors in a tactile history. Against this, polished marble, unfilled travertine and expanses of glass create a counterpoint - old meeting new, permanence meeting reflection. This dialogue continues in the landscape design, where a private courtyard with green wall elements extends the architectural rhythm outdoors.

The relationship between interior and exterior is central. With dual street frontages, the house enjoys the rare luxury of two north-facing areas, each conceived as outdoor rooms. Every internal space opens to these gardens or to the sky beyond, dissolving the threshold between built form and landscape.

The floorplan is generous yet carefully ordered. Bedrooms are separated for privacy, each with its own bathroom. A whole-floor master suite is treated as a retreat, with walk-in robe, terrace and views over the neighbourhood rooftops. At the heart, the kitchen becomes both workspace and stage, supported by a pantry, wine storage and a seamless integration of appliances.

Throughout, the architect’s philosophy remains clear. It’s an approach that resists minimalism, instead celebrating contrast, reflection and richness. Also apparent in his wider catalogue, is the treatment of architecture as an act of human endeavour in dialogue with nature, where design becomes elevated in the way it inspires creativity and well-being. Here, that ethos translates into a home that is as much about atmosphere as it is about function.

What emerges is not simply a renovated terrace, but a layered environment - a journey of moments, textures and light - set quietly within Paddington’s village heart. 

View the listing: 28 Little Comber Street, Paddington