The Chelsea Stagger
The Chelsea Stagger transforms a three storey split level maisonette in Chelsea into a generous family home, combining a new second floor extension and roof terrace with a complete reworking of the existing interior.
The project began with a compact and fragmented Victorian home arranged across a series of staggered levels. Our approach focused on making the existing house work harder for a family of four while creating the additional space needed for contemporary family life.
Planning permission was secured for a new second floor extension, increasing the usable area of the maisonette while responding carefully to its surrounding Chelsea context. The roof of the extension is conceived as a private terrace, introducing valuable outdoor space within a dense central London setting.
Internally, a continuous open staircase becomes the organising element of the house, connecting its changing levels and establishing a more fluid relationship between spaces. A compact study and utility room are integrated along this vertical sequence, making use of otherwise overlooked areas while allowing the principal living spaces to remain open and uncluttered.
The interior combines the character of the original Victorian property with a restrained contemporary material palette, creating a home that feels coherent across both the existing and newly added spaces.
Rather than disguising its complex section, The Chelsea Stagger celebrates it, using every shift in level as an opportunity for space, movement and connection.