Fusing design and delivery: the soulful interiors of Own London

Peter Martin

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Own London is a new breed of property company that integrates interior design, architecture and construction. The company’s founder, Alex Labridis, explains the myriad advantages of fusing creativity and execution.

There’s a vividness to the brace of west-London townhouses recently completed by Own London that brings out the colour of a city not famed for its sunshine. The properties have been curated with such verve, layered with such considered materiality, that it is somewhat surprising to discover the studio behind them is a full-service agency specialising as much in construction and architecture as in interior design.

“It’s a more efficient way of working,” explains Own London’s founder, Alex Labridis. “Traditionally, a client would go to an interior designer to design the project. Once they’ve paid the designer, the client will then have it priced, and realise it’s double their budget. So they have to return to the designer and pay them to redesign it. And then the contractor says they can’t build it,” says Labridis. “We streamline this whole process so it’s all considered under one umbrella.”

A stylish living room featuring a blue wall, an orange velvet sofa with patterned cushions, a glass coffee table, a geometric ceiling design, and a modern floor lamp.
A modern kitchen featuring an island with a marble top, wooden stools, dark cabinetry, and decorative lighting under an archway.
Own London’s West London Home project demonstrates their deft use of colour, texture and materials (Photos: Dan Hearne)

This holistic way of working means that as soon as a client’s brief has been developed, the architect, designers and construction team can sit around a table and examine the challenges from every angle before any part of the work begins. “Those teams all have a different viewpoint,” says Labridis. “The important thing is for them all to be aligned. A collaborative team provides a much better outcome than an individual effort.”

“The architect, designers and construction team can sit around a table… A collaborative team provides a much better outcome than an individual effort.”

Alex Labridis, Founder of Own London

Labridis talks often about outcomes and delivery, and what he means by this is the fulfilment of his company’s mission: to enrich the lives of the individuals who occupy their properties.

A bright and stylish living room featuring a curved teal sofa, a white striped couch, a decorative coffee table, and various colorful cushions. The room has large windows allowing natural light, a decorative wall art piece, and a cozy armchair.
Own London’s Kensington Townhouse project (Photo: Darren Chung for One Menagerie)

“It’s very important for us to understand how our clients like to live, what they enjoy doing, and what matters to them – and then to analyse this and incorporate it into our design,” says Labridis. “It’s not enough to just look aesthetically great – the design has to address day-to-day living. There are plenty of projects that look amazing, but when you start using the spaces, they just don’t work. Personalising them to the individuals is key.”

It’s clear, when looking at any of Own London’s projects, that personality is as central to them as it would be to a single-discipline interior design studio. Yet Labridis’s background is at the opposite end of the spectrum, having worked on major civil engineering and infrastructure projects such as the London 2012 Olympic Park and the World in Dubai. 

For Labridis, the legacy of having worked at this scale was to gain a deep understanding of managing delivery. “It’s about how to break the project down,” he explains. “What are the key parts of a project, how you put them together, and how you then have processes in place, and how people are needed in different positions to bring a project to life. Whether it’s a smaller or a bigger project, those principles apply, and I think that’s been very useful.”

Stylish modern bathroom featuring a wooden vanity with a white marble countertop, large mirrors, decorative wall sconces, and marble wall tiles in shades of pink and black.
Bathroom at Own London’s West London Home project (Photos: Dean Hearne)

While Own London’s projects range from hospitality and commercial to overseas projects (where the UK’s advanced design expertise and understanding of balancing contemporary and heritage are highly valued), they are particularly known for creating family homes in prime central London – such as their West London Home project.

Read: Inside The Astor – a historic £35m London penthouse by Goddard Littlefair

“We were approached by a young couple who had just bought a house, and had seen a nearby project we had done that they loved,” says Labridis. “We started looking at planning permission, and came up with a scheme that was very attractive to them and would add significant square footage to the property.”

A modern bathroom featuring a dark stone sink with gold faucets, surrounded by beautiful stained glass windows and a decorative wall sconce.
Elegant staircase with wooden handrail and black balusters, featuring a light-colored wall and wooden flooring.
A well-lit hallway with a dark, ornate door featuring stained glass windows, a white console table with sunflowers, and an art piece on the wall.
Architectural detailing and a blend of period features and contemporary pieces at Own London’s West London Home project (Photos: Dean Hearne)

The project involved a new top floor and rear extension, blending historic architectural elements with contemporary additions while addressing the lifestyle needs of the clients. For example, the couple wanted a beautiful home office and a home gym that would feel more like an exclusive health club. “Working from home is a fairly new requirement for residential living,” says Labridis. “We want to go to those spaces and feel that we’re not necessarily at home. It’s about creating a balance.”

“Working from home is a fairly new requirement for residential living. We want to go to those spaces and feel that we’re not necessarily at home.”

Alex Labridis

The team positioned these rooms on the upper floor, integrating a home office, gym and dedicated bathroom, so that exercise equipment and gym clothes could all remain with a zone.

Own London’s Kensington Townhouse project was also created for a family with specific requirements. “The clients had two children, similar in age, who needed to be able to interact with each other. They were planning for a third child, and they also needed spaces for entertaining, and those for day-to-day living,” says Labridis.

Interior view of a stylish bathroom with mint green walls, featuring a view into a larger area with a bathtub and modern shelving displaying various handbags. A decorative lamp hangs above a curved, mint green dresser with a vase of flowers and a pair of shoes on top, complemented by a patterned rug on the floor.
A stylish home bar with wooden cabinetry and a variety of spirits displayed on glass shelves, featuring a golden-toned countertop and decorative elements.
A stylish green upholstered armchair with a striped base next to a wooden side table holding a vase of tulips, under a decorative green lamp, against patterned curtains.
Dressing room, brass and tropical wood home bar and living room at Own London’s Kensington Townhouse project (Photos: Darren Chung for One Menagerie)

Fitting each of these separate needs – including a Jacuzzi accessible from the master suite – within the restrictions of a London townhouse was not without challenges, but as a full-service company, they were much easier to plan for and overcome. “We created a roof terrace with a private space that incorporated the Jacuzzi, with direct access from the master suite,” says Labridis. “The suite itself had a dressing room, coffee bar and a large bathroom.”

The floor below had relatively tight floorspace, so Own London combined the children’s rooms, giving them much more living space while allowing each to be separated by sliding doors. In the entertaining space downstairs, everyday items such as televisions and coats were hidden behind tapestries and panelling. A self-sufficient guest studio was created, as well as a home office in the garden. “We managed to really work the spaces to get them to provide what the client wanted,” Labridis says.

A cozy outdoor seating area featuring a sectional sofa with various patterned cushions, a round coffee table, and decorative plants on a patterned stone floor.
Own London maximised the Kensington townhouse’s small city garden, fully integrating it with the inside space (Photos: Darren Chung for One Menagerie)

It’s now a decade since Labridis founded Own London, and with a portfolio of more than 30 projects in central London, his company has carved out an enviable space in the property market. And it’s one that’s set to grow: current plans include projects in the United States and Europe, while in the UK, Own London is adding a development arm to its offering. “We’ll buy land and properties where we can design and execute as we feel best,” says Labridis, clearly relishing the prospect of complete creative freedom. 

“It will be a product quite different to anything currently out there.”

All images courtesy of Own London