Carta Nova were honoured to be trusted with the transformation of an unloved three-bedroom maisonette flat in a north London Victorian terrace into a generous, happy home for a growing family.
We met Alissa and David at a pivotal moment in their lives and it was a privilege to help the couple realise their dream of a family home. During the period we worked together they got engaged, then married, and then found out they were going to be parents.
In addition to architectural and interior design, a major part of our role was to lighten their load while they planned a wedding and a family, at the same time as carrying out a major building project - three very stressful, but hopefully joyful, life events.
Alissa and David bought their mid-terrace Victorian first-floor maisonette flat with the intention of converting the loft at some point. Sensibly they knew this would be an affordable way to put down roots in a part of London they already considered home.
Although the flat came with approved planning for a loft conversion, by the time they came to the project, the approval had expired and there was a lot more work needed on the tired property. That’s where Carta Nova came in.
Initially, they asked us to gain planning approval for the loft and carry out simple improvements to the flat to better suit their lifestyle. However, their original vision for a spacious loft master suite running the width of the flat didn’t meet planning requirements. Working closely with Alissa and David, we created a more imaginative and - crucially - more flexible plan that met all of their needs.
“The experience of being present as the consulting architect while the work took place on-site was exciting for all of us. I gave them useful guides beforehand and I was available for them during the entire construction phase. We appointed trusted builders that I’ve worked with before, so I knew we could rely on their expertise and quality of work. The conversation between the contractor and clients was smooth and straightforward, and they felt confident knowing I was there if needed.
”
— Eva Vatzeva, Director, Carta Nova
We have created a light-filled, welcoming, adaptable home, replacing the cramped old layout of two bedrooms, one bathroom, box room, and small separate kitchen and living rooms. The new loft extension consists of two dormers connected seamlessly by an eaves skylight. The larger dormer is home to a bright master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom in the smaller dormer.
Downstairs, we re-planned and renovated every room to create a calm, intuitive layout that makes much more sense for a growing family. We removed the dividing wall between the kitchen and the old master bedroom to make a spacious open-plan kitchen and living area with windows to the east and west that flood it with daylight. The existing kitchen cabinets remained in place and we added a small island; the perfect spot for morning coffee, with extra practical storage.
The original living room is now a welcoming guest room with a dedicated home office corner. Designed specifically with Alissa’s visiting family in mind, soft colours and beautiful furniture make this space cosy and elegant; a place to snuggle up with your favourite book. To the rear, the smallest bedroom has been converted into a cosy nursery, painted warm yellow to reflect the morning sun.
The most unusual request was to lose the box room and turn it into an extension of the first-floor entrance hallway, which we could see would work well. Now accessed via a large arch, the family use this new space as a ‘mud room’. Knocking down the box room wall has filled both the ground and first-floor corridors with sunlight and a soft glowing welcome when you open the front door.
For Alissa and David the choice of internal finishes, wall colours and light fittings were important. Wherever they could they chose sustainable and economical options. Our biggest interior design decision was getting the flooring right. We selected light oak natural timber floors throughout the first floor to connect the rooms and provide a feeling of spaciousness. In the new loft and stairs we chose a soft beige natural wool carpet. The blended colours of the floor finishes connect the levels whilst delineating the different areas in the flat. The loft and windows are well insulated to keep heating costs as low as possible and, along with reusing the existing kitchen cabinets, all new furniture is timber - we managed to avoid plastic-based materials entirely. While their sustainability choices may not be groundbreaking, they are a thoughtful and realistic benchmark for a lot of families who find themselves renovating period properties on a similar budget.
“Eva combines the technical understanding of the planning process as an architect but also has the imagination and style to help you design and furnish the interior. She does all this with warmth; we needed an architect who believed in our project (plenty did not, it must be said) and who could answer any and all of our many questions, fears and hopes with good grace.”
— Alissa, homeowner
The result of Carta Nova’s work at Uplands Road is a beautiful home with calming interiors and great functionality, providing a welcoming interior in which to live, love, work and play.
