Katharine Le Hardy by Rachael Smith

Katherine Le Hardy
Photographs Rachael Smith
Words Alix Bateman

Katherine Le Hardy, a contemporary artist, and partner Guy Phillips, a financier, bought this 1930’s terraced home in South London in 2012. With the arrival of their two children Theo (2) and Alice (4 months), Katherine and Guy, to accommodate their expanding family, embarked on a programme of renovation work that included both a kitchen and loft extension, replacing a bathroom and adding a separate cloakroom.
As an artist with a strong following, Katherine’s large bold artworks proved useful in the negotiation process with builders and other workmen, trading paintings for discounts on many occasions. Her network of artist friends from the nearby studios in which she works was crucial in the process of decorating the home. Katherine swapped her works with those of other artists, lining the walls of their Wandsworth home to create a gallery aesthetic.