Architect Soledad Vaeza reflects on the grounding ability of architecture and the transformation of her quintessential mews home.
Having lived in several countries, when it came to settling in London with her growing family, Argentinian architect Soledad Vaeza didn’t want to feel like she was anywhere else in the world. “Architecture is one of the best ways to connect with a culture and understand it better,” she reasons. And for Soledad, nothing says London more, architecturally speaking, than a mews.
Traditionally pockets of peace tucked discretely in the shadow of showier residences, they possess a unique kind of charm – and her home, recently sold by Domus Nova, is textbook mews. If the exterior of Fulton Mews leans into the classic, cobbled, cottage-esque aesthetic though, the interiors are timeless, unfussy and configured for family life.
“It’s not your average mews,” Soledad admits. Untouched for 60 years, she built it back from the foundations, giving every floor a distinct function and sense of balance. “I have a problem with homes that are just one big room because it’s impossible to cater for every member of a family when you just have the one space for them all to live in.”
Accordingly, communal spaces sit alongside quieter areas to retreat to, do homework or watch TV –like the snug off the main reception room, which is the children’s domain. “I tried to be practical and create a home that could cater for any family. Something with lots of light that can be properly lived in,” she says.
“The most important consideration was to create somewhere that could function. I didn’t want just a showstopper house – somewhere that would be uncomfortable to live in”
Proportions deviate from the typically compact, too. Formerly a carriage mews rather than a stable, ceilings throughout are high, and natural light abundant. A chain of wall-to-wall windows illuminates the second floor, while every level has a connection to the outside. A trio of terraces – including the standout roof terrace – extend the footprint further, and the connection to the mews beyond. “We call it the communal garden,” smiles Soledad. “We can say hello to all of our neighbours from up here.” An adjoining indoor living space, equipped with a kitchenette and room to accommodate a table, makes it a natural congregation point.
“The most important consideration was to create somewhere that could function. I didn’t want just a showstopper house – somewhere that would be uncomfortable to live in. Every room had to be somewhere you want to be in.”
“We always say that this is a happy house. It’s a house that has catered very lovingly to all my friends and family”
Calling on her friends in the industry to source local, natural materials – variations of stone and wood – these guide the palette throughout and align with Soledad’s “more artisanal the better” approach. Any nods to the past feel rooted in the present. The green square tiles in the entrance hall elegantly echo the cobbles outside while muted colours and robust finishes – English wood, Italian marble and custom-made joinery – reflect the home’s once utilitarian nature.
The resulting backdrop is relatively simple but considered, instilling a calming feel that’s in sync with its setting. Walking under the white arch of Fulton Mews and crossing its cobbles, all outside noise turns down a notch adding to the feeling of ease. “We always say this is a happy house. It’s a house that has catered very lovingly to all my friends and family, and the fact that I can always bring the outside in gives me so much peace.”
For all its connective potential though, Soledad doesn’t necessarily think of architecture solely in the context of place. For her, it’s as much about the experience of moving through a home as it is about location. “It’s a journey,” she elaborates. “From the moment you arrive, to how the space greets you, to how it expands to something bigger and contracts to little nooks. It’s about having these areas where you feel contained and places where you feel more open.”
Whether in Bayswater, Buenos Aires or Mexico City – some of Soledad’s other former stomping grounds – there’s no such thing as the perfect house, she concludes knowingly. “But you have to have elements that bring you joy,” she adds. “Then, when you step inside you can breathe a sigh of relief.”
Fulton Mews was sold by Domus Nova in the summer of 2025. Explore our other mews homes for sale.
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