The design
To turn a small property, into a larger, more usuable home for a young family, we had to be inventive in the use of space. We did this by adding a small side extension, reconfiguring the staircase and opening up the kitchen to the living area by demolishing a load-bearing wall. Aside from providing additional area, we also reconfigured the floor levels to increase the ceiling heights across the ‘Ground Floor’. The ground floor is in fact, comprised of three staggered levels, creating views and interaction between different areas of the home - ie. the home-office opens up to living area, and the open-plan kitchen looks down unto the living/dining space below. We also added a flexible 3rd bedroom/home-office and ensuite bathroom.
This feeling of continuous space, rather than individual rooms, is enhanced by using similar materials throughout the various rooms of the home. We also wanted to fill the property with natural light – to create a calm, light interior in what was previously a very dark and claustrophobic property. We did this by adding new, larger timber windows to the front and side of the property, as well as the addition of a full-width roof-light over the stair – bringing more light into the centre of the house and to the kitchen at the rear.
We also specified mirrors in the kitchen and bathrooms. A high-level mirror in the kitchen, reflects the newly exposed ceiling joists, giving the illusion of continuous space beyond. In the downstairs WC and upstairs ensuite, mirrors make these rooms feel much larger and lighter.
It was important to add as much storage as possible, but to tie it in with the design. Bespoke storage was designed to be flush with existing wall finishes and provided under stairs, under the home-office/3rd bedroom, and under concrete worktops in the kitchen.
In addition the property was modernised with underfloor heating and insulated to meet Building Regulations.
Materials & Furnishings
We work with clients to select all materials, lighting and furniture. We specified a simplistic, yet modern and textured material palette, and combined this with modern Scandinavian furniture. Working with Richard and Rachel, we also wanted to reflect the adjacent market aesthetic from the neighbouring Broadway market – which is filled with contemporary and stylish bars and restaurants – and so included reclaimed and refurbished lights (from Blom & Blom), cast-in-situ concrete worktops to the kitchen and handmade textured floor tiles from Hackney-based Bert & May.
Other materials included bespoke plywood joinery, white-stained oak flooring, exposed white-painted brick and a grey plastered textured stair wall – as illustrated in the attached photographs.
