Ceiling Restoration
False ceilings removed to restore original ceiling heights, with plasterwork repaired and mouldings reinstated where they had been obscured.
Belgravia Apartment Refurbishment
Bolbec House, Halkin Street SW1X
A comprehensive refurbishment of a two-bedroom apartment in Bolbec House on Halkin Street — one of Belgravia’s most architecturally distinguished streets, connecting Belgrave Square to Hyde Park Corner — with bespoke ribbed timber joinery, a stone-topped kitchen, and restored period proportions.
Programme 7 months
Budget Band £420k – £540k
Borough Westminster
Outcome Turnkey residence
Project Overview
Period proportions restored on Belgravia’s grandest axis
Halkin Street connects two of London’s most important addresses: Belgrave Square and Hyde Park Corner. Bolbec House sits in the middle, and the apartment needed to reflect the quality of its setting.
The apartment had been let for many years and received only incremental updates. Ceilings had been lowered with plasterboard, original door cases were obscured by later additions, and the kitchen and bathrooms were twenty years past their best. The brief was to restore the apartment’s original generosity and finish it to a standard suitable for long-term owner-occupation.
False ceilings were removed to reveal the original ceiling height. Door cases were exposed and restored. The kitchen was redesigned with ribbed timber fronts, a honed Pietra Cardosa stone worktop, and integrated Miele appliances. The principal bathroom was rebuilt around a deep soaking tub, with Verde Guatemala marble splashback and brass accents. The en-suite received a rain shower, porcelain walls, and a floating vanity.
Throughout the apartment, engineered chevron parquet was laid in a warm honey oak, and all rooms were redecorated in a palette that moves from warm stone in the reception rooms to softer celadon in the bedrooms. The result is an apartment that feels both generous and intimate — properly finished, without being over-designed.
Bolbec House Halkin Street Belgravia - ribbed timber kitchen and restored period proportions
Scope Delivered
What the refurbishment actually changed
Ribbed Timber Kitchen
Bespoke ribbed oak kitchen fronts with Pietra Cardosa honed stone worktops, Miele appliances, and antique brass knobs.
Principal Bathroom
Deep soaking tub, Verde Guatemala marble splashback, brass towel rails, and herringbone floor tiles in warm grey.
Chevron Parquet Flooring
Engineered honey oak chevron parquet throughout reception, hallway, and bedrooms, with underlay for acoustic insulation.
Programme
How the project moved from brief to handover
Stage 1
Design and Grosvenor Estate approval
Design proposals submitted to the Grosvenor Estate for approval, with material samples and joinery drawings.
Stage 2
Strip-out and discovery
Removal of false ceilings, modern finishes, and dated fittings, revealing original features to be restored.
Stage 3
Restoration and first-fix
Plasterwork repair, door case restoration, and all new services routes installed.
Stage 4
Kitchen and bathroom installation
Bespoke kitchen fitted, bathroom tiled and plumbed, and all sanitaryware installed.
Stage 5
Flooring and decoration
Chevron parquet laid, full decoration in the agreed colour palette, and lighting commissioned.
Stage 6
Handover
Final snagging, professional photography, and client walkthrough.
Delivery Challenges
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge
Outcome
The details that mattered most on site
False ceiling removal
Removing the suspended ceilings revealed original plasterwork in mixed condition — some areas needed full reinstatement, others just careful repair and redecoration.
Grosvenor Estate design review
The estate’s architect reviewed all external-facing elements and internal layouts that affected the building’s fabric, adding an additional approval stage to the programme.
Verde Guatemala marble sourcing
This particular marble has significant colour variation between slabs. We selected the specific slab in person at the supplier’s yard to ensure the right tone.
A restored Belgravia apartment
The apartment feels like it has been returned to its original intent: generous, calm, and impeccably finished, with the kind of quiet confidence that Halkin Street deserves.
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Planning a refurbishment on the Grosvenor Estate?
We deliver full apartment refurbishments across Belgravia’s managed estates, handling design, freeholder approvals, and construction under one contract.
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