Houzz Tours
House Tours
Before and After
Houzz Tour: The Inspiring Transformation of an Ex-council House
The clever use of space, light and low-cost materials has given this 1980s house a distinctive new character
The owner of this 1980s ex-council house saw the potential to create a warm, inviting home when she purchased the two-bedroom property in south-east London. Limited by a small budget, the owner engaged architect Bodgan Rusu of Vatraa to come up with practical, creative and sustainable solutions that wouldn’t cost the earth. The result? A unique, welcoming home that’s now proud to tell a new story through space, light and materials.
The old living room felt dated.
Make the challenge of finding the right people for your project easier by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Make the challenge of finding the right people for your project easier by searching the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Acting almost like a surgeon, Bogdan first investigated the existing structure to remove the unnecessary parts, while keeping any new additions to a minimum. As a result, the building was reduced to its essentials, so he could clearly see what he had to work with.
“We instantly saw the potential of enhancing the front-back transparency by opening the interior to two different gardens – an evergreen one to the front, and a seasonal one to the back,” Bogdan explains.
Flooring, Boen.
“We instantly saw the potential of enhancing the front-back transparency by opening the interior to two different gardens – an evergreen one to the front, and a seasonal one to the back,” Bogdan explains.
Flooring, Boen.
Here’s the front of the house before the renovation.
Keen to respect the appearance of the council estate, Bogdan ensured the changes to the façade were discreet.
“The biggest change we made was to swap the overly detailed bay window with a larger square one to neatly frame the front garden and let in more light,” he says. “A dated porch area was also absorbed into the hallway to create more internal space.”
Glazing, Cortizo.
“The biggest change we made was to swap the overly detailed bay window with a larger square one to neatly frame the front garden and let in more light,” he says. “A dated porch area was also absorbed into the hallway to create more internal space.”
Glazing, Cortizo.
With its clean, minimal styling, the new window that replaced the dated bay offers an uninterrupted view of the private front garden, and allows plenty of light to travel right through the kitchen-diner.
There were no major structural changes at the back of the house, either. However, the windows were replaced with hidden sash frames to provide clear views of the courtyard garden.
“To enhance the interior-exterior connection and let in more natural light, we simplified the windows so more of the gardens could be seen from inside,” Bogdan says.
“To enhance the interior-exterior connection and let in more natural light, we simplified the windows so more of the gardens could be seen from inside,” Bogdan says.
On the inside, the functional core of the property was designed around the original stairwell in the centre of the house. This area also housed the boiler and water tank, which gave off a significant amount of heat at any time.
“We decided to make use of this heat source by organising the laundry room around the tank to create a perfect place to dry clothes,” Bogdan says. “We also relocated the first floor bathroom to right above the tank to create a sustainably warm floor without the cost of fitting an underfloor heating system.”
“We decided to make use of this heat source by organising the laundry room around the tank to create a perfect place to dry clothes,” Bogdan says. “We also relocated the first floor bathroom to right above the tank to create a sustainably warm floor without the cost of fitting an underfloor heating system.”
As you can see in the ‘after’ floorplan on the right, Bogdan and the team made the best use of the existing water tank by packing the core of the home around the source of heat.
Bogdan also found a clever solution for the cramped hallway by incorporating the old external porch and opening up the ceiling to the pitched roof. The result is a much more airy and inviting entrance.
“By absorbing the old porch into the new hallway we also improved the connection between the lounge and kitchen-diner, creating a semi open-plan layout, with the stairwell in the centre,” he says.
“By absorbing the old porch into the new hallway we also improved the connection between the lounge and kitchen-diner, creating a semi open-plan layout, with the stairwell in the centre,” he says.
The hallway before the renovation.
The dated kitchen before it was knocked through and remodelled.
Opening up the hallway, kitchen and dining room created a more open-plan feel between the main reception rooms, yet still allowed for clearly defined areas. Each space, from the kitchen to the dining zone and the living room beyond, all retain a different atmosphere defined by the function they serve, while being linked by the materials and colour palette.
“To create a cohesive feel between the living room and dining area, we designed a series of solid oak furniture pieces to suit the owner’s way of entertaining,” Bogdan says.
Bespoke joinery, Vatraa.
“To create a cohesive feel between the living room and dining area, we designed a series of solid oak furniture pieces to suit the owner’s way of entertaining,” Bogdan says.
Bespoke joinery, Vatraa.
Floor-to-ceiling cupboards and a walk-in pantry along one side of the kitchen-diner provide ample storage, ensuring the narrow, compact area stays calm and clutter-free.
“To create enough space beneath the stairwell for a large walk-in pantry, we angled the doors to add more depth,” Bogdan says.
“To create enough space beneath the stairwell for a large walk-in pantry, we angled the doors to add more depth,” Bogdan says.
To resurrect the spirit of the old house, Bogdan decided to expose the original structural ceiling joists, which also made the 2.4m ceiling feel higher. He also restricted the colour and materials palette.
“To highlight the qualities of space, light and texture, we limited the finishes spectrum to only three complementary materials,” he says. “White painted ceiling joists and whitewashed oak flooring are tied together by a plaster finish.”
“To highlight the qualities of space, light and texture, we limited the finishes spectrum to only three complementary materials,” he says. “White painted ceiling joists and whitewashed oak flooring are tied together by a plaster finish.”
The walls are covered in low-cost plaster. However, it’s been applied with extra skill and care to achieve a polished finish that’s satisfyingly smooth and silky.
Walls plastered in MultiFinish, British Gypsum.
Walls plastered in MultiFinish, British Gypsum.
Finishing the walls in plaster not only created a warm backdrop for exhibiting the owner’s favourite artworks, it also eliminated the need for decorating, making huge savings for the owner and speeding up the completion of the project.
The plaster also responds differently to natural light, giving each space its own character. For example, under sunlight, the stairwell becomes vibrant and warm, while under cloudy weather it becomes reflective and makes the 80cm-wide stairwell feel wider.
“To keep the focus on the beauty of natural light, views and materials, we aimed for all details to be as minimalist as possible,” Bogdan says. “Using the existing stairs presented a challenge, which we overcame by leaving the original stair stringer [sides] exposed and cladding the steps in the same whitewashed oak flooring we used throughout the house.”
The minimalist details were continued upstairs and into the bedrooms in order to create a neutral atmosphere, to contrast with the more vibrant day zone below.
“We wanted to create a morning transition between the night and day zones, giving the owner a sensation of energy immediately as she steps into the stairwell and descends to the ground floor,” Bogdan says.
“We wanted to create a morning transition between the night and day zones, giving the owner a sensation of energy immediately as she steps into the stairwell and descends to the ground floor,” Bogdan says.
The finished home feels calm and spacious, despite its small footprint, thanks to the injection of natural light, minimal detailing and inviting textures throughout.
Tell us…
What do you like about this house featuring clever, cost-cutting solutions? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you like about this house featuring clever, cost-cutting solutions? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A woman in her early 40s
Location Bermondsey, south-east London
Property A 1980s ex-council house
Size Two bedrooms and one bathroom
Architect Bogdan Rusu of Vatraa
Photos by Jim Stephenson
Faced with a tight budget and a tired old building, it was obvious to the owner from the outset that this house was going to need an injection of clever and creative solutions to make it function successfully.
“Right from the beginning of the project, we knew our budget was restricted, so we decided to work with what we had and reduce waste as much as possible,” Bodgan says. It was decided not to extend the house, but instead work with the compact 76 sq m footprint to make it feel more spacious and open.