UK Houzz Tour: A Beautiful Rebirth for a Crumbling Edwardian Home
An elegant, sensitive renovation has given this home an authentic period atmosphere while making it fit for modern life
The restoration of this Edwardian house in London, UK, could be called ‘invisible mending’. The simple appearance of the peaceful space, with its calming palette and glorious period features, belies the painstaking work that went into reviving it. Untouched for 50 years, the building had rotting timbers, crumbling plasterwork, no central heating and an outside toilet.
The new owners, a couple on the brink of starting a family, wanted to make the house fit for the 21st century, but in a sensitive way that respected its heritage. “They didn’t want anything showy or flash, they wanted something quiet and sensitive that was about stewarding the house into the next stage of its life,” says Kieran Hawkins, an architect at the UK firm Cairn, who relished the chance to gently restore the old building. “It’s always a nice way of dealing with heritage properties,” he says. “You’re just curating it.”
The new owners, a couple on the brink of starting a family, wanted to make the house fit for the 21st century, but in a sensitive way that respected its heritage. “They didn’t want anything showy or flash, they wanted something quiet and sensitive that was about stewarding the house into the next stage of its life,” says Kieran Hawkins, an architect at the UK firm Cairn, who relished the chance to gently restore the old building. “It’s always a nice way of dealing with heritage properties,” he says. “You’re just curating it.”
The house hasn’t been extended, but simply opened up a little. The kitchen had been a galley and the area now containing the units to the left was a separate ‘lean-to’ that housed a coal store and the toilet. “Luckily, [the former outhouse is] almost the perfect size for a run of kitchen cabinets,” says Hawkins.
To the left of the units there’s a laundry/pantry that has space for a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer as well as food storage. This meant Hawkins could keep the kitchen layout nice and airy, with no wall units and open shelving on the island. The perimeter benchtop is engineered stone, with simple white subway tiles for the splashback, while the island is oak, the warm timber chiming with the floorboards.
As with every other aspect of the renovation, Hawkins and the team went to great pains to restore the original features and reuse materials. “We took up all the floors, put the boards aside, then put them down again, having rebuilt the floors underneath,” he says.
Similarly, he kept the original windows and back door. “They were taken off, brushed down, repainted and given new mechanisms, ironmongery and draught strips,” he says. “It takes almost more time than to make something new, but it keeps the authenticity.”
To the left of the units there’s a laundry/pantry that has space for a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer as well as food storage. This meant Hawkins could keep the kitchen layout nice and airy, with no wall units and open shelving on the island. The perimeter benchtop is engineered stone, with simple white subway tiles for the splashback, while the island is oak, the warm timber chiming with the floorboards.
As with every other aspect of the renovation, Hawkins and the team went to great pains to restore the original features and reuse materials. “We took up all the floors, put the boards aside, then put them down again, having rebuilt the floors underneath,” he says.
Similarly, he kept the original windows and back door. “They were taken off, brushed down, repainted and given new mechanisms, ironmongery and draught strips,” he says. “It takes almost more time than to make something new, but it keeps the authenticity.”
You can see the long, thin outhouse that’s now been incorporated into the room on this ground-floor plan. It also shows the pantry/laundry tucked to the side, and a powder room, accessed from the hall.
Restoring an old home? Find an architect near you who knows your local council’s regulations to bring your property back to life
Restoring an old home? Find an architect near you who knows your local council’s regulations to bring your property back to life
Retaining the original timber floor meant no underfloor heating, but Hawkins fitted a layer of board underneath. “It’s not as warm as a fully insulated floor, but the owners are happy with that,” he says.
The lead-glass transom window above the door is original.
The lead-glass transom window above the door is original.
As you can see in this ‘before’ shot of the unusual bay window in the front reception room, the paint was peeling and the woodwork and plaster needed stripping back.
“There were all the issues you’d expect – damp, a roof that needed replacing,” says Hawkins. “We had to take the whole house apart to deal with the structural issues, move the pieces around, then put it back together again.”
“There were all the issues you’d expect – damp, a roof that needed replacing,” says Hawkins. “We had to take the whole house apart to deal with the structural issues, move the pieces around, then put it back together again.”
Now the walls have been replastered and the woodwork and plasterwork has been restored, the room feels fresh but original at the same time.
Hawkins took out the wall between the two reception rooms, but kept the individual character of each space.
“Now it’s one space, there are two fireplaces – one that’s quite refined at the front, then this big one at the back, which used to be in the old scullery,” he says. “They give the room [a sense of] two different zones.
“Now it’s one space, there are two fireplaces – one that’s quite refined at the front, then this big one at the back, which used to be in the old scullery,” he says. “They give the room [a sense of] two different zones.
“The [smaller] fireplace was originally tiled, but some were broken, so we replaced them with white plaster,” says Hawkins. “It was almost like dentistry!”
Not extending into the side return means the original glazed door at the back of the room remains, bringing in light and adding to the authenticity. A pathway leads through to the garden.
From here you can see the outside of the former outhouse and its original curved brick buttress on top, which Hawkins says “is a unique feature and nice to retain”.
From here you can see the outside of the former outhouse and its original curved brick buttress on top, which Hawkins says “is a unique feature and nice to retain”.
All the doors are hardwood and feel reassuringly heavy, while the door handles are handcrafted.
“The door plate is original – we managed to take it off and clean it up,” says Hawkins. The handle and escutcheon (the metal plate encircling and protecting the keyhole) are new, but in the same ribbed style.
Under the hall there’s a small coal cellar, which has a higher ceiling than usual, so Hawkins located the hot-water boiler and extra storage space in there. “We had to tank it and use a waterproof render,” he says.
The front door and glorious stained-glass vestibule doors are original. The hallway tiles are new, but in the same style as the old ones.
Hawkins says the calm atmosphere in the house can be felt from the moment you walk in. “It really has that feel of a different time and is a peaceful space to be in,” he says. “When you step through the front door, you leave modern London behind.”
Hawkins says the calm atmosphere in the house can be felt from the moment you walk in. “It really has that feel of a different time and is a peaceful space to be in,” he says. “When you step through the front door, you leave modern London behind.”
Some of the staircase structure stayed, but a lot was rebuilt. The design of these unusual balusters is original, and damaged ones were replaced like for like.
Recreating the original design of the house wasn’t without its challenges, not least when it came to replastering. “There’s a double curve on the underside of the stairs going up to the second floor, and not everyone can plaster a surface like this now in terms of the quality of craftsmanship,” says Hawkins. “There were some areas like this that tested the modern builder.”
Recreating the original design of the house wasn’t without its challenges, not least when it came to replastering. “There’s a double curve on the underside of the stairs going up to the second floor, and not everyone can plaster a surface like this now in terms of the quality of craftsmanship,” says Hawkins. “There were some areas like this that tested the modern builder.”
The first-floor drawings show how a little study and a second powder room are slotted between the main bedrooms and family bathroom.
The couple’s bedroom is at the front of the house on the first floor. The property’s unusual triangular windows continue up here. The floorboards on this level are also the restored originals.
One of the few things in reusable condition in the house were the fireplaces; all the rooms had them and the main bedroom was no exception, with this gorgeously decorative design.
There was a tiled hearth hiding under the carpet, which was painstakingly cleaned up.
“The bathroom is a really amazing, calming retreat, with the cast-iron bath and fireplace,” says Hawkins. “We built the cupboard in the alcove and painted it very dark grey to match the fireplace.”
The tiles in the surround needed a lot of TLC to get them to look this good. “It took endless scrubbing, then finishing with a sealant, which helped to bring out the colours,” says Hawkins. They added a new slate hearth, hidden behind the bath in this shot.
The tiles in the surround needed a lot of TLC to get them to look this good. “It took endless scrubbing, then finishing with a sealant, which helped to bring out the colours,” says Hawkins. They added a new slate hearth, hidden behind the bath in this shot.
The bathroom is a generous size, with space for a big, walk-in shower and an extra-wide basin. The original floorboards have been kept in here, too.
“It’s nice having a wooden floor in a bathroom – there’s something really luxurious about it,” says Hawkins. “Usually, you’d lay tiles for practicality, but if it’s a grown-up space and you can avoid splashing too much, it’s nice to have [the wood].”
It’s such a high ceiling in here, the builder had an extra-long pipe made for the shower head. The light is an outdoors design.
“It’s nice having a wooden floor in a bathroom – there’s something really luxurious about it,” says Hawkins. “Usually, you’d lay tiles for practicality, but if it’s a grown-up space and you can avoid splashing too much, it’s nice to have [the wood].”
It’s such a high ceiling in here, the builder had an extra-long pipe made for the shower head. The light is an outdoors design.
The nursery at the back of the first floor has a matching, smaller version of the fireplace in the couple’s room.
Cute textiles soften the space.
Next to the baby’s room there’s a home office in what was a bedroom. To the left of that is the second powder room.
This is the view mid-renovation from what is now the couple’s bedroom, looking towards the nursery at the back of the house.
The little door seen here from the top floor leads to the attic of the outrigger, which provides extra storage space.
Browse more beautifully designed staircases for inspiration
Browse more beautifully designed staircases for inspiration
The second-floor plan shows the storage beyond the little door, as well as the arrangement of the two bedrooms and shower.
As you can see from this view of the attic space, there was already a useable area at the back of the house (on the right), but Hawkins managed to create enough extra space under the eaves at the front to slot in a shower and a small bedroom.
It turned out the roof needed a lot of work, which ate into the budget pretty quickly. “The moment we realised we needed to replace the whole roof, because the structure was rotten and half the tiles were defective, we had to take a deep breath,” says Hawkins. “The whole contingency fund went in one fell swoop, second week on site. That meant we had to be even more careful for the rest of the project, because there was less money to spend.”
It turned out the roof needed a lot of work, which ate into the budget pretty quickly. “The moment we realised we needed to replace the whole roof, because the structure was rotten and half the tiles were defective, we had to take a deep breath,” says Hawkins. “The whole contingency fund went in one fell swoop, second week on site. That meant we had to be even more careful for the rest of the project, because there was less money to spend.”
The guest bedroom at the back of the attic space has an ensuite and shower under the sloping roof at the front.
Hawkins has slotted in a second guest room up here, with storage under the eaves.
On the outside of the house, the team repaired the brickwork and repainted the windows. They also laid some simple pavers to create a patio.
At the front, Hawkins repainted the white render and tidied everything up. The canopy over the door needed to be rebuilt as the wood was rotten. “It was a case of taking it back to a better version of what was there originally, rather than changing it,” he says.
The genius of this renovation is you could easily think the house has had nothing more done to it than being given a lick of paint, as all the work is behind the scenes. “It’s almost a resurrection, as it was such a wreck when we started – unliveable,” says Hawkins. “We’ve brought it back to life and updated it, so it can be used. It’s also a sustainable thing to do rather than knock it down and build another one.
“Its strength is it’s subtle and sensitive. All the complexity is hidden behind a calm Edwardian exterior,” he says. “There are some lovely spaces in there.”
Your turn
Of all the lovely spaces in this restored home, which are your favourites? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
For more great global design, check out this India Houzz Tour: A Home of Endless Windows and an Earthy Palette
The genius of this renovation is you could easily think the house has had nothing more done to it than being given a lick of paint, as all the work is behind the scenes. “It’s almost a resurrection, as it was such a wreck when we started – unliveable,” says Hawkins. “We’ve brought it back to life and updated it, so it can be used. It’s also a sustainable thing to do rather than knock it down and build another one.
“Its strength is it’s subtle and sensitive. All the complexity is hidden behind a calm Edwardian exterior,” he says. “There are some lovely spaces in there.”
Your turn
Of all the lovely spaces in this restored home, which are your favourites? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
For more great global design, check out this India Houzz Tour: A Home of Endless Windows and an Earthy Palette
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who had a baby on the way almost from the start of the project
Location: London, UK
Property: An early Edwardian terrace house
Size: Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
Duration of works: Around 10 months
Architect: Kieran Hawkins of Cairn
“The challenge with this project was making sure the house met modern specifications and good environmental standards while keeping the period atmosphere,” says Hawkins.
Beyond restoring the Edwardian details, key to creating that mood was using the original finishes. “That came down to carefully choosing the materials, so the rooms had an understated character,” says Hawkins. “We really paid attention to how light would come into the building – how it would reflect off surfaces to create the calm atmosphere the owners wanted.”
As it’s in a conservation area, anything they needed to do on the outside, such as putting in new skylights, needed local planning permission.