Modernity and tradition combine in this Victorian house in north London, which we refurbished and extended to create a contemporary home for a family of four. The ground floor side extension floods the open plan living space in natural light through a delicate glass roof. A black steel beam hangs from the ceiling, creating the illusion of floating, in a playful celebration of the building’s structure. The extension’s rear elevation is clad in heat-treated ash arranged in slender vertical battens, while timber joists frame the spectacular three-metre picture window that faces out onto the garden. An ash-lined window seat continues the vertical motif inside the property.
From the exterior, the ash’s rich chocolate tones complement the subtle textural appearance of the building’s white-painted bricks, creating a dynamic juxtaposition between historic and contemporary architecture. The interior has been designed in a restrained and coherent monochromatic colour palette, bringing attention to the ash joinery and the period features of the existing house. A bespoke kitchen with Carrara marble work surfaces overlooks the garden, with a balustrade partitioning the ground floor plan.
On the second floor, we created a new study space with a frameless corner window providing uninterrupted panoramic views towards the splendour of Alexandra Palace.
