I’m Rosie
I’m a RIBA‑chartered architect based in London, specialising in transforming historic houses into calm, characterful, and uniquely personal homes.
I work directly with discerning homeowners ready to reshape their lives - for a growing family, a relocation, or the realisation of a long-held creative dream. Whether adapting a London townhouse or reimagining a Georgian country manor, I eschew pastiche to create refined contemporary designs that honour a building’s past. My complete architecture and interior architecture service shapes spaces and layouts that beautifully support the way you want to live today.
Taking on a limited number of projects each year, allows space for careful thinking, close collaboration, and a high level of care throughout the process. The projects best suited to this approach involve significant alteration or extensions, where there is both the scope and resources to do things properly.
Your Story… beautifully built.
Heritage homes have great bones and fascinating quirks, but they can also feel dark, cramped, or disconnected. Chaotic even, if they aren’t supporting your lifestyle. You know that something needs to change and you really care about getting it right. But planning restrictions can feel daunting, budgets uncertain, and it’s hard to see a clear path forward and imagine what could be.
I can help
I bring 20 years of experience to help homeowners unlock the hidden potential of their historic houses.
Every project I take on is a personal collaboration between us: My role is part architect, part curator. I listen closely, distil what matters, and weave together architectural heritage with your story and lifestyle. I navigate conservation complexities with calm authority to create homes that are generous, authentic, and beautifully functional, crafted to last.
Home as a refuge
Your home should be a refuge from the demands of the world. Together we will create:
Space to cook, gather and live generously
Warmth, comfort and a sense of ease throughout
Beautifully integrated storage to restore calm and order
Light filled layouts that flow naturally
A strong relationship between house and its surrounding landscape
Materials chosen for longevity, tactility and crafted luxury
Thoughtful details that feel timeless
I believe that when a design feels inevitable, we have succeeded.
Testimonials
My clients will always say it better. Explore my portfolio of built projects here.
“The beautiful photographs really highlight the wonderful job you and the building team did, the attention to detail, the craftsmanship, the very beautiful melding of the old and new.”
In her own words.
Nina Leeming, Hillside client in conversation with Country Living Magazine.
Expertise and Experience
Rosie C McLaren - BArch DipARCH ARB RIBA
I bring 20 years of high-end heritage residential experience to every project. I trained at Chris Dyson Architects, SODA , Takero Shimazaki Architects and Tasou Associates, grounding my practice in conservation principles and high-end, luxury living.
Formative projects include the RIBA award winning Leicester Print Workshop, Soho House at 76 Dean Street and Venice Takeaway for the 2012 British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. I have also led the restoration and transformation of numerous listed buildings.
My work has been featured in Country Living, Livingetc and the architectural press - recognised for its clarity, creativity, and contextual sensitivity.
Continuity and Care
Growing up near Wightwick Manor, a landmark Arts and Crafts property and within a Huguenot family of artists, set painters and clockmakers, I developed a lifelong love of craftsmanship and appreciation for the patina of time.
Weekends spent helping my mother hang wallpaper and polish silver, or seeing her meticulously take care of her original timber windows taught me the quiet power of care and attention to detail - values that guide every design decision I make.
Now, as a mother of three and one of five siblings, I bring a lived understanding of how essential good design is to everyday life.
I believe you deserve a home that feels beautifully calm, intuitive and functions effortlessly.
A Personalised Service
Based in London, I work across the South East and on selected UK commissions, helping with town and country homes alike.
Taking on a limited number of projects each year, I personally lead every stage from first sketch to delivery. Supported by a trusted network of professionals and craftsmen who share my values, I navigate planning, conservation, design, and construction with confidence.
I also create fully integrated interiors, using considered materials and bespoke joinery to keep your home clutter-free. Not just beautifully designed spaces, but a homes that truly work for your life.
Download the Client Investment Guide above to find out more.
Beyond Architecture
While every project is uniquely suited to its context, my work is distinguished by a strong sense of order and composition. My style is shaped by a passion for fine art printmaking, expressed through rhythm, texture, and an appreciation of negative space, light and shade. I create bespoke screen prints on fabric and paper, often inspired by my architectural projects.
Alongside my practice, I run educational design workshops for children, including collaborations with Sir John Soane’s Museum. Helping inspire the next generation of designers and design-literate clients.
When not working, you’ll find me cup of tea in hand, reading, listening to classical music, or dancing in the kitchen with my children.
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Choosing an architect is an important decision. You should feel heard, supported, and confident that we understand one another.
Working with me is best suited to clients making a serious, long-term investment in their home. Projects often involve significant change, planning complexity, and careful coordination through design and construction.
My clients value good design, clear thinking, craftsmanship, and a considered, collaborative process over quick answers or off-the-shelf solutions. They are drawn to buildings with character and understand that with this comes complexity. They recognise that good outcomes take time, need to be resourced properly and will benefit from a close, thoughtful collaboration.
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I help clients invest wisely from the outset. The process begins by understanding how you want to live, not just how your building looks, and shaping every design decision around that.
My approach assumes a level of investment that allows for considered design, expert consultants, and carefully crafted construction, rather than superficial upgrades.
Good value comes from clarity and following a structured approach. Every design stage is checked against your budget, working with a Quantity Surveyor or trusted builder where needed. I draw on experience and industry knowledge to plan and manage the works, minimising the risk of redesigns, planning issues, or costly surprises.
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I work collaboratively, but I take responsibility for managing the complexity of the process. Clients are most involved at key decision points, where their instincts are essential, rather than in the day-to-day detail.
My role is to guide decisions clearly, gradually allowing the design to solidify. I filter out options and explain implications, so the process remains focused and manageable. As projects of this nature involve careful deliberation and investment over time, this allows clients to stay engaged without the project becoming overwhelming or intrusive.
Lets Talk
I take on a limited number of projects each year so I can personally lead every stage. This is how I ensure working with me feels calm, purposeful, and well held. How I ensure decisions align with your priorities from the first conversation through to the finished home.
If you’re considering extending, restoring, or reimagining a historic home and want an architect to personally and gently guide you through the process, let’s talk.
Get in touch via the contact page or please click the link above to schedule a discovery call.
