Room Tour: A Genius Extension Links a Period Home to the Garden
Rethinking the staircase and shifting the patio have transformed the ground floor flow in this handsome old house
“We’ve got a lovely garden, but you’d never know it,” the owners of this double-fronted period house explained when they first met architect George Bradley of Bradley Van Der Straeten. George immediately saw what they meant. “When you came in through the front door, there was the kitchen, which only had a tiny window, and the main part of the back of the house was taken up with a lean-to toilet,” he says.
The two sides of the wide house were also lacking any connection, as they were divided by a central staircase. George’s award-wining and sensitive reconfiguration of this conservation-area property focused on extending behind the central staircase to link these two spaces. The owners also had a smart suggestion for their new patio, which allowed George’s design to bring planting right up to the house. Scroll down to see the dramatic difference this has made to the property and how George’s design protected the building’s bones.
The two sides of the wide house were also lacking any connection, as they were divided by a central staircase. George’s award-wining and sensitive reconfiguration of this conservation-area property focused on extending behind the central staircase to link these two spaces. The owners also had a smart suggestion for their new patio, which allowed George’s design to bring planting right up to the house. Scroll down to see the dramatic difference this has made to the property and how George’s design protected the building’s bones.
Turn right at that just-seen section of corner glazing and you cross to the other side of this wide house, into a dining area.
Previously, the two halves of the house were completely divided by a central staircase, of which you get a glimpse here on the right, newly boxed in with plywood.
Previously, the two halves of the house were completely divided by a central staircase, of which you get a glimpse here on the right, newly boxed in with plywood.
The house already had a stepped rear façade, which George enlarged and reshaped slightly. This strip, seen from the dining area, is an architecturally significant part of George’s ingenious plan to open up the space and increase garden access.
Originally, the back of the staircase also marked the back of the house (note the blue steels marking the original rear walls) and the area was filled with a lean-to containing a loo. George extended this area by 1.5m and now you can walk around it.
Originally, the back of the staircase also marked the back of the house (note the blue steels marking the original rear walls) and the area was filled with a lean-to containing a loo. George extended this area by 1.5m and now you can walk around it.
A before photo of the exterior shows where the lean-to loo used to be, with the staircase directly behind it cutting the ground floor in two.
The outrigger on the right was being used by the owners as a study. The new kitchen fills this now-widened area.
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The outrigger on the right was being used by the owners as a study. The new kitchen fills this now-widened area.
Inspired? Find reviewed architects in your area on Houzz.
There’s now a clear sightline from the living area at the front of the property, through the dining area and out to the garden. The ply box around the staircase also contains storage and a new loo.
“The staircase doglegs,” George says, “so we created the box. And because they don’t have loft space, it was a good location for extra storage. We also liked the idea you almost go into a box to go upstairs.”
“The staircase doglegs,” George says, “so we created the box. And because they don’t have loft space, it was a good location for extra storage. We also liked the idea you almost go into a box to go upstairs.”
In a before photo taken from the same spot, you can see the dining area was shorter.
Access to the other side of the double-fronted property and the old kitchen is through a doorway to the left of the stairs. The kitchen had a small window onto the garden and you had to go into the study in the outrigger to get outside.
“We didn’t want to change the location of the stairs, because they’re integral to the layout of the house,” George says. “All the bedrooms connect to them, so it just wouldn’t have worked – and would have been a lot more work! But the extension means you can get behind the stairs and link the two sides of the house now, which you couldn’t before.”
Access to the other side of the double-fronted property and the old kitchen is through a doorway to the left of the stairs. The kitchen had a small window onto the garden and you had to go into the study in the outrigger to get outside.
“We didn’t want to change the location of the stairs, because they’re integral to the layout of the house,” George says. “All the bedrooms connect to them, so it just wouldn’t have worked – and would have been a lot more work! But the extension means you can get behind the stairs and link the two sides of the house now, which you couldn’t before.”
George also fully opened up the living room at the front of the house to the dining area.
As well as George’s clever new floor plan, another major factor in the finished design was the owners’ “exceptional taste”.
“The existing house was decorated in deep, rich colours with statement art pieces throughout,” George says. “Gareth and Richard approached [us] with a well-designed brief document that collated their ambitions, taste, favourite colours, artists, designers and pieces of furniture. This served as an inspiration from the outset.”
As well as George’s clever new floor plan, another major factor in the finished design was the owners’ “exceptional taste”.
“The existing house was decorated in deep, rich colours with statement art pieces throughout,” George says. “Gareth and Richard approached [us] with a well-designed brief document that collated their ambitions, taste, favourite colours, artists, designers and pieces of furniture. This served as an inspiration from the outset.”
A blue sculpture in this room provided colour inspiration for the painted steels.
Pendant light, Tom Dixon. Sofa, Barber Osgerby for Vitra.
Pendant light, Tom Dixon. Sofa, Barber Osgerby for Vitra.
“The paint [on the steels] is colour-matched to Yves Klein Blue and matches a sculpture by Gareth’s dad,” George explains. “A nice touch.”
Dining table; Alphabeta Pendant Uno light, both Hem. Wall lights, Astro. Walls painted in Mole’s Breath; ceiling painted in Wevet, both Farrow & Ball.
Dining table; Alphabeta Pendant Uno light, both Hem. Wall lights, Astro. Walls painted in Mole’s Breath; ceiling painted in Wevet, both Farrow & Ball.
In this before plan of the ground floor, the area in pink (which includes outdoor areas) shows the sections George reconfigured.
The after floor plan makes sense of the spatial transformation. The L-shape section at the back of the house was broadly already there, but a little smaller and with a bit of garden in the middle and walls separating the contained spaces.
A coat storage space and a utility room now take up the front of the house on the left where the old kitchen was. These are also encased in ply cabinetry.
A coat storage space and a utility room now take up the front of the house on the left where the old kitchen was. These are also encased in ply cabinetry.
The door next to the stairs is usually kept open, but gives the option to close off the hall from the kitchen. A sliding door also allows the living room and hallway to be separated.
George says these doors were more about the flexibility to create a sense of separation – as well as an enclosed area for the dog when they are out – than being required for Building Regulations. As the house is only two storeys high, it wasn’t essential (three storeys and above requires formal separation between kitchen and staircases for access in the event of fire).
George says these doors were more about the flexibility to create a sense of separation – as well as an enclosed area for the dog when they are out – than being required for Building Regulations. As the house is only two storeys high, it wasn’t essential (three storeys and above requires formal separation between kitchen and staircases for access in the event of fire).
This is how the back of the house looks now, with two separate doors providing access. On the left is a broad planter that goes right up to the window at the back of the dining room.
Taller plants are set away from the house, while planting near the windows is kept low so as not to block the view. This also has the effect of creating a layered view of greenery from the house.
The room above the kitchen has also been extended a little, which gave the owners a new en suite on the first floor. The new extensions both have wildflower roofs, so the views out from upstairs are just as soft.
The owners keep Shubunkin goldfish in a raised pond just outside the window…
Taller plants are set away from the house, while planting near the windows is kept low so as not to block the view. This also has the effect of creating a layered view of greenery from the house.
The room above the kitchen has also been extended a little, which gave the owners a new en suite on the first floor. The new extensions both have wildflower roofs, so the views out from upstairs are just as soft.
The owners keep Shubunkin goldfish in a raised pond just outside the window…
The couple are able to sit on the window seat to enjoy and feed the fish easily.
The new patio is at the top of the north-facing garden in its sunniest spot. “This was a key part of their brief,” George says. “They didn’t want a patio near the house because they just wanted to see planting from inside.”
Brick pavers echo the herringbone parquet flooring inside.
Brick pavers echo the herringbone parquet flooring inside.
The fish-feeding window seat. The glazing slides open.
The a real sense of openness now. “For a house this size, it feels much bigger, because there are no corridors or doors and there are different ways you can walk around it,” George says. “You could do laps of the house running around the staircase.”
“The clients were always quite keen on a pink kitchen,” George says. The colour crops up in various materials, including the kitchen cabinets and the pink polished concrete worktops.
This end of the kitchen contains the boiler and the ovens. The tall cabinets at the other end contain a fridge and freezer. “Most of the functionality is against the wall, so the island stays free,” George says. It contains the bins and a dishwasher, but is otherwise all storage.
“The edge of the roof window goes right up to the units, which means the kitchen also acts as a reflective surface and, at certain times of the day, you get rain droplets or wildflower roof shadows on the cupboards,” George says. “It brings a bit more of the outside in. They’re the little touches that really make a difference.”
Kitchen carcasses, DIY Kitchens; doors bespoke.
This end of the kitchen contains the boiler and the ovens. The tall cabinets at the other end contain a fridge and freezer. “Most of the functionality is against the wall, so the island stays free,” George says. It contains the bins and a dishwasher, but is otherwise all storage.
“The edge of the roof window goes right up to the units, which means the kitchen also acts as a reflective surface and, at certain times of the day, you get rain droplets or wildflower roof shadows on the cupboards,” George says. “It brings a bit more of the outside in. They’re the little touches that really make a difference.”
Kitchen carcasses, DIY Kitchens; doors bespoke.
“This view of the front door wasn’t there before,” George explains. “You had to dogleg to get to the garden.”
Talking about the lines of the kitchen, George says, “It feels blocky and chunky, as if it’s part of the architecture, rather than some cupboards stuck on a wall.”
More: 16 Rose-tinted Ideas for a Cool Pink Kitchen
More: 16 Rose-tinted Ideas for a Cool Pink Kitchen
There’s also a corner window seat in the kitchen.
Because George and the owners opted for soft, aged bare brick here, electrical fittings were surface-mounted. “The idea of these wall lights is that they wash the brick with light,” he explains. “They’re for mood rather than task lighting.”
Elsewhere, there are discreet recessed spots. “We didn’t want a big grid of spots in a space as open as this,” he says.
Because George and the owners opted for soft, aged bare brick here, electrical fittings were surface-mounted. “The idea of these wall lights is that they wash the brick with light,” he explains. “They’re for mood rather than task lighting.”
Elsewhere, there are discreet recessed spots. “We didn’t want a big grid of spots in a space as open as this,” he says.
The brass island base, which continues onto the floor, ties in with reflections of the pond.
“It’s also just a bit of fun and plays with your mind a bit,” George adds.
“This view is such a change from what you had before, where you’d open the front door and just be faced with a wall,” George says.
And how do the owners feel about their finished home? “They are keen gardeners and just love the fact they can enjoy their garden all year round,” George says. “They also like the fact that, whatever the weather, they can feed their fish from the comfort of their house.”
And how do the owners feel about their finished home? “They are keen gardeners and just love the fact they can enjoy their garden all year round,” George says. “They also like the fact that, whatever the weather, they can feed their fish from the comfort of their house.”
Chunky the dog, seen here catching some rays, is a big fan of the new design, too.
Tell us…
What is your favourite feature in this renovation? Let us know in the Comments.
Tell us…
What is your favourite feature in this renovation? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? Gareth and Richard, who work in design/fashion, and Chunky the dog
Location North London
Property A late Georgian/early Victorian double-fronted terrace with three bedrooms and two bathrooms
Room dimensions 79 sq m
Architect George Bradley of Bradley Van Der Straeten
Project year 2020
Photos by Richard Gooding Photography
A beautiful new light-filled kitchen now sits at the back of this double-fronted house, on its left-hand side. “The house is very wide, which is unusual for central London,” George says.
Alphabeta pendant trio, Hem.