Fort Quesnard | The Elegant Social Library

Fort Quesnard is a Victorian fort built in 1852, surrounded on three sides by the sea. This room had scale and character, but it also had a difficult imbalance. The clients initially came to Carole for help with a bookcase wall, furniture and layout, but the deeper challenge was spatial: a large room with asymmetry built into it, a small turret area that needed to feel included, and an overall layout that lacked visual balance. What was needed was not simply more storage, but a stronger architectural response.

The solution was to use the room’s structure as the guide. Rather than treating the joinery as an add-on, the bespoke library wall was designed to work with the lines of the ceiling beams and to align with the Crittall glazed doors, making the whole room feel calmer and more coherent. The turret became a distinct secondary zone, later developed into a bar area, helping the room feel complete rather than compromised. Rich colour, reclaimed brick slips, steel and glass, carefully chosen antiques, jewel-toned upholstery and bold artwork brought warmth and personality, while still respecting the building’s origins and the clients’ wish for something sophisticated, comfortable and not remotely predictable.

Designed entirely remotely, the room now supports exactly how the clients wanted to live: reading, book club, music, after-dinner drinks and relaxed entertaining. It is a strong example of Carole’s ability to combine emotional insight with rigorous design thinking, shaping a room that not only looks beautiful, but feels balanced, inviting and easy to inhabit. As the client later said, Carole really listened, gently pushed her beyond her comfort zone, and created a result she was incredibly glad she trusted.