Interior Design for Kennington Homes - Modern Living Spaces
Author: Baker & Fellows
Interior Design for Kennington Homes - Modern Living Spaces
Kennington is one of those South London neighbourhoods that's been quietly getting on with it for years. Solid Victorian and Edwardian terraces, a growing number of thoughtful renovations, and residents who care deeply about how their homes look and feel.
It's a neighbourhood we know well. And over time, we've noticed something: Kennington homes have a particular character that rewards good design. High ceilings. Deep sash windows. Original fireplaces. The bones are usually excellent. These homes simply need a design team to understand them, accentuate what's already there, and bring them gently into modern life.
Image: AURA Architecture & Interiors
What Makes Kennington Homes Different
The majority of residential properties in Kennington are period builds. Late Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semi-detached houses that were built with proportion in mind. Rooms tend to be generous, hallways are wider than you'd expect, and there's usually some original detailing still intact if you know where to look.
That said, many of these homes have been through decades of updates, some sympathetic, some less so. A lot of our work in Kennington involves tying together modern living with period beauty, making spaces both efficient and beautiful simultaneously, letting the original architecture breathe again.
Image: Shoot Factory
The Balance Between Period Character and Modern Life
This is really the central question for any Kennington interior project: how do you make a home that works for the way you actually live, without it feeling like a museum?
The answer, in our experience, is good editing. We're not stripping the house bare. We're being selective about what we add, what we keep, and what we enhance. That might mean keeping original cornicing, skirtings, and door architraves but repainting everything in a considered, cohesive palette. Replacing tired fitted wardrobes with bespoke joinery that feels built-in and intentional. Updating lighting throughout, because period homes are almost always under-lit and the right lighting scheme changes everything. Choosing furniture and fabrics that have some weight and quality to them, so they feel at home in rooms with character.
The goal is always a space that feels complete. Not trendy, not fussy. Just well designed.
Image: European Heritage
Open Plan Living in a Period Terraced Home
One of the most common briefs we get in Kennington is the classic rear extension and open plan remodel. The Victorian terrace format, long and narrow with rooms stacked front to back, wasn't designed for the way most people want to live now. The small, separate kitchen at the back is often the first thing clients want to address.
Getting this right involves both interior design and architectural thinking, which is exactly why we work across both disciplines. It's not just about knocking walls down. It's about understanding how light will move through the new space, how sightlines will work from the kitchen island to the garden, and how the new rear elevation will relate to the original house. We don't want a dark space at the centre of the property. We want to cleverly adapt the layout so the most functional spaces sit centrally, while the rooms used for relaxing or entertaining benefit from the best natural light.
Working With What You Have
Not every Kennington project involves structural work. Sometimes the most valuable thing we do is help clients see what they already have differently.
A carefully placed mirror that doubles the light in a dark hallway. Curtains hung from ceiling to floor that draw the eye upward, making even a modest room feel taller and more grand. Cabinet fronts swapped out on an existing carcass that suddenly makes a kitchen feel bespoke. These are the interventions that clients often find most surprising, not because they're clever tricks, but because they come from really understanding how a space is being read and what it needs to feel finished. Good design is partly about knowing when not to spend money as much as it is about where to spend it.
Getting Started
If you're thinking about a project in Kennington or a similar area, whether it's a full renovation, an extension, or just a refresh of a space that's not quite working, the best starting point is always a proper conversation.
We offer an initial design consultation where we come to your home, understand what you're trying to achieve, and give you an honest view of what's possible. No obligation, no sales pitch.
Get in touch here and we'd love to hear about your home.
Image: fraher
Baker & Fellows is a residential interior design and architecture studio based in South London, working across Kennington, Oval, Camberwell, Brixton, and the wider SE postcode area.