We designed and project managed the extension and refurbishment of this home in South East London, located in the Blackheath Conservation Area. Our scope also included planning, complete interior design, custom joinery design, and selecting key fixtures and fittings.
OPEN ACCESS
Originally, the only way to get to the property’s dining room was via a circuitous route through the compact and boxy kitchen. It was a space which felt even tighter due to the fact it only had one small window which didn’t offer much light. The dining room was also doubling up as a playroom and so the family that lives here desperately needed a space that flowed more intuitively, that was filled with more daylight in and that was flexible in its function.
NEW DIMENSIONS
To do this, we needed to push out in all directions, open things up, and create more interconnection; but also create flexibility and space for quiet moments and privacy. We removed a structural wall between the kitchen and what was to be a dining space to make an open plan extension. We also raised the roof line to give more height. Attached to this was what became the playroom-study space, which was also opened out and extended. This section’s exterior grey brickwork was left exposed adding contrast with the original structure. When we put in the decking, we raised it to meet the new sliding doors making the garden an integrated part of the dining space in warmer months.
A WINDOW ONTO THE WORLD
Almost the whole of the back of the property is opened out with picture windows bringing a sense of the outside in. The bulk of the frames is hidden in the walls with only a thin aluminium line visible around these expansive glass panes offering unencumbered views of the garden. The picture window in the playroom-study was strategically built with a deep nook-like seat surrounded by glass on three sides (including above so you can cloud-watch). A bed of interesting foliage and flowering plants was thoughtfully planted on the other side of the window. You can lean against the wall looking out from this promontory and feel part of a secluded and serene corner even if there’s activity going on in the rest of the garden. A curtain hangs across the recess so it can be closed off from the rest of the room for a moment of contemplation or once night falls.
The dining room has large sliding doors with a view into the garden that can be seen from the front door, offering a direct line of sight from the moment you come into the home. As always, this gives wonderful natural light but also an intriguing glimpse through to the back of the property that the previous configuration lacked. The curtain rail wraps around to the right of the window so the curtain can be tucked to the side allowing the glass doors to display the garden in all its glory throughout the seasons.
The kitchen window is also sliding and level with the counter, cleverly doubling as a hatch for barbecues or sundowners with friends.
LET THERE BE EVEN MORE LIGHT
Both the dining room and the playroom-study were given even more light by installing large-scale ceiling windows. We designed them so that the glass oversails the wall which means you don’t see the frames. LED lights also shine up into them illuminating them when it gets dark.
A light was built into the wall in the picture window seat, making it a cosy reading nook even when the days are shorter. A directional light attached to the wall in the playroom-study can be flipped for a more focused beam or a diffused light.
ALL JOINED UP
This job required a lot of bespoke joinery which provides a real sense of cohesion – the furniture becomes part of the architecture. The client already had some mid-century style pieces with the ply-edge exposed so we used this style predominantly in the playroom-study. From the extra long, cantilevered desk to the bookshelves and the toy drawers, we were able to provide unique in-built storage that makes this multi-tasking space feel clean and functional. The under-seat storage beneath the picture window kept its natural wood grain providing warmth. In the living room there is also a wall of shelves, drawers, and the TV is neatly hidden behind doors. We were able to create detailing specific to the space which is particularly satisfying design-wise.
The pocket door into the living room can slide but also open wide and fold into the bookshelf to the left. Sealing around the pocket door into the dining room helps to section off noise from the playroom-study and both interior walls are acoustically divided. There is a pocket door between the staircase in the hallway and the dining room as a fire regulation, but it also allows for the dining room to be screened off during dinner parties or entertaining. Sonos speaker points throughout connect the spaces up whether the doors are closed or open.
NO MORE KITCHEN BLUES
The kitchen is now unrecognisable – partly because it was a totally different space! The previous kitchen only really took up what is now the WC and the floor to ceiling kitchen cupboards. There’s a tea and coffee station behind the cupboard doors as well as a huge amount of storage meaning the kitchen space is uncluttered and flows around a central island. The island is covered in large, seamless concrete-effect porcelain tiles offering function but also a centre around which people can congregate while still being part of what’s going on in the dining room. Another focal point in the kitchen is to the right of the ovens where we created some decorative shelving. The Prussian blue encaustic tiles tie in with the blue Marmoleum floor which is hard-wearing and durable as well as providing colour. These blue accents extend into the dining room with the chairs and rug making everything feel unified and harmonious.
