The planning context shaped the project from the outset. The house sits in a sensitive residential setting, where proportion and restraint mattered more than visual impact.
Internally, the layout was the main issue. Access was poor, the staircase was cramped and several rooms felt disconnected from how the house was being used.
The most complex part of the house was the master suite. The existing wing needed to accommodate a bedroom, dressing room and en-suite without forcing awkward compromises elsewhere in the plan.
These issues were linked. Layout, movement between rooms, and scale needed to be resolved together.
We worked with the existing Arts & Crafts house rather than against it.
The internal layout was stripped back and reorganised around clear routes through the house and usable room sizes. The original servant stair was removed, and replaced with a staircase that better matched the scale of the house and how it now functions.
A new single-storey extension was added to the side and rear. It’s contemporary in form, but deliberately restrained. Red zinc was chosen for its durability and to sit quietly alongside the existing house.
We remained involved from planning through delivery, coordinating consultants and resolving decisions as they arose on site.
The bar sits just off the main living space. It’s designed for entertaining, but also works as a quieter space away from the main rooms. The darker palette and more enclosed feel give it a different character, without breaking the overall flow of the house.
The completed house feels calm and coherent. Old and new sit comfortably together. Movement through the house is clear, and rooms feel proportionate and purposeful.
The project reflects clear judgement applied consistently, allowing the house to function well as a family home without losing its character.
