The Thin White Duke,
London Soho

The Brief

One our all time favourite projects, a beautiful space built on good music, good food, and good company! This two floored former radio station dripping in musical history is now completely unrecognisable. We stripped the building back and reworked it from the ground up. An eclectic mix of bare facing concrete, exquisite brass finishes, beautiful stain glass windows and colourful bespoke murals, this building now houses a members only studio space in the basement and the ground floor which is now a restaurant & live music venue. As well a bold design, we paid meticulous attention to the commercial aspects, such as adding additional storage to bespoke brass gantry above the bar and a cicchetti display to showcase some of the mouth-watering food (which is visible to passers by outside). A perfect blend of form and function.

“Hiring Brooke was the best decision we made”

She was instrumental in every step of the planning and construction process from beginning to end. Three years on, we still rely on her for drawings and advice on anything to do with build outs and interiors and can't imagine using anyone else in the future. Brooke is very clever, resourceful, tasteful, reliable, responsive, honest and intelligent. When we could not attend our weekly site meetings, she attended in our place and we had no doubt that whatever decisions she made were the right ones. I could not recommend her enough.”

Giovanni Almonte, Director
The Thin White Duke Bar & Recording Studio

Interior of a cozy bar with wooden bar counter, teal bar stools with gold frames, exposed brick wall, ornate metal ceiling, and warm lighting.

Indoor music studio with two guitars, a speaker, a drum pad, and artwork on the walls.

Close-up of a stained glass window featuring a woman with a contemplative expression, blonde hair, and a halo-like yellow background.

A cozy bar with a dark wood counter, green bar stools, a brick wall in the background, hanging glassware, and a chandelier, with a neon 'On Air' sign and an 'ON AIR' sign.

An altar with religious statues, a framed painting, a photo, and several lit white candles in a dimly lit room.

Close-up of a vintage teal espresso machine with a round pressure gauge, a toggle switch, and a few utensils on top.

A man wearing headphones working on music production at a desk with a large screen, in a room with dark wallpaper, lit by candles and a tall light, behind a stained glass window depicting a religious scene.

A wall with a white illuminated sign reading "ON AIR" next to a large black speaker and a ceiling light fixture with warm soft light.

Decorative display with a small duckling stuffed animal inside a glass dome, two tall white candles lit, and a colorful stained glass background.

Close-up of a bathroom sink with a gold faucet, teal towels on a marble countertop, and a vibrant, colorful mural wallpaper with various mythical and fantastical creatures and scenes.

A woman bartending at a dimly lit bar with various glassware and cocktails on the counter, preparing a drink.

A bar with dark wood counters, green bar stools, a brick wall, hanging glasses, and warm lighting, including a chandelier and a neon 'On Air' sign.

Musical setup with two guitars, a speaker, and a music production device inside a room with colorful Asian-style wall art.

An altar with religious statues and candles, with a painting of the Pieta in the background and ornate wallpaper.

Close-up of a vintage blue espresso machine with a pressure gauge, on a countertop with coffee accessories on top.

A lit sign reading 'ON AIR' on a wall in a dimly lit room, with a hanging lamp and a speaker above it.

Decorative scene with lit candles and a preserved chick in a glass dome on a wooden surface, with a stained glass window background.

A bathroom with colorful wall mural featuring fantasy and jungle scenes, a white sink with gold faucet, a marble countertop, and a mirror reflecting part of the mural.

An ornate ceiling with intricate gold detailing and a large, glowing chandelier hanging from the center.

A person wearing headphones working on digital music production at a desk in front of a colorful stained glass window depicting a religious scene.

Religious altar with statues of Mary and Jesus, lit with candles, decorated with patterned wallpaper.

Assorted sandwiches, cheese, grapes, and meats displayed on plates inside a glass as covered food display.

Various glasses of colorful cocktails on a bar counter with a blurred background.

Three people sitting at a bar counter in a cozy, dimly lit bar with a rough, textured wall. One woman with blonde hair is talking, others are listening; two glasses of pink cocktails are on the counter.

A person walking down a staircase in front of a large mural of a roaring tiger with yellow eyes, black stripes, and open mouth showings teeth and tongue, with floral decorations around.

A wine glass rack with upside-down wine glasses hanging underneath on a gold metal shelf in a warmly lit room.

A person playing a red electronic keyboard with a glass of whiskey on top, in front of a colorful, patterned wall.

Close-up of hands using a vintage synthesizer with gold knobs and drum pads, on a dark wooden table, with a glass of amber liquid nearby.

A man singing into a recording microphone with a stained glass religious scene in the background.

Line drawing of a three-story building with large windows and decorative elements on the facade, including plants on the balcony and intricate door details.

Design Challenges & Solutions

With a compact footprint, the project called for creative thinking to achieve the founders’ vision, a space that could serve dim sum, cocktails, and transform into an event venue for hosting musicians and events throughout the building.

This flexibility was central to our design approach. During the process, we uncovered a blocked-up secondary doorway and repurposed it as an entry point, freeing up the original door location to become a larger window with additional seating.

We also reconfigured the bar location to create a clear sightline through the property, enhancing flow and functionality. To maximise adaptability, we designed bespoke Murphy-style tables that fold neatly away, opening up the floor for performances and events.

“One word: Incredible. My partner and I worked with Brooke to completely re-design our Chelsea flat. Our project was a blank canvas and we worked with Brooke to redesign every aspect of our two bedroom, two bathroom, lower ground flat to create a highly functional & beautiful space. What comes to mind in writing this review is how she listened to what we wanted to achieve and continued to tweak the designs with us until we got exactly what we envisioned for our home. She was highly responsive during the project which is what you want in a designer and even more importantly, came with fresh and bold ideas. We would not hesitate to work with Brooke again (and we will)!”

Clint & Jeremy
“I can’t tell you how glad I am to have come across you and have your recommendation! Brooke has been leagues above anyone we’ve ever dealt with on this property (Including 2 experienced architects!) She came up with 4 great layout schemes to sort out all our issues, we were spoilt for choice! We’ve chosen one, but are ploughing ahead with the front of the property first as when we drew up a schedule of works, we realised we needed to solve some storage and access issues before we can let a builder loose on the real problem section of the house. So Brooke has now been instructed to deal with the whole house in 4 phases. She’s an absolute pleasure to deal with and hasn’t been phased in the slightest by the needs of family with neurodiverse children.”

The Evan’s Family
Three years on, we still rely on her for drawings and advice on anything to do with build outs and interiors and can't imagine using anyone else in the future.

Giovanni, The Thin White Duke Bar & Recording Studio
Soho, London