Pimlico-based Studio Braw was founded in 2018 by partners in life and work Matt Simpson and Louise McGarry. Both have Scottish roots, and met as students at Lancaster University, where McGarry studied English Literature and Simpson did Business Studies. ‘Although our degrees were in different disciplines, both inform our work today – my background has fostered a strong sense of storytelling, and Matt’s provided a commercial and strategic perspective,’ explains McGarry, who leads the studio’s design direction, while Simpson oversees construction.
The couple’s collaboration evolved naturally from their passion for property development – they renovated several London homes together, moving five times in a decade and treating each project as a learning opportunity. Today, they focus on high-end residential design, and believe that no two schemes should feel the same.
As a result, Studio Braw has no fixed aesthetic: its USP is bespoke details, which are crafted by hand in its in-house Kent workshop. Custom joinery, kitchens and other individually designed pieces are a regular feature of its homes.
‘We believe that the bones of a building should be preserved as closely as possible to their original character,’ says Simpson, ‘and we aim for the materiality of a design to respond to its environment.’
What are their recent projects? The renovation of a six-bedroom villa in Saint-Tropez was a dream brief for the pair, both in terms of scale and location. ‘Our approach was to retain the regional charm of the exterior and curate the interior with a collection of antique pieces – mostly locally sourced,’ says McGarry. ‘We wanted the space to feel like an art gallery, so we used limestone floors and painted the walls off-white to serve as the perfect backdrop to our pieces.’
The couple also devised the interiors of a Grade II-listed Chelsea townhouse, which required a sensitive approach in order to balance heritage with ‘all the bells and whistles you would expect in a modern home’.
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What are they currently working on? A mews house in west London is being arranged primarily as a lateral space, with vaulted ceilings reaching up to five and a half metres. ‘It’s as exciting as it is challenging – the architecture offers real impact and volume but, as a residential home, it also has to feel warm, welcoming and comfortable,’ says Simpson. He and McGarry are also putting the finishing touches to their own new home in Pimlico. ‘It’s at the end of a row of traditional townhouses – it used to be a shop, so it had large front windows, which we’ve replaced,’ explains McGarry. ‘The internal layout is slightly different to a typical townhouse, being wide rather than deep. We’ve made lots of bold design decisions – for example, the kitchen is fully clad in wood, including the floor and walls.’
They say: ‘When working with clients, we take time to really understand their personalities, how they live day to day and how they intend to use their space. As a result, our projects vary quite widely, as each one is shaped by individual needs.’ studiobraw.co.uk
Expert advice
Studio Braw on how to elevate a space with custom details
Bespoke joinery should feel like an extension of your furniture, as opposed to something plonked in at the last minute. Since the pandemic, people have become a lot more invested in their home studies, which double as sanctuaries. We’ve designed several ‘cloffices’ – a mixture of dressing room and office – for clients from the US, where this is more of a norm.
Be creative with designs for media storage. Rather than just fixing a TV to a wall, we build bespoke joinery walls that incorporate space for a screen, books, accessories and so on. This approach makes more of a living space, and takes the focus away from the television.
Refine the balance between design and functionality. In kitchens, we aim to eliminate dead corners, inaccessible top shelves and any other wasted areas, maximising usable space through a combination of drawers and integrated storage. We often incorporate wine racks and slide-and-hide pantries, alongside discreet housing for everyday appliances. Everything is designed to keep spaces calm and uncluttered.
Introduce unexpected elements, such as concealed utility or boot rooms. These allow you to separate the ‘workhorse’ areas of the home, so washing machines, refrigerators and additional storage can be housed away from the kitchen. This creates a clearer distinction between practical and social spaces, while adding an element of discovery.
