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Nefarious Interiors designer Adam Knight says a strict budget shaped the redesign of a four-storey Tufnell Park townhouse. The project prioritized the kitchen and entertaining spaces while limiting structural work, keeping existing furniture where possible and using sale fabric for curtains.
Designer Adam Knight of Nefarious Interiors says a limited budget shaped the redesign of a four-storey townhouse in Tufnell Park, north London, steering the project toward selective upgrades rather than extensive construction. In a Livingetc report, Knight described prioritizing the kitchen and entertaining areas while retaining much of the home’s existing furniture and avoiding structural work.
The finished home features bespoke joinery, a custom L-shaped kitchen island and a basement wet bar finished in burl wood. Knight said the appearance of a high-end project did not reflect an unrestricted budget: “For a house this size, there wasn’t as much money to play with as you might expect.” He said spending was concentrated on areas that mattered most to the owners, particularly the kitchen, while other rooms were approached cost-effectively.
According to the report, the team avoided structural changes and did not move electrical fittings. Existing sofas were reupholstered rather than replaced, and custom cushions were used to refresh the furniture at lower cost than buying a new couch. Knight also said curtain fabric was purchased on sale at Ian Mankin for £19 per meter; the report does not provide a total project budget or an overall savings figure.
The layout was shaped around a family that likes to host. Knight said the earlier kitchen island was a large rectangle that felt too big, so the replacement’s L-shape created more surface area for people to gather. A bench beside the dining table was selected instead of chairs along the window because it obstructed the view less and made it easier for children to get in and out. The design also includes a basement lounge, dining area and bar, alongside an upstairs living room adjoining a playroom.
Where the Renovation Budget Went
The project illustrates how choices about layout, reuse and spending priorities can shape a home without a full-scale rebuild. Here, the designer says keeping existing elements and avoiding structural and electrical changes left room to invest in selected features, including the kitchen island and the entertaining spaces. The report offers a case study, not a cost breakdown: it does not say how much the work cost or quantify the savings.
For readers planning a renovation, the distinction matters. The finished rooms may look custom-made, but the design account points to decisions that were selective rather than uniformly expensive: reupholster instead of replace, choose a sale fabric, and adapt the layout to how the family uses the house. Those choices are specific to this project; they do not establish what similar work would cost elsewhere.
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A Home Designed for Gathering
The owners’ preferences informed both the palette and the room planning. Knight described their references as strongly American, drawing on mid-century and Californian influences that he said could be given a British interpretation. The scheme uses olive greens and rich browns; one green was selected because it recalled a jacket worn by the owner’s father. Knight said green was used in rooms where the family expected to spend the most time.
Entertaining was another stated priority. In addition to the kitchen and basement bar, the design provides several seating areas and places the upstairs playroom near the formal living room so adults can use separate spaces while remaining close to the children. The report also describes a glass panel that separates a dressing area without blocking light, and a detail around a light switch used to accommodate its placement.
Knight founded London-based Nefarious Interiors in 2020 after previously designing restaurant interiors for the Corbin & King Group. Livingetc identifies him as part of the inaugural Next in Design cohort named in 2025 by its sister title, Homes & Gardens. These details provide background on the designer; the source does not connect them to the project’s budget.
“For a house this size, there wasn’t as much money to play with as you might expect.”
— Adam Knight, Nefarious Interiors
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The Project’s Total Cost Is Unreported
Livingetc does not state the renovation’s total budget, final cost or savings, and the source provides no itemized spending or timeline. Knight’s account describes the budget as limited but does not give a figure or say how it compared with an original estimate.
The report also does not identify the homeowners or specify whether the renovation involved other work beyond the design decisions described. Its account of affordability is based on the designer’s comments and selected examples, not an independent cost assessment. It is not possible from the published information to calculate how much retaining furniture or avoiding structural work reduced the bill.
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No Further Project Update Listed
The supplied Livingetc feature presents the home as a completed design project and does not announce a further construction phase, budget update or follow-up milestone. The source material provides no indication of additional work planned for the townhouse.
Unless Knight, the homeowners or Livingetc publish more details, the overall cost and full scope will remain unavailable. Readers can use the feature’s described choices as examples of this project’s approach, but the article does not provide enough figures to treat them as a general renovation-cost guide.
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Key Questions
Where is the townhouse?
It is a four-storey home in Tufnell Park, north London, according to Livingetc.
Who designed the renovation?
The project was designed by Adam Knight of Nefarious Interiors, who founded the London studio in 2020.
What choices helped control costs?
Knight said the team avoided structural work and moving electrical fittings, reupholstered existing sofas, used custom cushions instead of buying a new couch, and bought curtain fabric on sale. The report does not quantify the savings.
How much did the renovation cost?
The source does not report a total project cost or budget. It gives one specific price: the curtain fabric was bought for £19 per meter.
Why was the kitchen island changed to an L-shape?
Knight said the previous rectangular island was too large. He said the L-shaped replacement provided more surface area for people to gather around.
Source: rss
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