Early 20th Century III • Suburban House

An arts and crafts house and its ‘granny annexe’ are consolidated and extended to provide a generous, light-filled home.

This large home in south-west London had been extended in piecemeal fashion over time, turning what was once a delightful 1920's arts and crafts home into a collection of quite dark disjointed spaces at the ground floor. The main extension of the property was undertaken to provide a self-contained residential annexe with its own kitchen, bathroom and living spaces. The whole house, although partially refurbished in the 1990s, suffers terribly from a lack of insulation, resulting in extremes of temperature throughout the year.

The brief was to consolidate the main house and the annexe, while also extending slightly into the garden to provide large, open spaces for family use. Alongside the reconfiguration of the ground floor, the upper storey has been redesigned to provide a master bedroom with ensuite dressing and bathroom. 

Existing and proposed ground floor plan

The main changes to the house all centre around a new, open plan kitchen diner to the rear of the house. This space has been carved out of the existing house to provide a much larger, light filled room that acts as the heart of the home.  

Following the arcade along the back of the house, one passes through the old annexe wall and into  a newly refurbished living area with direct views to a garden that is perfect for entertaining. At the front of the property there is a casual, cosy sitting room, whose proportions fit more in line with the existing lounge and study.

These key living spaces are flanked at the southern end of the house by a new gym, complete with WC and shower room that also serve the garden’s outdoor swimming pool. To the north of the building are a utility room, craft room and garage. These spaces are all accessed via an axis that runs the whole length of the house, spanning the previously disconnected extensions and stitching the house back together.

Existing and proposed garden elevation

Along the back of the house, adjacent to the kitchen diner, runs a new brick arcade. This arcade provides rhythm and rigour to the house when viewed from outside, while providing protection to the large glazed openings that flood the space with morning light.

Due to the house’s temperature control issues; and to improve upon the sustainability of the property, these works will adhere to PassivHaus principles – at least as closely as one can in a refurbishment project. This will include an air source heat pump, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery, highly efficient triple glazed replacement windows and internally, fully insulating all external walls.

These changes will turn the house from a series of disparate spaces, into a generous, sustainable family home with plenty of room to entertain and grow.

Building work has now commenced on site, with the project due to be completed in late 2024.