Belgravia Townhouse

Complete renovation of a Grade II-listed Belgravia townhouse — restoring original period features while integrating modern living standards across four floors.

Property Type

period-property

Location

Belgravia

Completed

May 2026

Project Details

A period property restored to its former grandeur

The Challenge

The client acquired a neglected period townhouse in one of London's most prestigious addresses. Decades of inappropriate alterations had obscured original cornicing, damaged heritage joinery, and left the property with outdated mechanical systems — all under the constraints of Grade II listing.

Our Approach

SBS Homes conducted a meticulous restoration over 14 months, working closely with conservation officers to reinstate period details while discreetly integrating underfloor heating, a modern kitchen, and upgraded electrical throughout. Every cornice was hand-repaired, original floorboards were salvaged and re-laid, and bespoke joinery was crafted to match surviving Georgian profiles.

Scope of Work

Full interior renovation

Heritage restoration

Bespoke joinery

Mechanical & electrical upgrade

Kitchen & bathroom fit-out

Project In Detail

A closer look at the decisions, material choices, and craftsmanship that shaped the finished result.

When SBS Homes first surveyed the property, it was clear that decades of neglect and poorly considered modifications had taken their toll. Original cornicing had been boxed in with plasterboard, Georgian-era door casings had been replaced with stock alternatives, and the basement level suffered from chronic damp due to a failed tanking system.

Our restoration began with a comprehensive heritage audit — cataloguing every surviving period element and cross-referencing with archival photographs to establish an accurate picture of the property's original character. This document became the blueprint for every decision that followed.

Structural works came first: underpinning the basement to gain ceiling height, reinforcing the party wall where previous owners had removed load-bearing elements, and installing a new steel frame within the rear return to open the ground floor into a single entertaining space without compromising the listed façade.

The joinery programme was the heart of the project. Our workshop produced over forty bespoke items — from replica six-panel doors with hand-cut moulding profiles to a full library wall in quarter-sawn oak. Every piece was templated on-site, manufactured to sub-millimetre tolerance, and finished with traditional shellac and wax.

Mechanical systems were threaded through the building with surgical precision. Underfloor heating runs beneath restored original floorboards, a whole-house ventilation system is concealed within rebuilt ceiling voids, and a smart lighting scheme operates through period-style switch plates designed to be indistinguishable from originals.

The kitchen and bathrooms balance contemporary function with period sympathy. Unlacquered brass fittings will patina naturally over time, stone surfaces were sourced from the same Dorset quarries used in the original construction, and cabinetry references Georgian proportions while accommodating modern appliances.

The result is a home that feels as though it has always been this way — which is, of course, the highest compliment a restoration can receive.

Belgravia Townhouse