Ascham Street, London
Project - Ascham Street
Location - London
Product Used - Walnut Cocoa Plank HW6500 | Walnut Cocoa Chevron HW6560
Designer - Studio 163
Contractor - North Pole Construction Contractors
Photographer - Peter Molloy
Instagram - studio.163
This Victorian London home was reimagined by Studio 163 for a young French family seeking a more practical and personal interior. Featuring Walnut Cocoa in both chevron and plank formats, the project demonstrates how a darker timber floor can bring balance, cohesion and a sense of permanence to a light-filled contemporary scheme.
Grounding an interior with dark timber
Giving a sense of proportion and scale
When redesigning the home, Studio 163 was working with a palette that would be intentionally light and restrained. Bespoke joinery, kitchen cabinetry and wall finishes were specified in soft neutral tones, creating an airy backdrop inspired by the clients' French heritage and contemporary European interiors.
Rather than following a common approach of introducing a similarly light timber floor, the studio took the opposite route. A darker floor was chosen to provide contrast and visual weight, anchoring the scheme and bringing a stronger sense of proportion to each room.
One collection, two formats
Studio 163 selected the Walnut Cocoa family from H Collection specifically because it was available in matching chevron and plank formats, allowing a consistent flooring palette to be carried throughout the home while responding to the character of each space.
This flexibility enabled the design team to introduce chevron flooring across the ground floor living areas, where the pattern brings a sense of grandeur inspired by classic Parisian interiors while complementing the period character of the property. Matching planks were then specified throughout the entrance hall, landings and bedrooms, creating a seamless transition between spaces and a cohesive material language across the home.
“We chose a darker wood as a lot of the furniture, bespoke joinery and kitchen were going to be lighter so we felt it would ground the space and give some sense of proportions and scale.”
- Lea, Studio 163 -
