Room Tour: A Victorian Villa’s Sensitive Yet Edgy Extension
An inviting window seat and a wood-burner are just two of the highlights in this open-plan kitchen/dining/living room
Kate Burt
14 October 2019
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and various magazines. I'm now excited to part of the editorial team at Houzz UK & Ireland, bringing the best of British and Irish design, interiors and architecture to Houzz.com.
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and... More
This home, dubbed ‘The Woodland Pavilion’, is on a busy road as well as in a conservation area. The brief was to draw the focus of the interior into the back of the building, away from the street and towards the property’s large, beautiful garden, which backs onto woodland.
The architect suggested avoiding a full-width extension, which risked seeming unnecessarily large, and introduced heaps of light without creating a space too bright or hot to enjoy.
The architect suggested avoiding a full-width extension, which risked seeming unnecessarily large, and introduced heaps of light without creating a space too bright or hot to enjoy.
Room at a Glance
Who lives here? Two lawyers and their two children, aged nine and four
Location South-east London
Property A detached Victorian villa in a conservation area
Kitchen dimensions The extension itself is 4 x 6.2m; the area of the entire kitchen/family/dining space is 56.51 sq m
Architect Ruth Campbell, director at Campbell Cadey
Photos by Richard Chivers Architectural Photography
Who lives here? Two lawyers and their two children, aged nine and four
Location South-east London
Property A detached Victorian villa in a conservation area
Kitchen dimensions The extension itself is 4 x 6.2m; the area of the entire kitchen/family/dining space is 56.51 sq m
Architect Ruth Campbell, director at Campbell Cadey
Photos by Richard Chivers Architectural Photography
Campbell Cadey got involved in the project as soon as the owners moved in and the aim was always to make the back of the house the heart of the redesigned space.
The new extension faces a long garden with woodland beyond and the owners wanted something really light and bright. It would involve opening up the downstairs but, architect Ruth Campbell explains, “We didn’t want to create one big amorphous space. We looked at it as open-plan, but with very clear zones with different characters within that one space.”
The new extension faces a long garden with woodland beyond and the owners wanted something really light and bright. It would involve opening up the downstairs but, architect Ruth Campbell explains, “We didn’t want to create one big amorphous space. We looked at it as open-plan, but with very clear zones with different characters within that one space.”
The new extension as seen in the architectural drawings for the project.
Ruth explains the decision not to extend to the full width of the house. “The property is already quite wide, so that would have made it too large. Instead, we wanted to break down the space a bit more. There’s a very clear kitchen and this links to the smaller family room and TV area.”
Ruth explains the decision not to extend to the full width of the house. “The property is already quite wide, so that would have made it too large. Instead, we wanted to break down the space a bit more. There’s a very clear kitchen and this links to the smaller family room and TV area.”
The ‘before’ layout of the house.
“The problem they had [with the original layout] was that the kitchen was too small for the whole house,” Ruth says.
There were also issues with the two connected rooms on the right-hand side of the property. “Even though it was lovely to be able to look from front to back, those rooms felt quite corridor-like and were quite difficult to use and furnish.”
“The problem they had [with the original layout] was that the kitchen was too small for the whole house,” Ruth says.
There were also issues with the two connected rooms on the right-hand side of the property. “Even though it was lovely to be able to look from front to back, those rooms felt quite corridor-like and were quite difficult to use and furnish.”
The plans for the renovated ground floor.
“We completely reconfigured the downstairs, so the back space could become a big family environment,” Ruth says. “It has a good-size kitchen that looks over the family/living space and links into the dining room and to the window seat, where you get two views across the garden.”
Ruth also designed in a utility room and cloakroom (not shown).
Browse reviews in the Houzz Professionals Directory for architects and building designers near you.
“We completely reconfigured the downstairs, so the back space could become a big family environment,” Ruth says. “It has a good-size kitchen that looks over the family/living space and links into the dining room and to the window seat, where you get two views across the garden.”
Ruth also designed in a utility room and cloakroom (not shown).
Browse reviews in the Houzz Professionals Directory for architects and building designers near you.
Ruth explains that the architectural design process was about echoing the same language as the rest of the house, especially important as the property is within a conservation area.
This resulted in the extension being built from the same brick as the house – reclaimed bricks were sourced – and the white rendered sections matching up with the windows.
This resulted in the extension being built from the same brick as the house – reclaimed bricks were sourced – and the white rendered sections matching up with the windows.
“The white block of the window seat interlocks with the top and bottom and back and front of the structure,” Ruth says. Ingeniously, it also works inside and out. “There are seats on both sides of the glass,” she says. “On the outside, there’s a firepit in front of the bench.”
The extension features two sets of sliding doors, one from the kitchen-diner, one – infrequently used for access – from the TV area, seen on the right above. There’s also a standalone back door tucked just behind the white block.
Ruth suggested sliding doors instead of bifolds for their slimmer lines, enhancing the views further.
The extension features two sets of sliding doors, one from the kitchen-diner, one – infrequently used for access – from the TV area, seen on the right above. There’s also a standalone back door tucked just behind the white block.
Ruth suggested sliding doors instead of bifolds for their slimmer lines, enhancing the views further.
As well as the vertical windows and doors, there’s a large rooflight above the dining space. “It defines the dining area and gives it a different feel,” Ruth says.
The view from upstairs shows the top of the rooflight and the wonderful long garden and woodland beyond.
From this angle, you can see the position of the back door, to the left of the window seat. “It also separates the extension from the original house,” Ruth says.
This side of the extension was designed to cantilever out from the external wall. “It’s a visual cantilever,” Ruth says, “but it also provides shade inside and out.” The bench below mirrors the shape and material; both are clad in cedar.
A closer look at the built-in bench outside.
The space is all about the views and natural light, and yet careful design, including the previously mentioned cantilever, ensures it never feels too bright.
Ruth also added in discreet recesses above the doors and windows, into which integral blinds can be fitted if desired. “If the owners find it feels too hot, they can install blinds without ruining the lines,” she says.
Table and chairs, John Lewis & Partners.
Ruth also added in discreet recesses above the doors and windows, into which integral blinds can be fitted if desired. “If the owners find it feels too hot, they can install blinds without ruining the lines,” she says.
Table and chairs, John Lewis & Partners.
The window seat is deep enough to provide a comfortable spot to sit and read or drink a cup of morning tea.
“Lots of people don’t know how to light spaces when there’s lots of glass,” says Ruth, who came up with a clever way to add the pendant underneath the rooflight.
“It’s on a pivoting bracket,” she says. “It’s actually attached to the wall and can be moved around to hang over the table.” It also means there’s freedom to shift the position of the table while keeping the pendant central.
“It’s on a pivoting bracket,” she says. “It’s actually attached to the wall and can be moved around to hang over the table.” It also means there’s freedom to shift the position of the table while keeping the pendant central.
This view looks back into the extension, towards the kitchen on the far wall.
The glass door goes into the hallway. “The owners wanted glass, so they still got that view through that they’d originally had. It means you can still see the garden from the front door,” Ruth says.
There’s underfloor heating throughout beneath engineered oak boards.
The glass door goes into the hallway. “The owners wanted glass, so they still got that view through that they’d originally had. It means you can still see the garden from the front door,” Ruth says.
There’s underfloor heating throughout beneath engineered oak boards.
“This area next to the dining table was originally going to be filled with cupboards, but we decided to keep it open. Doing so also gives a clear ‘full stop’ to the kitchen,” Ruth says.
Besta sideboard, Ikea. Octo timber pendant light, Secto.
Besta sideboard, Ikea. Octo timber pendant light, Secto.
The family area is beautifully light thanks to the sliding doors, but also cosy, as it has a wood-burning stove and a big, L-shaped sofa. The stove sits inside an original chimney that had been used to house the cooker in the previous layout.
“The room is big enough to take a corner sofa,” Ruth says. “And as the doors are not in constant use – they’re more for light and ventilation – it worked well to arrange the furniture like this.”
Sofa, Ikea. Eames RAR rocking chair, available at Heal’s. Tables, Made. Plants, Pearspring.
“The room is big enough to take a corner sofa,” Ruth says. “And as the doors are not in constant use – they’re more for light and ventilation – it worked well to arrange the furniture like this.”
Sofa, Ikea. Eames RAR rocking chair, available at Heal’s. Tables, Made. Plants, Pearspring.
The kitchen is by Ikea, but customised with door fronts by Naked Doors. The worktops are Carrara marble.
The space runs into the utility room, which is accessed through a door on the other side of the tall unit housing the ovens.
“We wanted the kitchen to feel built-in but not too built-in, and we stopped the units short of the ceiling so they wouldn’t dominate,” Ruth says.
On the back wall, there’s a single open shelf. “The owners wanted to show off nice things and make it feel not too kitchen-y, with built-in cupboards everywhere, as it connects to the living space,” she adds.
From the far left, there’s a full-height fridge, freezer and larder. Within the low-level units there are three sets of drawers, a dishwasher and a cupboard. Inside the tall units on the right are two ovens with storage above and below, and a pull-out larder.
The walls are brilliant white throughout. “We always use brilliant white, because, in our experience, it reflects light really well and can make spaces look larger and brighter” Ruth says. “In a family house, it’s also especially easy to live with, as you can so easily touch it up and cover scuff marks.
“Also, with off-whites,” she continues, “different accents and accessories can really transform how the colour appears, but with brilliant white, you won’t need to think about ensuring things work with the walls.”
Kitchen units painted in Mole’s Breath, Farrow & Ball. Ovens, Neff. Stools, sourced by owners.
The space runs into the utility room, which is accessed through a door on the other side of the tall unit housing the ovens.
“We wanted the kitchen to feel built-in but not too built-in, and we stopped the units short of the ceiling so they wouldn’t dominate,” Ruth says.
On the back wall, there’s a single open shelf. “The owners wanted to show off nice things and make it feel not too kitchen-y, with built-in cupboards everywhere, as it connects to the living space,” she adds.
From the far left, there’s a full-height fridge, freezer and larder. Within the low-level units there are three sets of drawers, a dishwasher and a cupboard. Inside the tall units on the right are two ovens with storage above and below, and a pull-out larder.
The walls are brilliant white throughout. “We always use brilliant white, because, in our experience, it reflects light really well and can make spaces look larger and brighter” Ruth says. “In a family house, it’s also especially easy to live with, as you can so easily touch it up and cover scuff marks.
“Also, with off-whites,” she continues, “different accents and accessories can really transform how the colour appears, but with brilliant white, you won’t need to think about ensuring things work with the walls.”
Kitchen units painted in Mole’s Breath, Farrow & Ball. Ovens, Neff. Stools, sourced by owners.
The island is 1200mm deep, so it makes full use of the space. It’s packed with storage: on one side, there’s full-depth storage, while on the stool side there’s more shallow storage, which the owners use for craft supplies.
The island hob is an induction one. “When it’s turned off, it can double as extra work surface,” Ruth says.
On the back wall, there are three small, globe-shaped wall lights for atmosphere. “Task lighting is all in the ceiling,” Ruth says. The spots are all a plaster-in design, so you see none of the fittings at all for a clean look.
Mini Glo-Ball wall lights, Flos.
Tell us…
What’s your favourite thing about this interesting extension? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
The island hob is an induction one. “When it’s turned off, it can double as extra work surface,” Ruth says.
On the back wall, there are three small, globe-shaped wall lights for atmosphere. “Task lighting is all in the ceiling,” Ruth says. The spots are all a plaster-in design, so you see none of the fittings at all for a clean look.
Mini Glo-Ball wall lights, Flos.
Tell us…
What’s your favourite thing about this interesting extension? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Kate, Where did you get the sliding doors and the wide window from?
All of the glass on this project came from Maxlight.
Love it.