Before & After: How Clever Thinking Renewed a Broken-Plan Home
Sliding barn doors formed the perfect compromise between open-plan and separate rooms in this Edwardian UK home
Sarah Alcroft
7 June 2021
Houzz UK Editorial Team
This project in London, UK, is a perfect example of how clever thinking can entirely transform a home with relatively few changes. The homeowners couldn’t think of a way to make their very long, narrow kitchen feel attached to the rest of the house without going open-plan. So, having seen the work of IMBY3 Architecture & Design on Houzz, they got in touch with design director Nick Taylor, who came up with a deceptively simple solution. The secret to his design is a series of sliding doors, which have made the space ultra-flexible.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Homeowner Eva Beazley, her partner and two grown-up children
Location: London, UK
Property: An Edwardian house with five bedrooms and two bathrooms
Size: 53 square metres
Completed: 2019
Architect: Nick Taylor of IMBY3 Architecture & Design
The problem with the house was that the kitchen was a long, narrow corridor and it wasn’t easy to move from there into the living room next to it, and the dining room at the end. “The extension was already on the back, so the kitchen always felt cut off from everywhere,” says Taylor. The narrow proportions of the kitchen also made the space quite dark, as you can see in the ‘before’ photo below.
Who lives here: Homeowner Eva Beazley, her partner and two grown-up children
Location: London, UK
Property: An Edwardian house with five bedrooms and two bathrooms
Size: 53 square metres
Completed: 2019
Architect: Nick Taylor of IMBY3 Architecture & Design
The problem with the house was that the kitchen was a long, narrow corridor and it wasn’t easy to move from there into the living room next to it, and the dining room at the end. “The extension was already on the back, so the kitchen always felt cut off from everywhere,” says Taylor. The narrow proportions of the kitchen also made the space quite dark, as you can see in the ‘before’ photo below.
Before Photo
“The kitchen was fine if there were two of you cooking, although we always joked about needing roller skates, as it’s 30 feet [9.1 metres] long,” says owner Eva Beazley, who project managed the renovation.
“But if friends were around, everyone wanted to congregate in the kitchen and you couldn’t even open the oven door and stand behind it. So they’d go down into the dining room and then you’d be on your own. I really felt the need to have conversation, but without people standing right next to me.”
Find an architect near you on Houzz to transform your home from ‘before’ to ‘after’
“But if friends were around, everyone wanted to congregate in the kitchen and you couldn’t even open the oven door and stand behind it. So they’d go down into the dining room and then you’d be on your own. I really felt the need to have conversation, but without people standing right next to me.”
Find an architect near you on Houzz to transform your home from ‘before’ to ‘after’
The challenge was how to make the area work without changing the layout. “Eva didn’t want a big, open-plan space,” says Taylor.
“The living room has an amazing ceiling and doors, and we didn’t want to lose the architectural integrity,” says Beazley. There was also a fairly limited budget, so Taylor had to keep as much of the building as possible as it was.
The solution was three sliding doors – one leading into the pantry (behind the camera in this image), one leading into the living room on the right and one leading into the dining area in the extension.
“We were chatting about how to open up, thinking of double doors,” says Beazley, “but then wondering where they would go [when open] – it would make it worse – when Nick said, ‘Barn doors!’ I didn’t even know they were a thing, but they were the big breakthrough, as they’d allow us to keep the architectural integrity of the sitting room.”
The sliding doors are the perfect solution, as the kitchen can be completely open…
“The living room has an amazing ceiling and doors, and we didn’t want to lose the architectural integrity,” says Beazley. There was also a fairly limited budget, so Taylor had to keep as much of the building as possible as it was.
The solution was three sliding doors – one leading into the pantry (behind the camera in this image), one leading into the living room on the right and one leading into the dining area in the extension.
“We were chatting about how to open up, thinking of double doors,” says Beazley, “but then wondering where they would go [when open] – it would make it worse – when Nick said, ‘Barn doors!’ I didn’t even know they were a thing, but they were the big breakthrough, as they’d allow us to keep the architectural integrity of the sitting room.”
The sliding doors are the perfect solution, as the kitchen can be completely open…
…or closed to the living room…
…and the dining room.
“The door at the end is so we could hive off the dining room as a work space,” says Beazley. “Originally, it was going to be a dining room and an office for me, but then we went into lockdown and it was taken over by my children. With my eldest daughter’s boyfriend, too, there were five of us working from home.”
“The door at the end is so we could hive off the dining room as a work space,” says Beazley. “Originally, it was going to be a dining room and an office for me, but then we went into lockdown and it was taken over by my children. With my eldest daughter’s boyfriend, too, there were five of us working from home.”
The living room, meanwhile, can still have a cosy feel…
…or be opened up to become lighter and part of the whole space.
The engineered oak flooring runs throughout the three rooms and has unified the space. “I suggested Eva go for the widest boards she could, as narrow ones can look a bit cheap in a big space,” says Taylor.
The sofa works nicely when the doors are open as well as closed. “You’re not in the kitchen, but close enough to talk or share the music,” says Beazley.
The engineered oak flooring runs throughout the three rooms and has unified the space. “I suggested Eva go for the widest boards she could, as narrow ones can look a bit cheap in a big space,” says Taylor.
The sofa works nicely when the doors are open as well as closed. “You’re not in the kitchen, but close enough to talk or share the music,” says Beazley.
To stay within budget, the kitchen remained more or less the same, but was refreshed with a lick of paint and new handles.
“It’s a fantastic colour,” says Beazley of the Dulux Midnight Teal paint to the cabinetry. “Then my daughter persuaded me to buy these lovely handles, and the same for the barn doors, and that’s really revitalised the whole kitchen.”
“It’s a fantastic colour,” says Beazley of the Dulux Midnight Teal paint to the cabinetry. “Then my daughter persuaded me to buy these lovely handles, and the same for the barn doors, and that’s really revitalised the whole kitchen.”
New track lights running right along the ceiling above the benchtop have also helped open up the narrow room. The black chimes with the barn-door track on the opposite wall and the new bar handles on the cabinetry.
“We had all these spotlights in the ceiling, but I couldn’t see what I was doing,” says Beazley. “[The track lights] make such a difference – I hate cooking in dim lighting and the kitchen is north-facing, so it never gets the sun.”
“We had all these spotlights in the ceiling, but I couldn’t see what I was doing,” says Beazley. “[The track lights] make such a difference – I hate cooking in dim lighting and the kitchen is north-facing, so it never gets the sun.”
Before Photo
A rolled steel joist (or RSJ, a type of steel beam) was inserted from which to hang the living room doors as they’re so heavy. Knocking through walls was a delicate business. “It’s always a bit nerve-racking,” says Taylor, “but it went smoothly.”
Some of the plasterwork was inevitably damaged, however, says Beazley, “The builders made moulds to restore the cornicing and even restored part of the skirting board in the same way”.
Some of the plasterwork was inevitably damaged, however, says Beazley, “The builders made moulds to restore the cornicing and even restored part of the skirting board in the same way”.
Before Photo
The extension previously had a single window.
Now the glazing is floor-to-ceiling on two sides. “The original idea was to take the extension right across the back, but planning didn’t allow it, as it’s a conservation area,” says Taylor. “Also, that would have cut off the living room from the garden.”
Beazley says Taylor’s architectural solution for this area was “the second breakthrough. We initially thought we might have to have a central pillar, then Nick said, ‘How about we put in a massive RSJ’”.
Beazley says Taylor’s architectural solution for this area was “the second breakthrough. We initially thought we might have to have a central pillar, then Nick said, ‘How about we put in a massive RSJ’”.
The beam helps the patio feel like another room. “It kind of encloses the space between the dining room and the boundary wall,” says Beazley. “When Nick suggested this, it was just ‘wow, yes’ and it was even more wow when it was done.”
The wall opposite was built to replace a rickety fence and proved the perfect place to introduce planting in this area. “I’d longed for a green wall, so this was wonderful,” says Beazley.
Browse more inspired patio designs on Houzz
The wall opposite was built to replace a rickety fence and proved the perfect place to introduce planting in this area. “I’d longed for a green wall, so this was wonderful,” says Beazley.
Browse more inspired patio designs on Houzz
When the corner extension doors and the bi-folds on the living room are all open, there’s a lovely circular connection between the three spaces.
The internal sliding doors have proved very useful. “If one person wants to relax or watch television, the sitting room doors can be pulled; if everyone is milling around, they can be left open,” says Beazley.
“The dining room can be shut if someone’s working in there, and it’s also nice to have that enclosed space for eating and not have to look at the kitchen,” she says.
The internal sliding doors have proved very useful. “If one person wants to relax or watch television, the sitting room doors can be pulled; if everyone is milling around, they can be left open,” says Beazley.
“The dining room can be shut if someone’s working in there, and it’s also nice to have that enclosed space for eating and not have to look at the kitchen,” she says.
Before Photo
“Eva loved these shelves, but we couldn’t use them in the extension, as they were too small, so they were used as inspiration for the new ones we designed,” says Taylor.
The new shelves, made from MDF, work nicely and the green turns them into a feature. “My daughter and I spent hours choosing the right colour to complement the garden and the living wall,” says Beazley. “We could put all our things on display, which was nice, as there wasn’t really room in the kitchen for big plates and bowls.”
The old trellis in the garden has been replaced with gorgeous framed willow fencing. “They’re all handmade by the family who own the business,” says Taylor.
A planter fitted with a wooden seat, repurposed from an old bench, brings more greenery near the house and has created a nice place to perch.
The old trellis in the garden has been replaced with gorgeous framed willow fencing. “They’re all handmade by the family who own the business,” says Taylor.
A planter fitted with a wooden seat, repurposed from an old bench, brings more greenery near the house and has created a nice place to perch.
Before Photo
The concrete terrace at the back was originally stepped halfway along, so Taylor had it levelled off. “The idea was you come in the front door and stay on that level all the way to the end of the patio,” says Beazley.
The whole area is now covered in porcelain tiles. The zingy orange colour on the steps was Beazley’s partner’s choice. It will work nicely with the greenery once it grows back. “The garden was lovely, but it took a battering during the work, so when it all regrows, this area will be softened,” says Taylor.
The project is a lovely example of a great collaboration between designer and homeowner. “I do believe design works best when it’s a dialogue and, when the owner has a good eye, it’s great to let them get involved as much as possible,” says Taylor.
“It was finished just before lockdown,” he adds, “so they got to really enjoy the house while they were trapped at home.”
And if you’re wondering about the metal pole suspended from the steel beam, it was another lockdown saviour. “It was for chin-ups,” says Beazley with a laugh. “We did our Joe Wicks [online workout videos] and yoga out there all summer long.”
Your turn
What do you like best about this reworked space? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story if you found it interesting, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Love interior transformations? Don’t miss this Before & After: A Fast, Easy Update to a Child’s Room With Paint
The project is a lovely example of a great collaboration between designer and homeowner. “I do believe design works best when it’s a dialogue and, when the owner has a good eye, it’s great to let them get involved as much as possible,” says Taylor.
“It was finished just before lockdown,” he adds, “so they got to really enjoy the house while they were trapped at home.”
And if you’re wondering about the metal pole suspended from the steel beam, it was another lockdown saviour. “It was for chin-ups,” says Beazley with a laugh. “We did our Joe Wicks [online workout videos] and yoga out there all summer long.”
Your turn
What do you like best about this reworked space? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story if you found it interesting, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Love interior transformations? Don’t miss this Before & After: A Fast, Easy Update to a Child’s Room With Paint
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Hi, this is not my area of expertise, but I happened to pass this ironworks farm on my way to seeing a client - it looks the real deal. They may do a bespoke one-off for you. Worth a call maybe? https://www.smithyironworks.com
We hung two heavy barn doors with hardware bought off Amazon. The doors were solid Victorian pine (don't ask) and very heavy. It worked well. That was a few years ago though.
My next-door neighbours did something very similar. After a couple of years they had their (pocket) doors-and the partition wall-that separated kitchen from living area removed because they found the doors were always open…