Maksu’s New London Boutique is a more Gradual Sequence of Volumes

The quieter Chelsea section of London’s King’s Road is increasingly popular with niche fashion houses doing much with its historical architecture. For recently established Madrid brand Maksu—cornering the market with its high-craft yet accessible approach—setting up an outpost in a classic Georgian-era terrace house on this stretch made sense. However, it didn’t mean the interior had to hold fast to the original 18th- to early-19th-century neoclassical style. Fellow Madrilenos practice Ciszak Dalmas Studio was called on to transform the two-level space as an enfilade of volumetric vignettes; discrete zones revealing themselves in sequence, not all at once.

Firm principals Alberto Gobbino Ciszak and Andrea Caruso Dalmas chose to reference the calm, meditative design characteristics of Turkey, Maksu founder Mehmet Aksu’s native land. “Every Maksu store is a reflection of our values: quiet, considered and deeply personal,” he said.

The sculptural staircase spiraling up from behind the entrance is perhaps the best example of this approach. Subtle in architectonic composition, the elegantly curvilinear statement piece is defined by a distinct yet restrained pattern of rectilinear cutaways, the nuanced ornamentation one uncovers throughout Istanbul; especially in its more intimate sacred spaces. Along with offset doorways, carefully placed concave alcoves, gentle shifts in material, and, of course, partition walls that help break up what would otherwise be a single void.

Custom furnishings distributed throughout—crafted by local carpenters—are mostly pared back but also subtly flourished. Large expanses of limewashed walls are punctuated by thin-profile, hammer-finished black iron racks and mirror frames. Inset display shelves are rendered in a California Burl veneer surface sourced from Italian heritage brand ALPI. The pistachio stucco enclosing the second-floor private shopping suite is a subtle deviation from the treatment downstairs. To accentuate the original beam ceilings on this level, uncovered during renovation, dark engineered oak flooring was added. In a similar surgical gesture, the fully glazed street-level facade was also restored.

Tying together all of the subtle variations in material and texture is the strategic deployment of off-set lighting. Emphasizing the boutique’s earthy yet sophisticated, primordial yet contemporary, weighted yet ethereal atmosphere are carefully placed Ambrosia pendants, a fixture designed by Ciszak Dalmas with Joan Gaspar for Barcelona luminaires brand Marset.

Unlike the imposing flash and hurried pace of so many retail spaces opening these days, Maksu and Ciszak Dalmas Studio’s intent with the outfit of this outpost is to have customers slow down a bit and reconnect with the elements that feel inherently familiar. It’s a better shopping experience.