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    Whittaker Parsons crowns North London mews house with “bolthole” extension

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    Using a combination of copper, larch and structural insulated panels, architecture firm Whittaker Parsons has added an additional storey to a contemporary mews house in Stoke Newington to house a bedroom suite.

    Originally built in 2005, the property belongs to a couple with two older children, who have lived here for the last decade.
    Whittaker Parsons added an additional storey to a London mews houseThe family asked Whittaker Parsons to provide more space with the addition of a loft, as well as to revamp the lower floors including the studio on the second floor, which was reconfigured to create a well-proportioned workspace complete with its own library.
    Daylight floods the new third storey, bouncing off lime-plastered walls while carefully positioned windows provide views of tree canopies and across rear gardens from window seats and the bespoke bed.
    “We set out to design a beautiful, healthy, serene retreat, in which the homeowners could immerse themselves in the beauty of natural materials, a bolthole in the middle of north London,” Whittaker Parsons told Dezeen.

    The extension is accessed via a larch-clad staircaseWith efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs) to construct the additional storey, with the aim of minimising waste and saving time.
    “Compared to standard timber construction, it is simpler to control the quality of onsite workmanship and achieve a more robust, air-tight building envelope,” the team explained.
    Generous windows provide views of the surrounding areaExternally, the extension is set back from the street elevation and finished in materials that mirror the surrounding architecture, including black-stained timber cladding, brick slips and patinated copper to tie in with the copper facade on the second floor below.
    Internally, the triangular arrangement of the larch beams was developed to work with the load path of the existing building and the irregular form of the loft.
    “The intention was to make visible and celebrate the structural effort that went into creating this new space,” Whittaker Parsons explained.
    Integrated window seats provide a place to restThe practice created a tranquil master bedroom with a larch-clad and lime-rendered interior, bespoke larch bed frame and walk-in wardrobe made from low-formaldehyde furniture board.
    As the unsealed lime plaster wall finish cures, the lime will absorb almost as much carbon as was emitted in its production, the studio claims.
    “Lime render is a calming tactile material, characterful and soft,” said Whittaker Parsons. “It is a low-carbon alternative to gypsum plaster. It’s also a hygroscopic material, so it naturally moderates the moisture level in the bedroom.”

    Architecture for London uses natural materials to renovate studio founder’s home

    Used alongside the render, white oiled larch panelling spans the spaces between the exposed larch beams, improving acoustic absorption.
    “Often in bedrooms, the ceiling is the most important yet neglected surface,” the studio said. “The larch adds a sense of warmth, calm, and character to the space, creating an articulated ceiling at the top of the house – almost a reward for climbing all those stairs.”
    Whittaker Parsons also created a custom larch-wood bed for the interiorIn the adjoining skylit shower room, fluted travertine tiles line the walls, enveloping the shower area and complementing the travertine floor tiles.
    “The roof light to the shower oversails the fluted travertine tiles, creating the impression that one is showering outside under the sky,” said Whittaker Parsons.
    The basin, splashback and vanity unit are formed from unsealed Calacatta Rosato marble, which according to the studio provides a lower-carbon alternative to fired tiles.
    The vanity in the adjoining bathroom is formed from Calacatta Rosato marbleOverall, Whittaker Parsons says the project is “exceptionally low-carbon”, with the bulk of its embodied emissions coming from the triple glazing, thermal insulation and a single steel beam used to create the opening for the staircase.
    Founded by Matthew Whittaker and Camilla Parsons in 2015, Whittaker Parsons has completed a number of projects in the British capital including The Naked House, which was longlisted for sustainable interior of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.
    The marble is paired with fluted travertine tilesOther sustainably-minded extensions in London include Low Energy House in Muswell Hill, designed by local studio Architecture for London founder for its founder Ben Ridley.
    The photography is by Jim Stephenson.

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      Daytrip imbues Victorian terrace in Highbury with “gallery-like minimalism”

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      Curving, organic forms are juxtaposed with clean-lined minimalism in this home that interiors studio Daytrip has completed in north London.

      Daytrip worked with architecture firm Studio 30 to extend the ground floor of the Victorian terrace house to the rear and side to increase the available space while excavating down to boost the ceiling height and give the space more gravitas.
      Daytrip has overhauled a Victorian terrace in north LondonIn the process of increasing the space, period features that remained in the home such as skirtings, architraves and panelling were lost. Daytrip saw this as an opportunity to achieve a completely new aesthetic.
      “Our contemporary interior shell treatments provided a clean, architectural approach, with minimal plaster and skirting details, sharp timber floor and stair nosings and high ceilings that are ornament-free,” the studio’s director Iwan Halstead told Dezeen.
      Furniture such as Benni Allan’s Low armchair were selected by Béton BrutThis approach informed the home’s crisp, clean aesthetic, which was deliberately juxtaposed with more organic forms as seen in the vintage 1970s Gilda sofa by Michel Ducaroy and the snaking Z dining chairs by Gastone Rinaldi, upholstered in off-white mohair velvet.

      “The contrast of gallery-like minimalism with organic forms intrigued the client and we decided to explore this,” said Halstead.
      Throughout the house, Daytrip developed a sense of flow by replacing standard doorways with large, full-height openings.
      Wide prime oak timber was combined with polished concrete flooring”These openings bring much more daylight into the property and unite the different spaces,” Halstead explained.
      The homeowners – a young professional couple – made the decision to move the kitchen to the front of the house, away from the more traditional location at the rear of the building.
      With its monolithic marble island, the kitchen is at once low-key and sculptural, designed to sit comfortably within the wider living space.
      Among the vintage furniture pieces are Z dining chairs by Gastone Rinaldi”A palette of off-white matt lacquered joinery and powdery warm grey cloudy marbles resonate with the palette of the interior,” said Halstead.
      “Soft and shadowy, the subtlety is satisfying to minimalist aficionados. It is also the perfect backdrop to an ever-changing countertop and display shelf for collectible ceramics and glassware.”
      The kitchen counter runs seamlessly into an upholstered bench, connecting the kitchen with the dining area, which is illuminated by a high-level box window that runs the remaining length of this space, merging with a wall of glass that looks onto the garden.
      The kitchen features a monolithic marble islandOn the opposite wall, the design for the wood-burning stove was kept deliberately minimal and integrated into the white, plaster-finished walls.
      A honed, pale grey limestone was used as the cantilevered base, floating above the concrete floor.
      Thanks to the positioning of the kitchen, the living area makes the most of the widest section of the ground floor, looking onto the courtyard garden.

      Daytrip creates calm broken-plan interior for Edwardian home in west London

      A poured, polished concrete floor with a slight cream tint is used on the ground level, continuing out into the garden.
      “Inspired by gallery spaces, the poured concrete is a neutral, hard surface that is reflective and tough,” Halstead said.
      “It immediately transforms a Victorian property into a contemporary home, especially for young professionals who use their living spaces for multiple purposes.”
      Polished concrete flooring reflects the lightThe pared-back material palette also includes wide prime oak timber, used on the two upper floors.
      “Timber brings a natural warmth and character that is often needed to compliment the sometimes austere quality of concrete,” said Halstead. “The soft, honey-toned character of oak is a calming neutral and easily adaptable to all spaces.”
      Cloudy-patterned marble features in the kitchen and bathrooms, complemented by cementitious walls and lime paints.
      Curved walls add softness to the bedroomsIn the bedrooms, linen curtains and curved walls add a sense of softness and tactility.
      On the first floor, a study overlooking the garden fulfils the client’s request for space to work from home, while the loft now houses a guest suite and utility room.
      Daytrip worked with Sophie Pearce, founder of east London design gallery Béton Brut, to furnish the house with a selection of antique and mid-century furniture.
      Several of the bedrooms feature integrated storageThese are balanced with pieces by contemporary makers including David Horan’s tactile Paper lights, which explore French and Japanese decoupage techniques, and the Low collection of curvilinear furniture in blackened oak from EBBA Architects founder Benni Allan.
      “We referenced Andrée Putman with our styling choices and discussed adding a touch of black during the design process,” said Daytrip director Emily Potter, nodding to the late French interior designer.
      “We had the opportunity to highlight sculptural moments with mono-blocking and also felt that the house could be a hybrid of a relaxing and welcoming home, with a touch of London townhouse smartness about it.”
      Linen curtains bring tactilityDaytrip has previously collaborated with Béton Brut on a number of residential projects in the British capital.
      Among them are an east London townhouse with custom Douglas fir joinery and another Victorian terrace house that was converted into understated apartments.
      The photography is by Gareth Hacker.

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      The Mint List brings mid-century influences to north London family home

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      Interior design studio The Mint List has brought light, space and warmth to this Edwardian house in London with multiple extensions, a hidden playroom and plenty of tactile materials.

      The renovated end-of-terrace house in Kensal Rise belongs to a film-industry couple that wanted a cosy family home with mid-century elements, in particular referencing the work of designers Charles and Ray Eames.
      The Mint List has renovated and extended an Edwardian house in north London”The clients had a leaning towards mid-century style but they didn’t want that to overwhelm the scheme,” The Mint List founder Camilla Kelly told Dezeen.
      “The Eames House was a good mid-century reference in terms of encompassing warm, repurposed textures, a sense of scale and an abundance of light.”
      A new rear extension houses the home’s kitchen and dining spaceThe brief was to open up this formerly dark and “unremarkable” home and create an improved sense of flow.

      As well as adding two bedrooms and a small study in the newly converted loft, The Mint List created a rear extension to house the kitchen-dining space and absorbed the property’s former garage into the house, providing a mudroom, pantry and playroom.
      The custom-built kitchen island has two levelsThe playroom is cleverly concealed behind a bank of new storage in the hallway, which has also been enlarged by opening it up into the former porch.
      “There was huge importance given to light in the design,” said Kelly. “Wherever possible, we created tall windows benefiting from the south-facing aspect.”
      Bookshelves act as room dividers to form a hybrid library and snugThe house is full of custom-designed features and finishes at the request of the client.
      The floor uses unusually slim lengths of oak, laid at right angles to each other in huge grids, while the thresholds were distinguished with slender fins of brass that add subtle visual interest.
      The children’s playroom is hidden inside a wall of storage in the hallwayDrawing on the design language of mid-century furniture, the kitchen was completely custom-built for the space with a clean-lined, yet playfully asymmetric design.
      “We centralised the assembly and used high windows on either side of the cabinets to emphasise the cubic nature of the design,” said Kelly. “The asymmetric cubes that form the cabinets were built using walnut, with cream-painted doors for the covered storage.”

      The Mint List fits out London office with mid-century-style movable furniture

      The material mix includes walnut veneer, reeded glass, olive-coloured door fronts and antique brass detailing, as well as concrete and reclaimed iroko wood worktops.
      “I’m averse to keeping things all in one colour,” the designer said. “It’s a missed opportunity to bring texture, colour and character to a space.”
      The children’s bedroom is located on the first floorThe kitchen island was designed to account for the owners’ love of entertaining, with a section of the worktop raised to bar height to draw guests away from the cooking area.
      “The island is even more asymmetric, with different levels, drawers, shelves and openings that served to show how the geometry of a design can sometimes be off-kilter and still look neatly intentioned, as long as it sits correctly within the scale of the space,” Kelly said.
      A small study now occupies the loft alongside a primary bedrooms suiteThe curved bar provides a visual link to the rounded steps that lead down into the kitchen area, as well as to other curved elements throughout the house.
      “I like to include some curves in my projects through room openings, joinery and countertops,” Kelly said. “They help to soften spaces and improve flow from one area to the next.”
      The main bathroom is held in pale blue and green tonesAdjoining the kitchen is a hybrid library and snug, which is partially enclosed with oak shelving finished in glass and raffia, that double up as room dividers and nod to the Eames House in California.
      “We didn’t want this to be a dead space,” Kelly said. “It’s a quiet spot where you can curl up with a book or listen to music. And when the couple is entertaining, this is a soft space where you come to catch up with someone.”
      Four bedrooms are spread across the home’s upper levels, including a shared children’s bedroom with bunk beds on the first floor and two added bedrooms in the converted loft.
      A baby pink sink provides a pop of colourSince founding The Mint List in 2011, Kelly has completed a number of interior projects in London.
      Among them are the headquarters of music management company Everybody’s in Highbury, which she kitted out with mid-century-style movable furniture.
      The photography is by Dave Watts.

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      Daytrip creates calm broken-plan interior for Edwardian home in west London

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      Warm, tactile materials and rich colours are balanced with a newfound sense of openness in this early 20th-century house that architecture studio Daytrip has renovated and extended in London.

      Queen’s Park House is a double-fronted Edwardian property – set in the titular west London neighbourhood – which Daytrip has taken from a series of run-down and characterless bedsits to a calm, contemporary home for a TV producer and his family.
      An understated foyer leads into Queen’s Park HouseAs the house had lost many of its Edwardian features, the studio devised contemporary takes on these details.
      Among them are the cherry wood “portals” by London carpenter Studio Manolo, which have replaced the architraves that once surrounded doors throughout the house.
      Daytrip extended the home with a bold new double-height volume to the rear, accommodating a hybrid kitchen-dining-living space and an open gallery housing a small study. In addition, the studio created a new principal bedroom suite at loft level.

      Steps lead down into the bespoke kitchen designed by Edward CollinsonDaytrip’s approach to the layout focused on maximising the feeling of space by opening up the connection points between previously discrete rooms.
      Stepping away from the traditional idea of a central corridor, the studio shifted the main route through the house to take in each room in turn.
      The spaces are differentiated by a drop in levels, as part of the semi-open broken-plan layout devised by Daytrip.
      A clerestory window provides views out from the living roomWhile these spaces retain their own individual functions and character, there is now a closer relationship between the individual rooms.
      “Traditional homes are full of dead ends where rooms feel secluded and separated,” Daytrip told Dezeen. “We wanted to create more connections.
      “It felt appropriate for a modern family lifestyle to create an easy and accessible route, from arrival down through the social spaces.”
      The living area also opens out onto a small gardenThe “arrival room” with its central table by local furniture maker Edward Collinson was designed to create a sense of calm to reframe the family’s mindset as they return home.
      On a practical level, this room also provides storage for all of the family’s coats, shoes and bags, concealed behind panelling that’s an inverted version of the typical period panelling found in Edwardian homes.
      Throughout the house, cherry timber was used in combination with the darker tones of the fumed oak floors.
      A gallery-level study sits above the kitchen”We enjoy the smoky effect of the fumed oak and used the warmer tones of the cherry as a counterpoint to that,” the practice said. “We like to use timber to create a tonal background, as it brings more depth to a room than paint alone.”
      From the foyer, steps descend into a more intimate snug, which is lined with umber-toned textured wallpaper and cherry timber shelving. This creates a darker, more cosy atmosphere that contrasts with the previous space.
      More steps link the snug to the newly extended kitchen, dining and living room.

      Daytrip transforms east London terrace house into understated apartments

      Here, floor-to-ceiling glass doors open the space up to the minimalist courtyard garden beyond – designed by regular Daytrip collaborator Tyler Gold Finch Gardens.
      Above this area, a clerestory window creates a dual-aspect outlook and frames views of the surrounding tree canopy.
      The kitchen, also made by Edward Collinson, features cherry wood panelling and Fior Di Pesco marble splashbacks, while the island is topped with a solid piece of lava stone in a glazed finish.
      The study is furnished with an Ekstrem chair by Terje Ekstrøm”We build palettes that reflect the mood and character of the property, often introducing both harmony and contrast,” Daytrip said.
      A poured concrete floor that was polished to a soft sheen continues out into the garden, creating a sense of seamlessness between the two spaces.
      Above the kitchen floats an open gallery, decorated in shades of russet with a rust-coloured carpet by Swedish brand Kasthall.
      Bathrooms provide an unexpected splash of colourFor the home’s colour palette, Daytrip referenced its red brick front and the greenery of the nearby park with an earthy mix of rusty-reddish tones, balanced by shades of bronze and bright mossy green.
      Beyond the study, the first floor is family-focused with children’s bedrooms and bathrooms, while the principal bedroom suite resides at the top of the house, benefitting from views of the London skyline.
      The bedroom was designed as a comfortable retreat, enveloped by tactile grasscloth wallpaper, in a warm amber tone. There’s an emphasis on softness here, with an off-white pure wool carpet as well as floor-to-ceiling diaphanous linen curtains.
      The principal bedroom was designed as a calming retreatLondon design consultancy Monument Store was chosen to furnish and style the house.
      “We liked Monument Store’s contrast of abstract and brutalist sculptural objét alongside post-modernist pieces such as the cult iconic Ekstrem chair in the gallery space, or the Tito Agnoli cane chairs in the kitchen-lounge,” Daytrip said.
      Linen curtains hide views of the London skylineThe studio has completed a number of London home extensions in recent years.
      Among them are two properties in east London’s Clapton – a townhouse with a newly excavated basement level and a Victorian terrace, which is now home to three separate apartments.
      The photography is by Pierce Scourfield.

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      Studio McW carves up “post-lockdown” London home extension with darkened oak joinery

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      Umber-coloured oak joinery divides the interior of this end-of-terrace home in London’s Willesden Green, which has been extended and refurbished by local architecture firm Studio McW.

      The two-storey Aperture House now features an additional pitched-roofed volume at its rear, that can be accessed via the main home or a second, less formal entrance set at the side of the property alongside a small planted courtyard.
      A darkened oak cabinet sits under Aperture House’s pitched roofThe residence’s owners, a journalist and a psychiatrist, worked from home throughout the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020 and grew to dislike using their kitchen, which was visually cut off from the rest of the house and the outdoors.
      They tasked Clerkenwell-based Studio McW with establishing a more versatile “post-lockdown” extension that can be used for cooking, dining, working and entertaining.
      The cabinet transitions into low-lying cupboards in the kitchenStudio McW’s approach sought to find a middle ground between a more sequestered layout and a vast, open-plan space, which can often feel impersonal according to the firm’s director Greg Walton.

      “I think lockdown has certainly compounded the failures of modern open-plan living,” he told Dezeen.
      “Open-plan layouts offer little privacy and occupants can feel a bit lost in the room. Residential architecture needs to work harder to meet new demands.”
      Walls throughout the extension are finished in plasterIn the case of Aperture House, this is achieved using blocks of dark-stained oak joinery. The largest is a cabinet, which is nestled beneath the eaves of the roof and acts as a divider between the external entryway and a small dining room.
      At its centre is a rectangular opening that offers a place to perch and remove shoes on one side, while in the dining area it acts as a reading nook and an additional seat when hosting larger gatherings.
      “By using joinery to break up the spatial layout you have the opportunity to create, in the same room, separate spaces to eat, cook, welcome visitors and relax whilst still maintaining a form of connection,” Walton said.
      In front of the kitchen there is space for a lounge areaThe cabinet transitions into a low-lying oak cupboard in the kitchen, which allows residents to rustle up meals while keeping the garden, guests and each other in sight.
      To the side of the kitchen is a series of taller oak cabinets, interrupted by another nook where small appliances like the kettle and toaster can be tucked away to keep the counters free of clutter.
      Just in front of the kitchen, Studio McW made space for a lounge area where the owners can retreat to work or relax during the day.
      Another opening in the joinery provides room for small appliancesRather than installing glass doors all the way along the home’s rear facade, Studio McW opted to front the extension with a pivoting glazed panel.
      “I think the ubiquitous sliding or bifold doors across the rear of a London terrace are becoming an unromantic ideal,” Walton explained. “They don’t offer places for respite and repose, there is no shadow or play of light.”
      “In this house, openings in the new extension are set back within deep, angled brick thresholds, which are designed to focus views and draw in light at specific times of the day.”
      The extension is fronted by a pivoting glass doorAnother example of this is the off-centre skylight that punctuates the extension’s roof and casts shafts of light into the plaster-washed interior.
      “Just like in photography, the apertures in a property affect focus and exposure,” Walton said.
      “Often, the act of bringing light into a home is interpreted as putting in as many windows as possible. But in doing so you create all the characteristics of an overexposed photograph.”
      The door is set within an angled brick recessA growing number of homes are starting to reflect the effects that the coronavirus pandemic has had on people’s lifestyles.
      Earlier this year, the co-founders of Studiotwentysix added a plywood-lined loft extension to their own family home in Brighton to make room for more work and rest areas. With a similar aim, Best Practice Architecture recently converted the shed of a Seattle property into a home office and fitness room.
      The photography is by Lorenzo Zandri. 

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      Daytrip transforms east London terrace house into understated apartments

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      Design studio Daytrip has taken a less-is-more approach to the renovation and extension of this Victorian terrace house in London’s Clapton, which is now home to three separate apartments.

      The 250-square-metre Reighton Road development was designed as a “minimalist sanctuary” that could act as a blank canvas for residents’ belongings.
      A two-bedroom flat takes over Reighton Road’s ground floor and two basement levels (top and above)”A good home should be flexible and speak of its owners,” explained Hackney-based Daytrip. “The ability to cultivate and populate it over time with art, objects and personal items makes the home unique.”
      The largest of the flats has two bedrooms and takes over the building’s ground floor as well as two new subterranean levels, which are illuminated by a number of lightwells.
      Another apartment is self-contained on the building’s first floor and a third occupies the second floor and a new loft extension.

      Walls in the apartment’s kitchen are finished with tadelakt plasterIn the bottom apartment, the first basement floor accommodates a pair of spacious bedrooms, both of which were finished with poured concrete floors.
      Below that, the second subterranean level is meant to serve as a versatile studio-like space, where the residents can do home workouts or indulge in artsy hobbies.
      The kitchen’s rear wall is finished with grey bricksThe ground floor houses the apartment’s main living spaces including a new kitchen suite with handleless alabaster-white cabinetry.
      Save for a grey brick wall at the rear of the room, surfaces were washed with creamy tadelakt – a traditional lime-based plaster from Morocco.
      “It’s a purposely minimal and subdued kitchen, reserving the chaos to the cooking,” the studio said.
      The living room features white-oiled oak flooring and restored cornicingAt the front of the kitchen are wide glass doors that can be slid back to access the garden.
      London-based landscape design studio Tyler Goldfinch was brought in to give the paved outdoor space a wild, textured look using tiered planters overspilling with different types of grasses.
      There is also a silver birch tree surrounded by a circular bed of pebbles.

      Daytrip digs beneath east London townhouse to create contemporary living spaces

      Unlike the rest of the apartment, the living room was finished with white-oiled oak flooring while the ceiling’s original cornicing was restored. These same features also appear throughout the other two apartments on the upper floors.
      To create a sense of cohesion, all three flats were styled by East London galleries Beton Brut and Modern Art Hire, which carefully curated a mix of Italian and Japanese furnishings for the development.
      The other apartments on the upper floors also feature white-oiled oak flooringMany of the pieces were crafted from velvet, boucle or raw timber, bringing a sense of warmth and tactility to the interiors.
      With this aim, all of the bathrooms were also finished with tadelakt walls and limestone floors.
      All furnishings were selected by Beton Brut and Modern Art HireThis is the second residential project in Clapton from Daytrip founders Iwan Halstead and Emily Potter.
      In 2020, the duo overhauled a five-storey townhouse in the east London district by turning its dated 1970s-style rooms into serene white-washed living spaces.
      The photography is by Jake Curtis.

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