Houzz Tour: A Period Home with a Clever Underground Extension
A family home is enlarged with an underground extension that cleverly links up with a restored coach house in the garden
Extending upwards or out into a garden is the usual route to adding more space to a property. However, in the case of this 19th-century home in a conservation area of Hampstead Heath, London, the solution required thinking outside the box and going underground.
“The client certainly had ideas about what they wanted the building to contain, but it was left to us to arrive at the layouts,” says David Snaith, co-founder and director of STAC Architecture, who was brought on board to modernise, restore and extend the house. “The key to unlocking the site was to remove the 1970s link building between the main house and the coach house and put this below ground. This doubled the size of the garden for their young children and created a new cinema space, extra bedroom and storage at basement level.”
“The client certainly had ideas about what they wanted the building to contain, but it was left to us to arrive at the layouts,” says David Snaith, co-founder and director of STAC Architecture, who was brought on board to modernise, restore and extend the house. “The key to unlocking the site was to remove the 1970s link building between the main house and the coach house and put this below ground. This doubled the size of the garden for their young children and created a new cinema space, extra bedroom and storage at basement level.”
The clients brought with them all the furniture they’d collected over the years.
“The vintage pieces are set off nicely against the crisp room,” says Snaith. “The owners also collect art and one of the client’s father is an avid painter who has had exhibitions in the past.”
All of the walls on the ground floor, apart from the kitchen, are painted in a warm, stony shade.
Walls painted in Skimming Stone, Farrow & Ball.
“The vintage pieces are set off nicely against the crisp room,” says Snaith. “The owners also collect art and one of the client’s father is an avid painter who has had exhibitions in the past.”
All of the walls on the ground floor, apart from the kitchen, are painted in a warm, stony shade.
Walls painted in Skimming Stone, Farrow & Ball.
The muted colours continue into the dining room where a large custom-made table from the Netherlands is surrounded by Fritz Hansen chairs.
“This room had been blocked off from the reception so we opened it back up again with bifolding doors,” explains Snaith. “We also removed all of the poorly executed alterations throughout the house, which were carried out in the 1970s, and reinstated much of the historic fabric, like the fireplaces and coving where the originals had gone.”
Honed limestone floors continue from the front reception through to the dining room and into the kitchen, linking the different spaces.
Pietra Laro Beige limestone flooring, Stone Age.
“This room had been blocked off from the reception so we opened it back up again with bifolding doors,” explains Snaith. “We also removed all of the poorly executed alterations throughout the house, which were carried out in the 1970s, and reinstated much of the historic fabric, like the fireplaces and coving where the originals had gone.”
Honed limestone floors continue from the front reception through to the dining room and into the kitchen, linking the different spaces.
Pietra Laro Beige limestone flooring, Stone Age.
A new glazed kitchen extension brings the house right up to date.
“Working in any conservation area is always a challenge,” says Snaith. “Local residents are often concerned if they feel you’re changing the local history of a site. In this instance we didn’t, and the rear kitchen extension is relatively modest and with the Crittall-style glazing, we feel it’s in keeping with the nature of the Victorian house.”
“Working in any conservation area is always a challenge,” says Snaith. “Local residents are often concerned if they feel you’re changing the local history of a site. In this instance we didn’t, and the rear kitchen extension is relatively modest and with the Crittall-style glazing, we feel it’s in keeping with the nature of the Victorian house.”
Crittall-style roof lights allow natural light to flood into the new kitchen space.
The kitchen is a classic design from Smallbone of Devizes, with pale coloured quartz worktops offset by a curvaceous timber butcher’s block at one end of the island.
Misty Carrera polished worktops, Caesarstone. Old School Electric pendant lights, Holloways of Ludlow.
The kitchen is a classic design from Smallbone of Devizes, with pale coloured quartz worktops offset by a curvaceous timber butcher’s block at one end of the island.
Misty Carrera polished worktops, Caesarstone. Old School Electric pendant lights, Holloways of Ludlow.
The classic Shaker-style kitchen is handpainted in Tarlatan from Paint & Paper Library.
The kitchen extension leads directly out to the garden.
“We wanted something that the planners would not object to (there is a vehicle access way along the side of the property, so it can be seen by the general public), but would look different to the rest of the house,” says Snaith. “Matching facing brickwork twinned with Crittall-style windows and roof lights fitted the ethos perfectly.”
“We wanted something that the planners would not object to (there is a vehicle access way along the side of the property, so it can be seen by the general public), but would look different to the rest of the house,” says Snaith. “Matching facing brickwork twinned with Crittall-style windows and roof lights fitted the ethos perfectly.”
At the opposite end of the garden is a two-storey coach house, linked to the main house through a new underground basement.
“The coach house at the rear of the garden was originally linked to the main house via a narrow, ground-floor extension built in the 1970s, and which took up half of the original garden,” says Snaith. “It was in a very poor state. The garage was there, but the rest was used for storage and the first-floor studio wasn’t used at all.
“We raised the roof so we could increase the floor-to-ceiling height at ground floor level and still fit in a fantastic room on the first floor.”
“The coach house at the rear of the garden was originally linked to the main house via a narrow, ground-floor extension built in the 1970s, and which took up half of the original garden,” says Snaith. “It was in a very poor state. The garage was there, but the rest was used for storage and the first-floor studio wasn’t used at all.
“We raised the roof so we could increase the floor-to-ceiling height at ground floor level and still fit in a fantastic room on the first floor.”
The coach house has been transformed with a state-of-the-art gymnasium on the top floor.
The gymnasium is connected to a Moroccan-themed steam and shower room on the ground floor by a bespoke metal spiral staircase.
“We wanted something that would marry the Victorian style of the original building to the Moroccan theme of the steam room area,” explains Snaith.
“We wanted something that would marry the Victorian style of the original building to the Moroccan theme of the steam room area,” explains Snaith.
In a palette of restful greys, handmade French tiles and polished brass shower fittings are offset with eye-catching Moroccan-inspired floor tiles.
“One of the owners is a textile designer and she brought some great design ideas to the table, such as the Moroccan-themed tiles in the steam room,” says Snaith. “Since we completed the project she’s started an interior design course, having enjoyed the experience so much.”
The steam room walls are coated in Tadelakt, a waterproof Moroccan plaster.
“We bought the seating online (it comes tiled) and then had the plaster company coat it in Tadelakt at the same time they did the walls,” says Snaith.
Soho shower fittings, The Water Monopoly. Tiles, Emery et Cie.
“One of the owners is a textile designer and she brought some great design ideas to the table, such as the Moroccan-themed tiles in the steam room,” says Snaith. “Since we completed the project she’s started an interior design course, having enjoyed the experience so much.”
The steam room walls are coated in Tadelakt, a waterproof Moroccan plaster.
“We bought the seating online (it comes tiled) and then had the plaster company coat it in Tadelakt at the same time they did the walls,” says Snaith.
Soho shower fittings, The Water Monopoly. Tiles, Emery et Cie.
Back in the main house, a new staircase leads down to the basement extension, which includes a living area, cinema, wine cellar and extensive storage spaces.
A built-in temperature-controlled wine cellar has been integrated into the basement.
The hi-tech home cinema room in the basement is a great place for the family to spend time together.
“There’s a ceiling projector mounted in a room behind the cinema, with a screen that drops down out of the ceiling when required,” says Snaith. “Or there’s a large-screen TV, which can show all of the movies stored on a hard drive.”
STAC Architecture designed the floating storage and multi-layered lighting scheme.
“The house has a full Lutron lighting system and speakers are present in all the rooms,” says Snaith. “The technology was designed and installed by a specialist.”
“There’s a ceiling projector mounted in a room behind the cinema, with a screen that drops down out of the ceiling when required,” says Snaith. “Or there’s a large-screen TV, which can show all of the movies stored on a hard drive.”
STAC Architecture designed the floating storage and multi-layered lighting scheme.
“The house has a full Lutron lighting system and speakers are present in all the rooms,” says Snaith. “The technology was designed and installed by a specialist.”
A wall of built-in storage runs along the underground extension and towards the staircase up to the coach house. It’s a great hub for storing all the essentials for a modern family with children.
“The basement extension was already an idea when we came to the project, but we redesigned it so it fitted in all of the clients’ requirements,” explains Snaith.
“We’ve carried out basement work before, but not as large as this as it took up much of the site plan,” adds Snaith. “It was all very straightforward, but it’s always daunting seeing an expensive four-storey house supported on steelwork while all the earth underneath it is removed.”
“The basement extension was already an idea when we came to the project, but we redesigned it so it fitted in all of the clients’ requirements,” explains Snaith.
“We’ve carried out basement work before, but not as large as this as it took up much of the site plan,” adds Snaith. “It was all very straightforward, but it’s always daunting seeing an expensive four-storey house supported on steelwork while all the earth underneath it is removed.”
The 19th-century, semi-detached house is located within the South Hill Park conservation area of Hampstead in London.
Where possible, the owners were keen to reinstate the original features of the property or add new ones where these had been removed.
“The stained glass front door panels are new and bespoke, and were designed in collaboration with the clients and a stained-glass specialist from Camden,” says Snaith.
Can’t tell coving from a cornice? See this handy guide to period features
“The stained glass front door panels are new and bespoke, and were designed in collaboration with the clients and a stained-glass specialist from Camden,” says Snaith.
Can’t tell coving from a cornice? See this handy guide to period features
The main entrance hall and first flight of the existing staircase were fully refurbished. The pretty stained glass cloakroom door was rescued after the builders had thrown it into the skip.
“The recessed lighting on the staircase goes all the way through the house,” says Snaith, “and is ample for finding your way up and down the house without switching on all the main lights. It’s a plastered-in fitting, which we find doesn’t visually stand out as much as a metal fitting with a large aperture.”
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“The recessed lighting on the staircase goes all the way through the house,” says Snaith, “and is ample for finding your way up and down the house without switching on all the main lights. It’s a plastered-in fitting, which we find doesn’t visually stand out as much as a metal fitting with a large aperture.”
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The first-floor reception room with vintage Bechstein piano is a comfortable space for family entertaining.
“It’s also a music room and a library, and the children play here,” says Snaith. “The shabby chic furniture works well against the crisp backdrop.”
Antiqued grey distressed oak strip flooring runs throughout the first floor.
“It’s also a music room and a library, and the children play here,” says Snaith. “The shabby chic furniture works well against the crisp backdrop.”
Antiqued grey distressed oak strip flooring runs throughout the first floor.
Artwork and silk curtains in the first-floor reception room add to the feeling of elegance.
The sofa bed is a contemporary take on the classic Chesterfield.
40 Winks sofa bed, Heal’s.
The sofa bed is a contemporary take on the classic Chesterfield.
40 Winks sofa bed, Heal’s.
The second floor was originally two bedrooms and a study, but this was opened up and converted into a main bedroom suite, with a bespoke dressing area and luxury bathroom. The bathroom contains a stunning slipper copper bath and marble walk-in shower.
“The mix of contemporary materials and classic pieces was carried on throughout the house,” says Snaith. “It helped to achieve the clients’ wish to maintain as much of the original Victorian detailing as possible. This was certainly a challenge when we were incorporating air conditioning in all of the bedrooms together with a fully programmable lighting system.”
Babylon bath with copper patina, Fired Earth.
“The mix of contemporary materials and classic pieces was carried on throughout the house,” says Snaith. “It helped to achieve the clients’ wish to maintain as much of the original Victorian detailing as possible. This was certainly a challenge when we were incorporating air conditioning in all of the bedrooms together with a fully programmable lighting system.”
Babylon bath with copper patina, Fired Earth.
The third floor includes two girls’ bedrooms and a cosy book reading area at the top of the staircase, top-lit with Velux windows.
One of the children’s bedrooms features built-in joinery, providing ample storage space.
A second child’s bedroom features a quirky floating work desk.
With its pale palette, the en-suite bathroom to one of the children’s bedrooms has a clean, fresh feel.
What do you think of this large family home with underground extension? Share your thoughts in the Comments below – and please remember that you’re discussing someone’s home!
What do you think of this large family home with underground extension? Share your thoughts in the Comments below – and please remember that you’re discussing someone’s home!
Who lives here A professional couple with three young children
Location South Hill Park conservation area, Hampstead, London
Property Semi-detached 19th-century house
Size 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 WCs
Designer David Snaith, STAC Architecture
This beautiful 19th-century home, a stone’s throw from Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill in north London, was in need of thorough modernisation.
“The property is a three-storey house plus attic and basement,” explains Snaith. “The client was looking for an architect with the necessary experience of a full basement excavation, full house refurbishment, extensions and thoughtful interior design.”
The house was tired but retained some of its original features such as coving, plaster ceilings and fireplaces though most needed to be reinstated with new ones.
“We reinstated the fireplace in the ground floor reception along with the shutters and shutter boxes which had been completely removed,” says Snaith. “We also designed the window seat.”