Holland Park
Architects and Interior Designers in Holland Park
Holland Park (W11/W8) is built at a different scale to much of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Large detached and semi-detached villas around Phillimore Gardens and Campden Hill sit on bigger plots than the terraces common elsewhere in the borough, with gardens generous enough for larger basements, pools and garden studios. A short walk away, Leighton House and the Design Museum anchor a conservation area with its own strict expectations.
Doll & Co. is a RIBA Chartered Practice. Our architects and interior designers in Holland Park work together from the first sketch, so the planning strategy, the structural approach and the finished interior are resolved as one scheme, not handed between specialists at different stages.
Architectural Services in Holland Park
Our architectural services here cover feasibility, pre-application advice with RBKC, planning, building regulations and construction oversight. In practice, this means:
Larger basement schemes beneath Holland Park's bigger garden plots, including pools and leisure spaces where the garden allows
Whole-house renovations of detached and semi-detached villas around Campden Hill and Phillimore Gardens
Rear and side extensions on the area's larger Victorian terraces, scaled to match generous room proportions
A planning narrative tested early and kept consistent with the drawings throughout, particularly where a scheme sits near Leighton House or other listed buildings
Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas in Holland Park
Much of Holland Park sits within the Holland Park Conservation Area, home to:
Leighton House, a Grade II*-listed Victorian townhouse and museum
The Design Museum, in the former Commonwealth Institute building
A concentration of large Victorian villas, many individually listed
Listed building consent applies to internal works as well as external ones, so we prepare heritage statements that protect original features while adapting these houses for modern family life.
Interior Design Services in Holland Park
The scale of Holland Park's houses changes what's possible inside them. Our interior design services here cover:
Bespoke joinery and layouts suited to larger room proportions than a typical London terrace
Pool houses, home cinemas and leisure spaces where garden size allows
Concealed climate control and services that leave period features undisturbed
A client decision schedule that locks façade-facing approvals, internal finishes and M&E items before they become urgent
See our full Interior Design page for more on our approach to materials, lighting and bespoke joinery.
How a Project Works, From Enquiry to Completion
Initial conversation. A no-obligation discussion about your property, your brief, and whether we're the right fit, with no commitment on your part.
Feasibility and survey. We assess what the property and its planning context can realistically support before any design fees are committed.
Design proposal. Concept drawings, and where interiors are part of the brief, an initial material and layout direction.
Planning and technical drawings. The planning application itself, alongside building regulations drawings and a tender-ready information pack.
Construction oversight. Site visits and contract administration through to completion.
You can appoint us for architecture, interior design, or both together. Many Holland Park clients choose both, given how closely the two disciplines interact on a renovation.
Planning Permission in Holland Park
Article 4 Directions remove the permitted development rights available in less constrained boroughs, so most extensions, basements and loft conversions require a full planning application regardless of size
The Holland Park Conservation Area carries particular sensitivity around the setting of Leighton House and other listed buildings nearby
Pre-application advice is recommended for any scheme affecting a listed building or a conservation area frontage
The party wall process typically runs 8 to 12 weeks and should be built into the programme from the outset
Other Areas We Serve in RBKC
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Holland Park?
Almost always, yes. Article 4 Directions across RBKC remove the permitted development rights available in less restricted areas, so most extensions, basements and loft conversions require a full planning application regardless of size.
Can I add a basement to a house in Holland Park?
Often, yes, and Holland Park's larger garden plots make more ambitious basement schemes realistic than on a typical London terrace, including pools and leisure spaces in some cases. We assess what a specific garden can support at feasibility stage, before any design fees are committed.
What makes the Holland Park Conservation Area different from other RBKC conservation areas?
It carries particular sensitivity around the setting of listed landmarks like Leighton House and the concentration of large, individually listed Victorian villas nearby. Schemes here are judged partly on how they relate to that wider streetscape, not just the property itself.
Can I extend a listed villa in Holland Park?
Yes, but listed building consent is required in addition to any planning permission, and it covers internal works as well as external ones. We prepare heritage statements early in the design process to protect original features.
How long does planning permission take in Holland Park?
A straightforward householder application to RBKC typically takes 8 to 13 weeks from validation to decision. Schemes affecting a listed building or the conservation area's setting usually take longer.
Visit Our Studio
Our studio is based at 33 Newman Street, London W1T 1PY, with a second studio at Woodseats Studio, Bighton Road, Alresford, Hampshire GU34 5ND. Call us on 020 3870 7262, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Why Holland Park Homeowners Choose Our Architects and Interior Designers
RIBA Chartered. Our professional duty is to you, not to a contractor's margin.
One team. Architects and interior designers work on your project from the first sketch.
Senior oversight. Technical Director Nick Smith brings over 16 years of high-end residential experience to every project, reviewing detail proposals from conception through to execution.
RBKC experience. We work across Holland Park, Chelsea and the wider borough, and understand what its planning officers expect.
Honest feasibility. If a basement, extension or renovation is unlikely to succeed, we tell you before design work begins.
See our full Architectural Services page for how this process runs from feasibility through to completion.
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Speak to Our Holland Park Architects and Interior Designers
Whether you are considering a basement beneath a villa near Campden Hill, a whole-house renovation on Phillimore Gardens, or an extension on a larger Victorian terrace, we would be glad to discuss what your property and its planning context allow.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general guidance purposes only. Every property and project is unique, and specific planning considerations, costs and timelines must be evaluated on an individual basis following a formal project consultation.