Interview with KSR Architects & Interior Designers Tell us a little about the background of your firm? KSR Architects & Interior Designers is an award-winning design-led practice focusing on creating exceptional, high-quality homes. We are a studio of designers with over forty years of experience and with over 90% of our work coming from referrals or existing client relationships. Whether it is ultra-contemporary, traditional, or the unique and quirky, our projects blend the personal qualities and vision of our individual clients with the natural and environmental characteristics of each site. Based in Camden Town, we have extensive experience creating bespoke homes across North London, with Hampstead, St John’s Wood and Belsize Park being our home patch. Our portfolio also extends internationally including Cape Town, Antigua, Seychelles, St Petersburg, and Moscow and the US. Can you give us an insight into some of the ways you are able to navigate through planning obstacles? We believe that that the most effective way of securing optimal planning permissions is by taking a collaborative approach with the local planning authorities. We have therefore built good working relationships with the planning departments in Westminster, Camden and Barnet in particular. Utilising our detailed knowledge of the local planning framework and current policy, we approach each project with a considered strategy. Whether this means a light touch, or a more comprehensive approach is required, we will tailor our service to the specifics of the project. On our more complex projects, the nuance and complexity of local planning can be challenging, so it is important to collaborate with a proven team to ensure a successful outcome. Explain some of the ways you can you add value to a home which is already in good overall condition? We have extensive experience adding value to properties. The obvious way to add value is to add floorspace, but this is not always the most cost-effective solution or advantageous to the way the house will function. We therefore analyse the way the house is currently being used and suggest ways that it can be used more effectively. This might be the addition of a roof extension, reorienting the stair or simply repositioning the furniture to improve flow or maximise a view. As both architects and interior designers we examine the entire house and understand the client’s lifestyle, taste, and budget in order to add both financial and aspirational value. Is there a type of project which gets your team more excited than others? Every project and every client is unique, but we have been privileged to work on a variety of exceptional projects. Whether it is a challenging heritage site, a hi-tech house, creating bespoke furniture design, or curating art collections, we enjoy projects that encourage us to think outside the box. What’s the most satisfying aspect of your work? As a collaborative studio, we focus on good relationships with clients and colleagues to ensure a project is of the highest quality. It is hugely satisfying to see a client enjoying the fruits of our labour, understanding the design decisions that were made, and appreciating the journey we went on together. We are proud that over 90% of our work is from previous clients or referrals which is a truly satisfying tick of approval. 32
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