Where everyday living meets theatrical design and hyper-real natural gestures.
Reimagining the London Terrace
CAN, the architecture and ideas studio, has taken a traditional East Dulwich terrace and reinterpreted it as a hyper-real natural sanctuary for a visual artist. The Druid Grove House extends and refurbishes a three-bedroom home into a layered, material-rich environment that balances the mundane demands of daily life with a dramatic, immersive aesthetic. Inspired by surreal natural forms, floral arrangements, and structural experimentation, lead architect Mat Barnes crafted a home where intimacy coexists with theatricality, grounding everyday routines in a fantastical setting.
Interiors That Play With Space and Material
The ground floor underwent strategic reconfiguration to maximize light and flow. A removed structural wall and half-meter rear extension opened the layout, while a central antechamber now serves as a welcoming space with a bar. Cave-like openings conceal sliding pocket doors, framing the rough-cast kitchen and dining area. The front living room offers a calm contrast with creamy white walls and oiled Douglas fir plywood floors.
The kitchen is a standout feature: a 4-meter stainless steel island, welded seamlessly with integrated hobs and sink, was craned through the living room window for installation. Nearby, a custom pantry blends IKEA components with Douglas Fir plywood stained in burnt orange linseed oil. Overhead timber trusses mimic growing tendrils, adding exaggerated organic gestures throughout the space.
Upper Levels and Garden Anchors
The upper floors continue the playful, material-forward approach. A staircase leads to a mezzanine featuring a freestanding bathtub tucked under the eaves, while a shower room showcases a green terrazzo wall with purposefully broken edges. Outside, a colossal menhir imported from Cornwall acts as a privacy device and elemental focal point, anchoring the garden and reinforcing the home’s sense of mystical enclosure.
