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Houzz Tour: An Edwardian Terraced House Gets an Elegant Revamp
Retaining the period features while adding an extension and modernising the décor has revived this beautiful family home
The owners of this redbrick Edwardian terraced house in Rathgar, Co Dublin, had sold their house and were renting the property next door when they realised their dream home was up for sale. Keen to retain as many of the original features as possible, the owners engaged Stefan Hoeckenreiner of Ambient Architecture to bring the house up to date while preserving the sense of history.
While the renovation and extension works appeared uncomplicated, designing and managing this project wasn’t always plain sailing. “Some things took longer than expected, such as relining the chimneys, which needed a specialist contractor,” Hoeckenreiner says. “Plus everything had to be carried through the front door, which slowed things down. It wasn’t a standard extension; everything needed to be in the right sequence and done in the right order.”
It took three large pieces of granite – cut to size and carefully carried through the front door – to cover the hallway floor. The couple visited a stone yard, where they fell in love with this pale-coloured granite, which is designed for exterior use but looks perfect in their generous-sized hallway. Painting the walls in a dark shade has helped to add contrast to the pale flooring and white-painted panelling.
Granite flooring, Marble and Granite. Walls painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
It took three large pieces of granite – cut to size and carefully carried through the front door – to cover the hallway floor. The couple visited a stone yard, where they fell in love with this pale-coloured granite, which is designed for exterior use but looks perfect in their generous-sized hallway. Painting the walls in a dark shade has helped to add contrast to the pale flooring and white-painted panelling.
Granite flooring, Marble and Granite. Walls painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
Details such as the intricate cornicing in the living room and the ornate panelling in the hallway, which was added during the restoration, sit comfortably with the elegant sofa and large piece of contemporary art. “I like the combination of old and new, but sometimes you need to leave the old as it is,” says Hoeckenreiner.
Chic additions, such as the neat Ercol sofa and a marble and brass coffee table, ensure the living space feels bright and contemporary. The trench heating is provided by floor vents, a clever idea the couple spotted on a trip to Holland that’s unobtrusive and also very efficient.
Ercol sofa, Nest. Walls painted in Great White, Farrow & Ball.
Ercol sofa, Nest. Walls painted in Great White, Farrow & Ball.
Limewashed, extra-wide Douglas fir floorboards running between the living room and TV den help to open up the connecting rooms, but also increase the feeling of light and space.
Although they are big fans of period features and properties, the owners wanted the redesign of their three-storey home to feel contemporary. The rooms are consequently lightly furnished with modern pieces.
Tweed cushions and herringbone woollen throws lend a cosy touch to the TV room, which leads to the new kitchen extension, while the floor lamp adds a bold splash of colour.
Rug, RugArt. Muno orange lamp, Brown Thomas.
Tweed cushions and herringbone woollen throws lend a cosy touch to the TV room, which leads to the new kitchen extension, while the floor lamp adds a bold splash of colour.
Rug, RugArt. Muno orange lamp, Brown Thomas.
The original kitchen was a tiny galley with a flat-roofed extension tacked on the end. The new light and airy kitchen-diner opens out to the garden via bifold doors, while roof lights flood the space with even more light. The funky Finnish dining chairs add a refreshing blast of colour.
Solarlux folding doors, DK Windows & Doors. Dining chairs, Piiroinen.
Solarlux folding doors, DK Windows & Doors. Dining chairs, Piiroinen.
Hoeckenreiner was keen to ensure there was a seamless flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces. “We wanted to create a bright kitchen and dining space with lots of natural light,” he says. “It was important the full width [of the back wall] was glazed so the garden became part of the kitchen-diner.”
The owners decided against a bulky kitchen island and instead plumped for a pair of industrial-style kitchen workshop benches. The expanse of floor area beneath the benches increases the feeling of space, while a generous amount of worktop area helps to keep the kitchen feeling open and uncluttered.
B2 worktop benches, Bulthaup.
B2 worktop benches, Bulthaup.
A large bank of grey matt lacquered and handleless units has been designed to blend into the background, while white hexagonal tiles and a quartz worktop help to create a design that feels bang up to date.
Matt grey lacquered Leicht units, McNally Kitchens.
Make the most of your kitchen space with these quick fixes
Matt grey lacquered Leicht units, McNally Kitchens.
Make the most of your kitchen space with these quick fixes
For the flooring, the owners chose a thin layer of polished and sealed concrete, recommended by Hoeckenreiner as it offers a guaranteed colour, plus the thin layer means the underfloor heating works to its best advantage. “With a thick layer of concrete, the underfloor heating would be unresponsive, heating up and cooling down too slowly, which wouldn’t suit a busy family home,” he says.
Polished concrete flooring, Smet.
Polished concrete flooring, Smet.
A new staircase leading down from the living space links the old and new areas of the house. The kitchen is Hoeckenreiner’s favourite part of the redesign. “I like that we were able to introduce more light into the dining space, but also the shape of the roof,” he says. “I feel as if this room is my main contribution to the house.”
On the first floor, Hoeckenreiner devised a generous-sized office with ample storage for the couple’s large collection of books. The space leads to an elegant and well-planned family bathroom.
The owners gave over one of the bedrooms to create this large family bathroom, which is plenty big enough to house a freestanding tub plus a separate shower area.
Wall-hung toilet; basin unit, both Duravit. Bath, Patricia Urquiola for Agape. Marble tiles, Marble and Granite.
Wall-hung toilet; basin unit, both Duravit. Bath, Patricia Urquiola for Agape. Marble tiles, Marble and Granite.
The combination of Carrara marble tiles with a stunning freestanding black bath adds a touch of drama to this pared-back bathroom design.
Read 9 things to consider when choosing a freestanding bath
Read 9 things to consider when choosing a freestanding bath
The layout of the first floor, which contains the master bedroom, has been left largely unchanged, apart from a splash of well-chosen paint.
Preserving original features, such the pretty fireplace and panelled wardrobe, has retained the character of this Edwardian home, while painting the walls in a modern dark grey and laying oak herringbone parquet has added warmth to the large space.
Walls painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
Preserving original features, such the pretty fireplace and panelled wardrobe, has retained the character of this Edwardian home, while painting the walls in a modern dark grey and laying oak herringbone parquet has added warmth to the large space.
Walls painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball.
All the houses in this terraced row have attic rooms that are original to the properties. These owners use theirs as a comfy and spacious retreat for guests.
The exterior of the house, which was built in 1905, is typical of Dublin’s Rathgar area. Painting the front door in a dark eggshell finish adds a contemporary feel.
Do you have a favourite detail in this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Do you have a favourite detail in this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here A couple with two children
Location Rathgar, Dublin
Property An Edwardian terraced house
Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Architect Stefan Hoeckenreiner of Ambient Architecture
Photos by Barbara Egan
As house renovation projects go, the increased floor space created by the two-year renovation and extension works to this family home were pretty minimal. “We haven’t added a huge amount to the footprint of the house,” says Stefan Hoeckenreiner, originally from Munich, who set up Ambient Architecture in Ireland in 2003. “Rooms were added but also taken away, so in the end we only increased the floor space by around 10 square metres.”
Unusually, while the new extension fell within Permitted Development rights, the couple decided to apply for Planning Permission before going ahead with the development. “The neighbours would have been affected if the boundary wall had been too high,” Hoeckenreiner says, “so we brought down the eaves to allow more light into the neighbour’s side and keep neighbourly relations in order.”