Cosmo-Georgian Interiors, 2025

Location London

Client Somerset House Trust

Collaborators Adam Nathaniel-Furman

Build MCD Contractors, Jon Lloyd Workshop

Cosmo-Georgian is a term we coined for this project - short for Cosmopolitan Georgian – to describe the joyful dialogue we developed between the building’s Georgian Heritage and the vibrant, multicultural vivacity of contemporary London.

The commission involved the redecoration of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor common areas of the South & West wings, and hinges on a series of colour palettes that merge Georgian hues with tones from the Commonwealth and beyond that speak of the diverse cultures of the world that have enriched London over centuries. This approach addresses the evolution of Somerset House - from a site of empire into a dynamic centre for creative and cultural enterprise. The revitalised interiors now embody both respect for heritage and a warm embrace of contemporary pluralism.

To complement the fresh colour combinations, we introduced a series of bespoke joinery pieces, Superfurniture, which incorporate meeting pods, planters and shelving. These help soften the formality of the architecture, bringing moments of intimacy and domesticity to the previously institutional spaces. Ledges now hold low-maintenance plants, books and objects that animate the corridors, creating spaces that feel more lived-in, usable, and welcoming.

Somerset House, a Grade 1 listed building, provided a rich and complex backdrop, allowing Msoma Architects in collaboration with Atelier Adam Nathaniel Furman, to showcase their expertise working with heritage buildings. The result is an intervention that is both sensitive and future-focused. All photos by Matthew Blunderfield.