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Room Tour: A Loft Provides Space for a Multigenerational Family
Two bedrooms with en suites and study areas create independent, private spaces for adult daughters
When their two daughters went off to university, the owners of this detached house were keen to ensure they could feel comfortable, yet independent when them came home. They decided to make use of the loft to create two private areas for their daughters, and to free up space on the first floor to accommodate visiting grandparents from India.
“Sai discovered our studio through Houzz, where we maintain an active and carefully curated presence,” architectural designer Nahed Chakouf of NJ Architecture says. She recalls that Sai’s enquiry stood out, as his tone was calm, clear and considered and the brief came from a personal and emotional place. The team set about working with the couple to create a comfortable space that has long-term flexibility.
“Sai discovered our studio through Houzz, where we maintain an active and carefully curated presence,” architectural designer Nahed Chakouf of NJ Architecture says. She recalls that Sai’s enquiry stood out, as his tone was calm, clear and considered and the brief came from a personal and emotional place. The team set about working with the couple to create a comfortable space that has long-term flexibility.
“The existing roof structure presented constraints, with its limited internal height and a dense network of rafters,” Nahed says.
The team took the opportunity to rethink the existing space rather than forcing a compromise. After a thorough planning review and neighbourhood analysis, they decided to raise the ridge slightly, steepen the pitch of the roof, and reconstruct a few of the internal structural elements.
The team took the opportunity to rethink the existing space rather than forcing a compromise. After a thorough planning review and neighbourhood analysis, they decided to raise the ridge slightly, steepen the pitch of the roof, and reconstruct a few of the internal structural elements.
There are two fully independent bedrooms in the new loft, each with its own en suite bathroom and study area. The spaces are separated by a central corridor and stairhead.
This wide bedroom is at the rear of the house and features a gable-end window.
“In this room, we designed what became known as the Peter Pan window, a reading nook beneath the gable window, looking out across the roofs and treetops,” Nahed says. It was requested by one of the daughters as a place to sit and unwind with a book, laptop or cup of tea.
The storage seat with integrated drawers is made from MDF and is hand-painted in a soft grey.
Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux.
“In this room, we designed what became known as the Peter Pan window, a reading nook beneath the gable window, looking out across the roofs and treetops,” Nahed says. It was requested by one of the daughters as a place to sit and unwind with a book, laptop or cup of tea.
The storage seat with integrated drawers is made from MDF and is hand-painted in a soft grey.
Walls painted in Egyptian Cotton, Dulux.
Lighting designer Alda Coelho, planned out a layered lighting scheme in both rooms, with ceiling-mounted downlights, integrated linear LEDs above the wardrobes and in the shelving, and an under-roof light wash near the Peter Pan window to give it a cosy feel.
A small stud wall creates a divide between the bedroom and the study area.
Architectural lights, Orluna. Decorative lights, Tala.
A small stud wall creates a divide between the bedroom and the study area.
Architectural lights, Orluna. Decorative lights, Tala.
A custom-built desk sits beneath a rooflight to ensure there’s plenty of light for reading and focused work. The team planned all the loft’s electrical sockets early to make sure everything is practical and clutter-free.
Behind the desk, a row of bespoke cupboards provides ample storage, and to the side is an en suite bathroom. Nahed chose cement tiles with a bold floral motif for the floor to give the room a graphic base.
Behind the desk, a row of bespoke cupboards provides ample storage, and to the side is an en suite bathroom. Nahed chose cement tiles with a bold floral motif for the floor to give the room a graphic base.
The walls in here are tiled with large-format, terrazzo-look porcelain to give a subtle texture, while a midcentury-style vanity unit features a fluted ceramic basin with brushed brass fittings.
Tiles, Grestec. Sanitaryware, Duravit, Victorian Plumbing and Geberit. Taps and fittings, Hansgrohe.
Tiles, Grestec. Sanitaryware, Duravit, Victorian Plumbing and Geberit. Taps and fittings, Hansgrohe.
At the front of the loft is another bedroom, with storage in the eaves that follows the roofline.
“Some of these joinery elements also conceal parts of the building services, such as underfloor heating manifolds and electrical connections,” Nahed says. “Access panels were designed to allow for future maintenance.”
All of the joinery is painted in the same soft grey to give the whole space a sense of calm cohesion.
All of the joinery is painted in the same soft grey to give the whole space a sense of calm cohesion.
This bedroom’s en suite bathroom is kitted out with a full-heigh shower with a brass-framed glass enclosure, which includes both a rain and a hand-held shower.
A warm wood floating vanity unit is topped with a simple white basin and fitted with wall-mounted brass taps. There are more brass accents throughout the room to tie the scheme together.
Vanity unit, Tikamoon.
A warm wood floating vanity unit is topped with a simple white basin and fitted with wall-mounted brass taps. There are more brass accents throughout the room to tie the scheme together.
Vanity unit, Tikamoon.
A freestanding bath has been positioned under the sloping ceiling and a full-length recessed shelf with a brass trim provides useful storage.
And how do the family feel about their new space? “Sai and Sri have told us many times how much the loft has transformed the way they live in the house,” Nahed says. “The daughters feel they have their own independent zones, which support both study and downtime when they return home from university. The layout allows them to be together while still having space apart, and that has brought a new rhythm to daily life. That is the most rewarding kind of feedback we can receive.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this thoughtfully designed loft conversion? Let us know in the Comments.
And how do the family feel about their new space? “Sai and Sri have told us many times how much the loft has transformed the way they live in the house,” Nahed says. “The daughters feel they have their own independent zones, which support both study and downtime when they return home from university. The layout allows them to be together while still having space apart, and that has brought a new rhythm to daily life. That is the most rewarding kind of feedback we can receive.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this thoughtfully designed loft conversion? Let us know in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A couple, Sri and Sai, with their two university-aged daughters
Location Wimbledon, London
Property A detached house
Loft dimensions 66 sq m
Architectural designer Nahed Chakouf of NJ Architecture
Lighting designer Alda Coelho of NJ Architecture
Photos by Jocelyn Low
The house originally had a hip roof, which presented a few constraints in terms of head height. Nahed and the team proposed a truncated hip roof loft conversion, which would unlock more usable space and be in keeping with the home’s architecture.
Instead of dormers, the team installed a number of Velux rooflights to increase ventilation and bring in even daylight.