Challenge
Neatly tucked in the middle of a long row of lovely - but old - Victorian terrace houses, this property was pretty but it was impractical, its traditional layout no longer suited to the lifestyle of our clients. They wanted a big change, and so they came to us. But what would the change look like?
After living in Scandinavia for a number of years, our clients had fallen in love with the clean, crisp style that’s synonymous with the region and it was this essence they wanted to infuse in their home. They also wanted to open up the space, incorporating an open plan kitchen, living and dining room with a separate reception room, but without further extension to the property.
The challenge of course was in working within the existing parameters of the property and in preserving certain elements of this traditional Victorian home, all while giving it the modern, minimalist facelift our clients hoped for.
Approach
Opening up the space and increasing its functionality meant the layout of the ground floor was to change entirely, removing major walls, a chimney and the addition of new openings.
Solution
As mentioned, achieving a Scandinavian aesthetic was the end goal, so wooden floors, timber furnishings, industrial lighting and of course, the finishing touch, a log stack for the fireplace were all part of the design. The thoughtfully chosen underfloor heating prevented the use of bulky radiators, which served to maintain the minimal feel. Our client loves natural light, so we altered the interior space to bring in as much as possible.
Another key material included in the home was the Crittal styling of the rear doors and skylight, which impressively manage to look traditional and new at the same time - a clever way to modernise older properties in a subtle, understated way. The end result is a fresh, light-filled design that suits our clients’ lifestyles and complements their interior tastes.