January 2022 £4.40
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Contents
January 2022
Regulars 11 EDITOR’S LETTER 17 KEVIN McCLOUD House of the Year
is Grand Designs’ best bits rolled into one, says our editor-at-large 97 SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE Get 13 issues of Grand Designs magazine delivered for just £25.99 122 MY GRAND IDEA How architect Tristan Wigfall designed a 52sqm house in south-east London
13 News 13 ARCHITECTURE UPDATE
A selection of new and inspiring residential projects 101 KITCHEN UPGRADE The latest designs, surfaces and appliances 113 BATHROOM EDIT Stylish new additions for the smallest room
113
101 MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 5
CONTENTS
Homes 20 TV HOUSE EXCLUSIVE
An awkward plot led one creative couple to build an extraordinary home 32 SCOTTISH FARMHOUSE
How a cantilevered extension transformed a 150-year-old property in the Highlands 43 VICTORIAN TERRACE
Light was the key to remodelling this London home for a family of four 53 ITALIAN NEW-BUILD
Amazing views and openplan living characterise this hillside house
53 Projects 67 GRAND BUILD Unpacking the pros
105
and cons of earth-shelter houses 73 GRAND GUIDE Ten homes cleverly adapted to their city settings 83 PROJECT REMODELLING How to rework interior spaces to gain better living space and more light
93 BUYER’S GUIDE TO SOLID FLOORS
For a durable, seamless finish, consider concrete, resin or terrazzo 105 PROJECT KITCHENS Ideas to help you create the perfect dining area 114 PROJECT BATHROOMS Get rid of clutter with these storage solutions
114
20 6 JANUARY 2022 /
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EDITOR K AREN STYLIANIDES ART DIRECTOR TONY PETERS CHIEF SUB-EDITOR MATT GL ASBY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ALICE WESTGATE DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR VICTORIA PURCELL CONTENT PRODUCER PAISLEY-ROSE TEDDER EDITOR-AT-LARGE KEVIN McCLOUD
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PUBLISHING MANAGING DIRECTOR RICHARD MOREY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER LEE NEWTON All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices and information correct at time of going to press. Grand Designs magazine is published by Media 10 in association with Channel 4 and FremantleMedia Limited trading as Naked. Grand Designs is a registered trademark of FremantleMedia Limited. Based on the television programme Grand Designs, produced by Naked West (a Fremantle label) for Channel 4. Licensed by Fremantle (fremantle.com) ©2021. ISSN 1742-0695
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EDITOR’S LETTER
A
PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFERSON SMITH
wedge of land stuck between a railway line and a road would be the last place many people would choose to build their home. Throw a sewer into the mix and most would walk briskly away without looking back. But Grand Designers Olaf and Fritha Mason are made of tougher stuff than that. Their hard graft and Olaf’s exemplary carpentry skills turned a problematic patch of ground into a house unlike anything you’ve seen before. It’s edgy, eye-catching and ingenious, and you can find it on page 20. Olaf and Fritha’s self-build is in a village, not a city, but some of the site-specific challenges the couple faced will be familiar to those attempting to create a home in the congestion of an urban setting. If a plot can be found it may come preloaded with compromises, and reworking a former industrial building or period house is
seldom a simple option in a built-up area. But necessity is the mother of invention after all, and the design-and-build solutions devised by the architects of the 10 city projects on page 73 are bold and brilliant. Sloping ground is tricky to build on, but it can be ideal for constructing an earth-shelter house. Nestled into a hillside, sunk into the ground or partially covered with a thick blanket of soil, these homes use the insulating properties of the earth to make them thermally efficient. Turn to page 67 to find out what’s involved. Happy New Year to you! May your selfbuild or renovation dreams come true in 2022.
COVER PHOTO DAPPLE PHOTOGRAPHY
K AREN ST YLIANIDES , EDITOR
@StylianidesK
Olaf and Fritha Mason’s wedgeshaped home in Billingshurst, West Sussex. Turn to page 20 for more
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 11
new houses | extensions | refurbishments | basement excavations | swimming pools
Photography: Mel Yates
If you have an architectural or interior design project please email gp@gregoryphillips.com Follow us on Instagram for regular updates and to receive our newsletter @gregoryphillipsarchitects
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NEWS
Architecture update Original projects to inspire your own self-build or renovation
Natural habitat The careful orientation of this four-bedroom house gives great views of the protected woodland site at the rear. Drew Mandel Architects arranged the 451sqm building on a sloping site in Ballantrae, north of Toronto, Canada, so that the ground-level entrance at the front leads to eye-level views of the tree canopies behind. A palette of natural materials such as handmade brick, fumed ash cladding, oak interior finishes and a green roof complement the setting. To restrict solar heat gain on the south-facing windows, vertical fins act as sun louvres. (drewmandelarchitects.com)
Distant vistas Settle in for an armchair tour of luxurious homes in wildly beautiful settings. South African architecture studio Saota’s lavishly illustrated Light Space Life: Houses by Saota (Thames & Hudson, £50, 30 November) explores 23 houses, from Lagos to LA. Just as striking as the innovative buildings are the outstanding views of Table Mountain and the Hollywood Hills. (thamesandhudson.com)
A sustainable future This compact, community-built one-bedroom house is proof that new low-energy homes are achievable, even when plots are hard to come by. Set in the back garden of a Victorian house in Fishponds, Bristol, the 44sqm modular house by Snug Homes is ahead of the net-zero carbon target for emissions. Fitted with solar panels and a solar-assisted heat pump for hot water, it has triple glazing and recycled newspaper insulation. It was named 2021’s Low Energy Project of the Year at the Structural Timber Awards, and has been shortlisted in the Wood Awards 2021 thanks to its creative use of ply, engineered oak, larch and pine. (snughomes.co.uk)
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 13
NEWS
Architecture update Slated for success Paul Cashin Architects’ inventive approach to a Victorian semi-detached house in Holmbury St Mary, Surrey, involved demolishing part of the building and digging into the hillside to create a 90sqm slate-wrapped double-storey extension. Comprising a boot room and office space downstairs and a bedroom upstairs, it has a gabled roof echoing the lines of the original house. A new front door and glazed link were added, and a former side extension rebuilt with a flat roof. The three-bedroom house also has new glazing, insulation and an air-source heat pump. (paulcashinarchitects.co.uk)
On the rocks Glinting glass and fair-faced concrete façades characterise this 450sqm home by Karim Nader Studio, which is set among spectacular scenery in Faqra, Lebanon. Each of the three bedrooms opens up to a small patio, while the living area, under a 18m-long zinc bridging roof, has fully opening glazing to the north and south. It’s approached by a staircase that meanders around the rocks, leading to the reception area and a terrace with a pool. (karimnader.com)
A three-bedroom maisonette and two-bedroom flat in the Muswell Hill conservation area, north London, have been turned back into a single five-bedroom home. In the centre is a dramatic steel and American white oak staircase, which is separated from the living area by a glazed panel and sliding door. Threefold Architects (threefoldarchitects.com) rebuilt the front façade and designed 100sqm of additions, including a basement and a rear extension with a doubleheight space faced in Marziale brick from Wienerberger (wienerberger.co.uk) and 3m-high glazed doors. At first-floor level, the extension houses the main en-suite bedroom, and beneath the dormer is a further bedroom and bathroom.
14 JANUARY 2022 /
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WORDS CAROLINE RODRIGUES PHOTOGRAPHY DOUBLESPACE PHOTOGRAPHY, TONY GILBERT, RICHARD CHIVERS, DIA MRAD, CHARLES HOSEA
Spatial drama
As award winning architects and designers we aspire to create extraordinary buildings and spaces for our clients, sometimes from the most difficult of design briefs. Central to our philosophy is that good design should reflect the needs of our clients and respond to the surrounding environment. Pushing the boundaries of design we are able to achieve timeless, highly innovative and sustainable projects. We offer a complete design service from initial advice through to the completion of your project. We complete works all over the UK and internationally with construction budgets from £250,000. Please take a look around our website and email us or call with your new project enquiry for a free consultation. Tye Architects t: 01525 406677 e: nicolas@tyearchitects.com w: www.tyearchitects.com
new builds
extensions
conversions
The tree house of your dreams. Working with wood can bring a wonderful natural texture to your whole home. And with Maxlight glazing you’ll enjoy big beams of beautiful natural light too. Leaving you to sit back and enjoy the view.
Platform 5 Architects Photography: Alan Williams
EXCLUSIVE COLUMN
Kevin
McCloud Sharpen your critical skills with this lighthearted guide to judging the contenders for the RIBA House of the Year
S
hould this issue of the magazine land on your doormat at the right moment, the new series of Grand Designs: House of the Year will be almost over for 2021. On the assumption that you watch most things GD related, you’ll have no doubt enjoyed pointing at absurd cantilevers from your sofa while wondering who builds these things when you or I can’t even find a plumber these days. House of the Year is GD without the mud and scaffolding. It is all the best bits rolled into one: beautiful buildings with matching gardens and happy owners who are awake and engaged and proud of what they’ve built and not stultified by weeks of sleepless nights trying to get a project finished for the cameras. No, these owners have just lightly gone round with the vacuum and dead-headed the roses. And they are happy because their houses have already won at least one award. To qualify for House of the Year, a home needs to have received a regional award from the RIBA, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland or the Royal Society of Ulster Architects. Some winners are, however, a teeny bit greater than others. Every year the RIBA dusts off its World War II Alan Turing computing machine so it can sift through hundreds of contenders. Judges are appointed and anointed. Homes are assessed and visited. The Enigma’s longlist of 20 or so houses is finally produced. These are the champions of champions from
which, over the course of four episodes, a shortlist emerges. From these, one victor is announced. To sit in judgement is a terrible thing and I never envy the jury the difficult task of picking winners and booting out the not-quite-brilliant-enough. This year we’re grateful to three gifted architects who have given of their time to assess the best of the best. Our chair is Amin Taha from the practice Groupwork, joined by Cany Ash of Ash Sakula Architects and Kieran McGonigle of McGonigle McGrath. All are very good architects, all are fêted and have been garlanded with some of the highest awards going. Kieran was the winner of House of the Year in 2019 for his pared-back, elegant and considered farmhouse in County Down, Northern Ireland. Amin, Cany and Kieran are an important part of the RIBA process, but you don’t have to be accountable to
Barrow House in Lincolnshire has five bedrooms, one of which cantilevers over the ground floor
anyone, you can sit in terrible judgment on your sofa. This is television after all, and the best thing television can do is get people to think. Don’t, however, think that I, Damion Burrows or Michelle Ogundehin are there to help you. Our job as presenters is to tease the story of each house from its owners and celebrate greatness in whatever way we can. We are there to make you understand a place and somehow convey the experience of moving through a building. We have had to dial down our critical faculties because, what with the judges and you, there are already plenty of people to form opinions. Amin, Cany and Kieran will have been given a complicated list of criteria with terms like embedded energy, contextual response, narrative clarity and contribution to place-making. But in the spirit of keeping things simple and, given our neutral support role, here is a brief guide to sofa judging as a gift from us three presenters. First, you don’t need a pen or paper. Second, you are allowed to change your mind as often as you want – and so are other people in your household. Third, you can also like things without having to explain why. Expert judges often just walk into a building and know when
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 17
EXCLUSIVE COLUMN
the design is really resolved. It’s good to quote that fact to shut other people up. And here are some other shorthand expert tips to ensure you sound super-knowledgeable as you watch.
The steel tank at the top of this converted water tower in Castle Acre, Norfolk, has become a living room
Taste Your taste is not my taste and it is not your taste of ten years ago, or indeed five years from now. So it is a murky thing to base an opinion on. Design critic Stephen Bayley wrote a book called Taste to try to get to the bottom of the murk, where he highlighted another slippery concept: that of being fashionable. Just avoid both.
Style Style is not fashion and can generally be described as something that is idiosyncratic and informed. Informed without idiosyncratic is usually just dull. Idiosyncratic without informed is nearly always weird.
Your taste is not my taste and it is not your taste of ten years ago, or indeed five years from now
Quality of design You’re onto a winner here because we can nearly all instinctively recognise when something is well proportioned and elegantly drawn. Even if you can’t, you can go negative and look for anything that is cumbersome, heavy or fudged. Architects like to control views, light and the sequence of experiences through a building. Look for the reveals and the contrasts too. Do use the word resolved as it sounds more appreciative than good.
Quality of construction Not something certified by the Chartered Institute of Screwdrivers. Look for quality pointing, nicely
detailed junctions, a limited palette of materials fully explored for different uses, hidden or beautiful guttering, and no raggedy bits of flapping plastic round the back. Remember that craftsmanship is not about expensive materials, but the way human skill ennobles the everyday. As with so many things in life, it’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you do with it.
Experiential This is probably the best word to drop into conversation as it can kill all other opinions dead. You can back it up by casually mentioning the dance of light on a surface, or movement through an enfilade of rooms, or sequences of
compression and release as you are led to a view or a private hidden corner of a building. The important thing to demonstrate is that you have moved beyond the superficial judgment of a building as something good to look at. And, finally, memorise these terms, rip out this page from the magazine and burn after reading. You will then command utter respect in front of the television, and no one will know how. You won’t speak of absurd cantilevers anymore, but the awe-inspiring, experiential, surreal sensation of standing underneath one as if the building were lighter than air. Oh, and look at those junctions!
Devon’s Hux Shard is part sculpture, part family home
ARE YOU PLANNING A ? projects to feature on the programme. Does your build fit the bill? To apply, please visit granddesigns.tv
18 JANUARY 2022 /
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PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY HASLAM
TV’s Grand Designs is looking for exciting
For more information, visit quooker.co.uk/save-water
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Looking sharp It took imagination, determination and exemplary carpentry skills to build this family home on a tricky plot WORDS EMILY BROOKS PHOTOGR APHY JEFFERSON SMITH
On a sunny day the low-profile solar photovoltaic panels, which sit flush with the zinc roof, provide enough electricity to power the whole house
HOMES TV HOUSE
IN BRIEF –
LOCATION Billingshurst, West Sussex TYPE OF PROPERTY Three-storey timber-framed house BEDROOMS 3 PROJECT STARTED March 2020 PROJECT FINISHED July 2021 SIZE 123sqm LAND COST £160,000 BUILD COST £280,000
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 21
HOMES TV HOUSE
W
ith its triangular footprint and steeply sloping roof, Olaf and Fritha Mason’s home is extremely unusual. But the quirky shape isn’t the result of a design whim, it’s a clever response to a problematic site hemmed in by a main road, a railway line and a sewer. ‘We started to look for a house almost as soon as we met, but it was difficult to find anything in our price range,’ says Olaf. The couple have been together for five years after meeting on a dating site, and volunteer as respite foster carers for vulnerable children at the weekends and during the holidays. ‘We considered building our own home early on,’ says Fritha, ‘but none of the plots we looked at felt right.’ Then Fritha’s dad showed them a piece of land with potential on an online estate agent’s website. Olaf, 45, and Fritha, 42, knew that a mains sewer ran across the site, but because there was outline planning permission for a house to be built on the plot, they assumed it wouldn’t be a problem. It was only after buying the land that they realised the sewer would have to be moved, at vast expense, if they went ahead as planned. ‘I didn’t know what outline planning was,’ says Olaf. ‘I thought I was paying for a plot of land with permission for a square house plus
ABOVE Olaf, Fritha and baby Lagertha at the front door LEFT The chequered panels are made from offcuts of cedar cladding. They disguise the doors to a shower room and a utility/store RIGHT Nothing could be built within 3m of the mains sewer, which runs under the driveway, almost parallel with the road
22 JANUARY 2022 /
MAGAZINE.COM
The quirky shape isn’t the result of a design whim, it’s a clever response to a problematic site
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 23
a sewer diversion, but that was misleading because it wouldn’t have been economically viable.’ Olaf is a carpenter and joiner specialising in bespoke interiors. Not wanting to be beaten by the situation, he put his design skills to good use and came up with the idea of a house that would skim the boundary of the sewer. ‘Rather than fight it, we worked with it,’ he says. An architect helped him turn his design into detailed drawings, which were used for the planning application and Building Regulations. ‘We realised that if Olaf devoted a year to the project, he could build a better home than we could ever have afforded to buy,’ says Fritha, who runs an ethical textiles business. The timber frame was constructed on site with hand tools. ‘I wanted to get my hands dirty and build it from scratch,’ says Olaf. His carpentry skills and experience were essential as millimetre precision was needed from the off. ‘I had to 24 JANUARY 2022 /
MAGAZINE.COM
HOMES TV HOUSE
LEFT As a contrast to all the angles in the house, a circular opening provides a view down from the first-floor corridor into the kitchen BELOW Because the walls are at an angle of 98 degrees, the kitchen cabinets are bespoke. A long peninsula creates a breakfast bar
ABOVE Olaf and Fritha’s love of colour is evident in the kitchen, where the plywood units are painted in hues ranging from sunny yellow to scarlet LEFT Before Olaf began using the bus as his carpentry studio, he set up this temporary workshop in the garden
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 25
HOMES TV HOUSE
get everything absolutely right as a tiny error in the angle of the building’s incline at ground level would result in gaining a couple of extra feet at the roof ridge,’ he explains. Just as crucial to the project are the measures taken to block out the sound of road traffic and trains. Triple glazing and 150mm-thick mineral-fibre insulation within the stud walls, which are built up to a total thickness of 500mm, limit noise pollution as much as possible. Beginning in early spring 2020, the build got off to a bad start with the discovery of a trunk sewer that had been missed on the ground survey. It had to be diverted, adding unexpected expense to the couple’s £190,000 budget, which increased even further when Olaf and Fritha chose to have concrete floors on every level – leading to the structural engineer specifying more robust foundations. The complexity of the building also had financial implications. ‘The structural engineer cost twice as much as the architect,’ says Olaf. ‘Nothing is straightforward with a triangle.’ The couple were forced to extend their self-build mortgage to cover the extra costs, and to borrow from family and friends. But Olaf was in his element project-managing the build, hiring a team of trades he’d worked with before. ‘It’s easy to trust people you know,’ he adds. 26 JANUARY 2022 /
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ABOVE Sliding glazed doors open onto the terrace from the dining area. The oak flooring has underfloor heating fitted beneath LEFT The internal doors arrived scored with a block pattern, but Olaf didn’t like the quality of the joinery so he painted the grooves in bright colours
F L O O R PL A N S
LIVING AREA BEDROOM
DINING AREA EN SUITE
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KITCHEN
BEDROOM BEDROOM
STUDY
STORAGE
GROUND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
S U PPL I E R S – PROJECT TEAM House design, project management and main contractor Olaf Mason (masoncarpentry.construction) Brickwork Mark Tempest (07816 246278) Plumbing and underfloor heating installation Ford Plumbing and Heating Services (07767 431163) Woodburner installation Andy Alderton (07710 222851) Electrics CES Electrical (07929 731722) Plastering and rendering Toby Vatcher (07540 850454) Painter and decorator Dominic Goodchild (07747 770610) STRUCTURE Groundworks JG Jones Groundworks Services (jgjonesservices.co.uk) Railway sleepers for external landscaping KJ Bownes (kjbownes.co.uk)
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS Bricks and blocks Chandlers Woodburning stove Morsø (morso.com) (chandlersbs.co.uk) Chimney Poujoulat (poujoulat.co.uk) Roof windows Velux (velux.co.uk) Boiler Ideal Heating (idealheating.com) Zinc roof supply and installation South Coast Toughened and safety glass Metal Roofing (southcoastmetalroofing.com) Star Glass (01798 875560) Liquid screed Southern Screed Oak flooring Bole (bole.eu), (southernscreed.uk) Naked Floors (nakedfloors.com) Insulation Kingspan (kingspan.com), Oak for staircases, finishing and second fix Rockwool (rockwool.com) Steel floor trays supplier CDI (cdi-icm.co.uk) The West Sussex Antique Timber Company (westsussexantiquetimber.co.uk) Cedar cladding Benchmark Timber Internal doors XL Joinery (xljoinery.co.uk) (benchmarktimber.co.uk) Birch plywood for internal joinery and Driveway pavers Thakeham kitchen Timbmet (timbmet.com) (thakeham.co.uk) Lighting Lighting Direct (lighting-direct.co.uk) Water tank Rainwater Harvesting Tiles Marble Mosaics (marble-mosaics.com), (rainwaterharvesting.co.uk) Tiles Direct (tiles-direct.com) Lining for box gutter All Angles Roofing Petrified wood basin Marble Mosaics (allanglesroofing.co.uk) Custom sink DSM Solar panels BiPVco (bipvco.com) (dsmstainlessproducts.co.uk) MVHR system Zehnder (zehnder.co.uk)
Worksurfaces Gemini Worktops (geminiworktops.com), Worktop Express (worktop-express.co.uk) Bath British Baths (britishbaths.co.uk) White goods Bosch (bosch.co.uk) Tesla battery supplier AJ Taylor (ajtaylor-electrical.co.uk) Decking Southgate Timber (southgatetimber.co.uk) Bee bricks and blocks, bat box and swift box Green & Blue (greenandblue.co.uk) FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES Soft furnishings Secret Projects (secretprojects.org) Blue chair upholstery Sophie Heggs Williams (07850 929592) Double-decker bus The Bus Business (thebusbusiness.com)
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 27
HOMES TV HOUSE
The need to move towards completion became more pressing with the arrival of baby Lagertha in March 2021. The couple were also motivated by the memory of Fritha’s brother Matt, who had been one of the project’s biggest cheerleaders. Sadly, he died of cancer two months after Lagertha was born. ‘Matt loved the house and wanted to see it finished,’ says Fritha. The family’s home measures just 123sqm, which called for a fair amount of ingenuity when it came to planning each space. Clever features that exploit every inch include a cupboard on castors made by Olaf that fits into a pointed recess in the couple’s bedroom, and the oak staircase where every tread doubles as a drawer. 28 JANUARY 2022 /
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The need to move towards completion became more pressing with the arrival of baby Lagertha in March Outside, the small footprint of the house means there’s lots of outdoor space left on the plot. As there was nothing to prevent them using the rest of the land as their garden, the couple added a block driveway, laid a 35sqm lawn and installed an 80sqm wooden
LEFT Olaf and Fritha’s bedroom takes up the whole top floor and has a freestanding tub. The cushions, which unfold into quilts, are made by a women’s co-operative in India ABOVE RIGHT AND RIGHT The en-suite bathroom mirrors the colourful kitchen, but with cool blue tones. The diagonal pattern of the wall and floor tiles emphasises the room’s angular proportions
deck with an outdoor kitchen, sunken seating area and firepit, all surrounded by retaining walls made from reclaimed railway sleepers. In one corner of the plot they’ve parked an old double-decker bus that’s been repurposed as Olaf’s workshop. ‘At first we were nervous about building this crazy spaceship of a house,’ says Fritha. ‘But everyone thinks it’s great, including our next-door neighbours, who used to own the land. Being beside the wooded railway embankment means that there is greenery everywhere, and most of our windows look out onto trees. That – and the fact that Olaf has built it all himself – is pretty amazing.’ MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 29
HOMES TV HOUSE
ABOVE The 80sqm terrace is made of ipe. An outdoor kitchen and sunken seating area offer plenty of space for entertaining RIGHT The retaining wall is built from reclaimed sleepers to keep out noise from the nearby railway FAR RIGHT Fritha stands between two rendered walls with integrated planters and Corten steel panels for privacy. They lead out to the driveway
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HOMES SCOTLAND
A question of balance A cantilevered extension to a renovated farmhouse creates a home for three generations of an extended family to spend time together WORDS REBECCA FOSTER PHOTOGR APHY DAPPLE PHOTOGR APHY
Clad in local stone, the lower part of the extension forms a heavy plinth for the cantilevered upper section, which has a lightweight timber frame and is supported by steel legs
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HOMES SCOTLAND
IN BRIEF –
LOCATION Near Aviemore, Cairngorms National Park, Scottish Highlands TYPE OF PROPERTY Traditional farmhouse with modern extension BEDROOMS 6 PROJECT STARTED October 2018 PROJECT FINISHED January 2021 SIZE 370sqm PROPERTY COST £650,000 BUILD COST Around £3,000 per sqm
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aking on a major renovation and extension wasn’t part of James and Amelia Forbes’ plan when they began searching for a new home, but that is exactly what they ended up doing. The couple and their two children, Abi, 17, and Rory, 13, had outgrown the home they’d holidayed in for many years – particularly as they wanted to share it with their wider family. ‘We’re based in London, while my two sisters and their families, plus my parents, live in different parts of the UK,’ says Amelia. ‘James and I were looking for somewhere we could all spend time together.’ With family members’ ages ranging from two to 75, it was also important to the couple that everyone had their own space. ‘We didn’t want to feel as though we were on top of one other,’ says James. After viewing a 150-year-old farmhouse in the Cairngorms National Park, management consultant James, 50, and Amelia, 47, ruled it out because it didn’t meet their list of requirements. But the spectacular setting made them reconsider. ‘The house looks over the mountains to the east and there’s a panoramic view of the valley to the north,’ James explains. The couple asked Andrew Brown of Brown & Brown Architects to make some changes. ‘James and Amelia wanted to convert a nearby outbuilding and connect it to the farmhouse,’ explains Andrew. ‘It wasn’t simple as the barn was 5m away from the farmhouse and 3m lower, plus it was set at an unusual angle.’
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LEFT Painted Siberian larch was used to clad the upper floor of the extension. The dark shade of the timber absorbs the sun’s warmth, reducing the property’s overall heat demand ABOVE Acting as a bridge between the original and new parts of the house, the glass link is also the main entrance and doubles as a seating area with views of the nearby ski runs MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 35
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HOMES SCOTLAND
‘The house looks over the mountains to the east and there’s a panoramic view of the valley to the north’ As the barn was on the verge of collapse, Andrew’s solution was to replace it with a two-storey extension with a cantilevered first floor and connect it to the house via a glass walkway. ‘We didn’t really want to alter the topography of the site,’ he explains. James was also keen on the idea of the cantilever so he could park his classic car beneath it, protecting it from the weather. As Andrew had designed buildings in the local area for many years he was able to present a well thought out design to the local authority, and the couple also sought advice from a planning consultant. The scheme gained permission with no objections. ‘It helped that we weren’t building something easily seen from the main road and chose materials sympathetic to the barn,’ James explains. Construction began in 2018, but soon hit a snag. ‘The farmhouse was built on nothing,’ says Andrew. ‘It was a miracle the building hadn’t fallen down.’ Concrete blocks inserted beneath the house now support the structure.
The kitchen units are finished in Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue, paired with a white Silestone worksurface RIGHT Inspired by the work of Norwegian architect Wenche Selmer, the worksurface runs across one of the windows
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HOMES SCOTLAND
Bespoke oak bookshelves in the living area double as a secret door to the WC
F L O O R PL A N S
STUDY
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
BATHROOM
WARDROBE
STUDY BEDROOM
TERRACE PANTRY
KITCHEN
GLAZED LINK
DINING AREA
WC
GROUND FLOOR
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BEDROOM BEDROOM
LIVING AREA
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SNUG
WC
FIRST FLOOR
BEDROOM
Underfloor heating was laid beneath the solid oak floorboards in the living area
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HOMES SCOTLAND
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‘Everything had to be decided with video calls. We placed our trust in our architect and site foreman’
LEFT In the main bathroom hexagonal recycled glass tiles mimic the appearance of marble and create an opulent backdrop for the freestanding tub ABOVE Originally Amelia’s mum’s idea, the letterbox window in the couple’s bedroom, which is in the farmhouse, provides one of the best views in the entire house
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When the UK went into lockdown in early 2020 the couple had to stop visiting the site. ‘Everything had to be decided with video calls and photos,’ says Amelia. ‘We placed our trust in Andrew and our site foreman, Wayne.’ Even so, seeing the house once restrictions were lifted several months later was a pleasant surprise. ‘It was surreal,’ Amelia recalls. ‘The last time we’d seen our home the glass link wasn’t built. I had no idea how much light there’d be.’ The farmhouse includes a series of small rooms for reading, relaxing and playing games, plus six bedrooms and three bathrooms. An open-plan kitchen, dining and living area plus a small cloakroom are in the extension. ‘There’s room for everyone to do their own thing, so if someone wants a quiet space to sit with a book, there’s always a place to go,’ says James. The family spends as much time at the property as possible and, since the pandemic, have worked remotely from here. James and Amelia have coffee in the morning while enjoying the views – something they miss when in London. The draw is so strong that they now plan to make the Cairngorms their permanent home. ‘The house has become the centre of our world,’ says Amelia.
S U PPL I E R S – PROJECT TEAM Architect Brown & Brown Architects (brownandbrownarchitects.com) Contractor Spey Building & Joinery (speybuildingandjoineryltd.co.uk) Structural engineer Design Engineering Workshop (designengineeringworkshop.co.uk) STRUCTURE Windows and glass Gray & Dick (gdltd.net), Internorm (internorm.com), Scotia (scotiawindowsanddoors.co.uk), Sky-Frame (sky-frame.com) Painted larch cladding Russwood (russwood.co.uk) Air-source heat pumps Vaillant (vaillant.co.uk) Steel/blacksmith work on staircase, fire surrounds and log store Metal Manufacture (metal-manufacture.co.uk) FIXTURES AND FITTINGS Stoves Highland Home Centre (highlandhomecentre.com), Stovax (stovax.com) Bathrooms Duravit (duravit.co.uk), Fired Earth (firedearth.com) Flooring Russwood FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES Bath Lusso Stone (lussostone.com) Lighting and furniture Catalog Interiors (cataloginteriors.com) Paint Farrow & Ball (farrow-ball.com)
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 41
HOMES LONDON
Shining example A clever use of glazing ensures there are no dark corners in this renovated townhouse WORDS JANE CRITTENDEN PHOTOGR APHY MATTHEW WALDER
In contrast to the building’s whitepainted rear wall, the extension features pale handmade bricks
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IN BRIEF –
LOCATION Peckham, south-east London TYPE OF PROPERTY Three-storey Victorian semi-detached townhouse BEDROOMS 5 PROJECT STARTED November 2019 PROJECT FINISHED August 2020 SIZE 195sqm HOUSE COST £1.16 million BUILD COST £350,000
44 JANUARY 2022 /
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anting to stay within the catchment area of a local secondary school restricted Sophie Ardern and Tom Barry’s options when they came to look for a bigger house. The couple, who are both 44 and work in TV production, sold their Victorian terrace and moved to a rented home with their two daughters, Kitty, ten, and Etta, seven, while they concentrated on buying the right property in the right place. Almost immediately they found a semi-detached Victorian house that was larger than the home they’d outgrown, but needed significant improvements. ‘There was an outbuilding that blocked the side access and a bathroom that projected into the kitchen,’ recalls Sophie. ‘Our plan was to extend to the side and rear, but I was concerned that this would make the middle section of the house MAGAZINE.COM
too dark.’ The couple were also keen to be adventurous in their approach. ‘We wanted a design that would make us think, “Wow, that’s clever,”’ she adds. The first floor followed a typical Victorian layout. It had three bedrooms, one of which overlooked the back garden, plus a bathroom in the middle and stairs leading up to one more bedroom and bathroom on the second floor, which also had a loftspace. ‘We wanted to
They were keen to be adventurous. ‘We wanted a design that made us think, “Wow, that’s clever,”’ says Sophie
HOMES LONDON
F L O O R PL A N S
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
DINING AREA
ABOVE Big sliding doors with minimal framing give unobstructed views of the garden. A downdraft extractor means there’s no need to have a hood over the island ABOVE RIGHT The extension created an extra 25sqm of space in the kitchen, which has handleless cupboards, quartz worksurfaces and a concrete floor
BATHROOM SHOWER KITCHEN UTILITY WC
STUDY STORAGE
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
BEDROOM LIVING ROOM
GROUND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
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convert the loft with a dormer into a fifth bedroom and playroom,’ Sophie explains. The plans also included a side and rear extension, new bathrooms, rewiring, replacement sash windows and decoration throughout. Sophie and Tom took their ideas to architect Damian Howkins, who had worked on a project for friends living nearby. Damian devised a design to prevent the extension from creating a dark area at the back of the kitchen and a gloomy middle room – earmarked as a study. His first suggestion was a glazed side entrance, but although Sophie and Tom liked the idea, they didn’t think they’d use it. So Damian altered the plans, devising an up-and-over window instead, which they loved. ‘It’s on the old exterior wall, between the study and the kitchen extension, which is where there used to be a window,’ Damian explains. The couple also wanted to see all the way from the living room at the front of the house to the garden at the back. The living room and the study had already been knocked through, so Damian replaced part of the wall between the study and the new kitchen with frameless glass to make the view possible. 46 JANUARY 2022 /
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ABOVE A glazed panel replaces a section of the wall separating the study from the kitchen area. There is shoe storage beneath the built-in seat LEFT The study, which is painted in Paean Black by Farrow & Ball, receives daylight from the up-and-over glazed area beyond
HOMES LONDON
The cornices and ceiling rose in the living room were reinstated in a nod to the house’s Victorian roots
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HOMES LONDON
LEFT The main bathroom has a spacious walk-in shower. Once Sophie decided on gold taps she found matching fittings for the rest of the room RIGHT A double basin and bespoke mirror slot neatly into an alcove
‘It was stressful making big decisions without seeing things in person, but our architect was proactive and organised, and that got us through it’
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The original high ceiling in the main bedroom was lowered to give extra head height in the new loft bedroom and playroom on the floor above
The thoughtful use of glazing made a big difference in other areas of the house too. A top-floor window brings light down through the stairwell, while skylights on opposite sides of the south-facing kitchen capture sunlight, but prevent the room getting too hot as they are cleverly angled within the pitch of the roof and relatively small. ‘The back of the house faces south, so we had to be careful we didn’t create an overheated greenhouse,’ says Damian. Big sliding glass doors with slim frames open onto the garden, providing great views and letting in the maximum amount of light. To move the project forward as quickly as possible and limit the amount of time they paid rent, the couple had already submitted a planning application when the sale was completed in August 2019. Renovations began that November, with Damian project-managing the main contractor, who he’d worked with
before. Things come to a temporary halt for three months in March 2020 when the first lockdown began, but by then the shell of the extension was finished and the contractor had wisely stocked up on supplies of plaster, plasterboard and insulation. ‘We still needed to buy fixtures and fittings for the kitchen and bathrooms,’ says Sophie. ‘I’d already been to the kitchen showroom, but it was stressful making big decisions without seeing things in person. Damian was brilliant, though. He was proactive and organised, and that got us through it.’ The couple’s sense of style is evident throughout. Rooms are decorated in boldly contrasting colours – from a near-black in the study to a powdery pink in the main bedroom – but the biggest impact comes from the quality of light. ‘The glazing is unique and makes our home feel really special,’ Sophie adds. MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 49
HOMES LONDON This bedroom is in the original part of the second floor. The ceiling was raised to the sloping roofline and a window added to make the space brighter
S U PPL I E R S – PROJECT TEAM Design Damian Howkins Architects (damianhowkins.com) Structural engineer HF-K (hf-k.co.uk) Contractor Platinum Homes Construction (platinumhomesconstruction.co.uk) Building Control approved inspector Complete Building Control (completebuildingcontrol.co.uk) STRUCTURE Sliding doors and windows Maxlight (maxlight.co.uk) Loft cement board cladding Trespa (trespa.com/en-gb) Bricks Petersen Tegl (en.petersen-tegl.dk)
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS Kitchen Naked Kitchens (nakedkitchens.com) Hob Bora (bora.co) Bathrooms Lusso Stone (lussostone.com) Gold bathroom fittings Dowsing & Reynolds (dowsingandreynolds.com), Living House (livinghouse.co.uk) Tiles Claybrook Studio (claybrookstudio.co.uk) Polished concrete flooring The Concrete Flooring Contractors (theconcreteflooring.com) Lighting Dowsing & Reynolds, Flos (flos.com) Spark & Bell (sparkandbell.com) Decorating Farrow & Ball Colour Consultancy (farrow-ball.com) FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES Hay Mags sofa Innes (innes.co.uk) Dining table and chairs John Lewis & Partners (johnlewis.com)
ABOVE Adding a dormer created the extra height needed for the stairwell and the fifth bedroom, which is reached through the door on the left
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steel reinforced natural hardwood doors entrance doors internal feature doors garage doors oversized doors passive house certified doors made and designed in UK
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HOMES ITALY
At one with nature An angular house with many sides provides panoramic views of its Alpine surroundings WORDS ALICE WESTGATE PHOTOGR APHY MONICA SPEZIA /LIVING INSIDE
The house opens out on to a veranda that provides all-encompassing views of the valley and mountains
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HOMES ITALY
IN BRIEF –
LOCATION Bressanone, South Tyrol, Italy TYPE OF PROPERTY Two-storey new-build BEDROOMS 4 PROJECT STARTED March 2017 PROJECT FINISHED October 2018 SIZE 260sqm BUILD COST Around £2,400 per sqm
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hen designing a house that’s surrounded by wonderful scenery, it can be tricky to decide which way the building should face. Cristina and Michael Fischer had this exact dilemma when they inherited a hillside plot in a village near Bressanone, in the mountainous South Tyrol region of north-eastern Italy. The views of the hills to the south were just as gorgeous as the woodland to the east and the valley to the west, not to mention the snowy peaks to the north.
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Cristina, 51, a teacher, and Michael, 52, who runs a furniture shop, were living nearby with their three children Alex, 22, Greta, 20, and Felix, 16. Michael grew up in the area, and several family members live in neighbouring properties, so when his parents left him the plot of land it already felt like home. The couple hoped their new house would exploit its setting more creatively than their previous one had done. ‘I wanted it to be better connected to the landscape and have an arrangement of spaces that reflect our family life, with lots of communal areas,’ says Cristina.
Greta, Alex and Cristina soak up the views. There’s also a sun-trap terrace on the south side of the house
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From left, Michael, Cristina, Greta, Alex and Felix Fischer in the snug
The couple presented their wishlist to Sandy Attia and Matteo Scagnol of MoDus Architects. ‘We have worked together in the past and we share the same design approach,’ explains Cristina. ‘Michael and I made a basic list of requirements, which included an open-plan living space with a central kitchen, four bedrooms, a laundry room and a double garage – but otherwise we gave them carte blanche.’ For Sandy and Matteo this was an exciting prospect. ‘Cristina and Michael asked us to design a home that felt spacious and open, but how we went about that was up to us,’ says Sandy. ‘We have always been interested in multifaceted buildings and realised that a house along those lines, without a conventional front or back, would work really well in this instance.’ They drew up plans for a building with a footprint shaped like an irregular pentangle, and with lots of floor-to-ceiling glazing. ‘It’s a house with many sides and many views,’ says Sandy. 56 JANUARY 2022 /
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ABOVE Built into a central concrete structure, the fireplace is a focal point for the open-plan living space. The snug is to the right with the main seating area beyond the kitchen
HOMES ITALY
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HOMES ITALY
For good acoustics and to soften the industrial look of the concrete floor, one wall of the snug is clad in oak while the ceiling is lined with cedar
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‘Cristina and Michael asked us to design a house that felt spacious and open, but how we went about that was up to us’
In the main seating area a modular Mags sofa and AAL81 leather armchair, both by Hay, provide a place for the entire family to relax together
The entrance is on the first floor, which cantilevers over the hillside and has an open-plan kitchen-diner, seating area and snug, plus Cristina and Michael’s bedroom. These spaces fan out from a central structural core that contains the bathrooms and the staircase. Several sets of glass doors lead on to a sheltered veranda protected by a generously overhanging roof. Stairs lead down to the lower floor, which is partially underground due to the sloping site and includes Alex, Greta, and Felix’s bedrooms, each of which opens on to the lawn. This design cleverly sidesteps the need for corridors. ‘The first-floor living spaces follow on from one to the other, without defined borders, giving a great sense of calm,’ says Sandy. A pared-back palette of materials further enhances the feeling of peace. The walls of the central structure are made from concrete, which was cast in situ, the timber formwork leaving the impression of the wood’s knots and grain on its surface. These features are echoed in the planked cedar ceilings, which follow the roofline’s complex geometry. ‘We used cedar because its natural aroma promotes a sense of wellbeing,’ says Cristina. ‘Michael’s family run a carpentry business, so they sourced the timber locally and cut it to fit, carefully working around the built-in ventilation and lighting systems.’
F L O O R PL A N
GARAGE KITCHEN
UTILITY
SEATING AREA WC
BEDROOM BEDROOM WC TV ROOM BEDROOM
BEDROOM
DINING AREA BATHROOM
GROUND FLOOR
SNUG
FIRST FLOOR
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 59
LEFT The walls in the ground-floor bathroom are waterproofed with osmotic cement that is pigmented to contrast with the white freestanding tub RIGHT One wall of Cristina and Michael’s bedroom is decorated with the highly patterned Barbary Toile wallpaper by Osborne & Little
‘Michael’s family run a carpentry business, so they sourced the timber locally’ Furniture from Michael’s shop complements the paredback scheme. ‘We all helped select the furniture and included pieces that represent milestones of Nordic design, such as those by Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner and Louis Weisdorf, plus examples from young avantgarde designers,’ says Michael. The house has a range of eco-friendly features such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) and rainwater harvesting systems to ensure 60 JANUARY 2022 /
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that it qualifies for the coveted CasaClima Class A certification, a regional benchmark for low-energy buildings. The outer walls are generously insulated and finished with roughly trowelled lime-based plaster that’s a subtle shade of grey-green to blend with the surroundings. Sandy and Matteo drew attention to the entrance with panels of coloured plaster in eye-catching geometric shapes. ‘We did it on a bit of a whim,’ admits Sandy, ‘and it makes the area around the front door look like an outside room.’ The family’s new home delivers everything that they had hoped for. ‘We love it at both sunrise and sunset, and it is equally beautiful in summer as it is in winter,’ says Cristina. ‘Nature is such a strong presence in this part of Italy, and we feel that our house really deepens that connection.’
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HOMES ITALY
The main entrance has a pentagonal door handle that was specially made to echo the footprint of the house
S U PPL I E R S – PROJECT TEAM Architects MoDus Architects (modusarchitects.com) Structural engineer Rodolfo Senoner (+39 335 548 4113) Main contractor Oberegger (obereggergroup.com) Electrical installation E-Team Plose (e-teamplose.com) Mechanical and plumbing installation Helmut Piok (+39 47 285 0171)
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STRUCTURE Windows and glass Askeen (askeen.it) Exterior plaster system STO (sto.com) Plastering Tyrol Group (tyrolgroup.net) Drywall installation and painter Kristian Plunger (+39 348 222 1680) Roofing and waterproofing Stampfl Bauspenglerei (bauspenglerei-stampfl.it)
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS Wood flooring Tiemmeci (tiemmeci.com) Concrete flooring and pigmented plaster Moling (moling.it) Interior doors Prader Meistertischlerei (prader.it) Kitchen Bulthaup (bulthaup.com) Bathroom fittings Agape (agapedesign.it) FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES Furniture Trias (trias.it) Bespoke furniture Tischlerei Göller (tischlerei-goller.it)
Turning your dreams into reality.
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This seven-level house in Paris is just 4.8m wide. Turn to page 73 for more inventive city homes
PHOTOGRAPHY CECILE SEPTET
PROJECTS
How to build an earth-shelter house
10 projects in urban settings
Ways to remodel your home
Buyer’s guide to solid floors
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Easily create your dream water feature with OASE
Waterfall Complete Set Wall 90
Waterfall Kit 30
The OASE Water Landscaping range can help you easily add water to your garden. All elements of the range are made in Germany, to the highest technical and engineered standards, including pumps, lights, filters, and features, which are all designed to work together. Discover the complete range here: https://social.oase.com/dreamfeature
PROJECTS GRAND BUILD
To generate more energy than it uses was the aim for this four-bedroom Derbyshire home, which nestles into a 45-degree slope and is surrounded by earth on three sides
Guide to earth-shelter homes How to build a house into, or even under, the ground WORDS K ATE DE SELINCOURT
The concept of houses using the ground as part of their construction first came to the attention of the eco-building scene thanks to the Earthship. Originally developed in the 1980s in Mexico, Earthship homes were built with reclaimed materials such as bottles and tyres. They faced towards the sun and were backed by a big earth mound to even out the building’s heat gains and losses.
In the UK the idea was taken up by pioneers such as the Hockerton Housing Project (hockertonhousingproject. org.uk) in Nottinghamshire, which was completed in 1998. With their thick insulation and modern ventilation systems, these homes brought the Earthship concept up to date.
Site-specific builds Though the idea of using earth-sheltering to create MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 67
PROJECTS GRAND BUILD
This four-bedroom home in Hull, East Yorkshire, is built within the shell of a former underground reservoir. Its fresh air comes from a whole-house ventilation system that also helps to keep the temperature constant all year round
energy-efficient homes has been somewhat left behind by advances in construction, there are still reasons why a house might be dug into, or sit under, the ground. Sometimes the site leaves no other option – either because it is too steep to build on it in any other way, or because the planners want the property to be inconspicuous. Some self-builds have turned this necessity into a virtue, with many benefitting from sloping sites that look out over fantastic views. Successful semi-underground homes have also been built to Passivhaus standard, so there should be no need to compromise on energy performance. 68 JANUARY 2022 /
Sometimes the site leaves no other option – either because it is too steep to build on it in any other way, or because the planners want the property to be inconspicuous Initial investigations If you are pondering on whether to buy a sloping plot and build into the earth, the first question should be: is this the best way to go? For instance, if you want to use natural, breathable construction materials, retaining the ground away from the house may make the build more straightforward. Such materials need to be separated carefully from the damp earth – they are much better left open to the air. MAGAZINE.COM
On some sloping sites it’s possible to level more of the ground. Instead of supporting the slope against the back of the house, the ground could be retained further back using terraced planting, gabions or a courtyard wall and creating a sheltered patio. It’s worth investigating your options before making a final decision – preferably at the pre-planning stage. An initial half-day or day of preliminary advice from a structural engineer before you make
an offer on the site could prove to be a great investment. In any case, a thorough site survey before work begins is essential. A delay because the site collapses, or turns out to have an unexpected pipe, cable or watercourse, could do a lot of damage to your budget.
Get expert help If digging into the ground turns out to be your best way forward, you will need the advice of a structural engineer as well as an architect. The structure of the house must be strong, well-insulated and waterproof. You need to have absolute confidence in the strength of the retaining
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PROJECTS GRAND BUILD
With two sides and a roof covered with earth, this fourbedroom concrete house near Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, was designed to require the bare minimum of heating
5 FACTORS TO CONSIDER Advice from Beth Williams, chartered civil engineer and certified Passivhaus designer with Build Collective (buildcollective.co.uk)
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Get a geotechnical investigation When undertaking a belowground building project, always obtain a geotechnical investigation. Budget for around £2,500 to £4,500, depending on the complexity of the site. Spending money on this at an early stage could save a lot more in the long term. But if you are worried about cost, start with a desktop study by a geotechnical specialist. How close are your neighbours? Consider any structure that will be within 6m of your new-build, subject to how deep the construction is, and the lie of the surrounding land. The Party Wall Act could apply to your neighbour’s neighbour, the people behind – or even across the road – as well as potentially relating to drainage and services in the area. Have you read the small print? This mantra applies to all building products, but it is particularly relevant when it comes to waterproofing systems – 80 per cent of basement failures come down to waterproofing issues. A product’s approval is specific to the use and installation conditions. Deviation from these will invalidate any warranties. If you are unsure whether a product is appropriate, the British Board of Agrément (BBA) certificate (bbacerts.co.uk) will tell you its intended use situations. Who’s in charge? Below-ground construction requires specialist design and oversight. This type of work is high risk. A temporary works engineer is needed – they are responsible for planning the process by which the construction is done, and for site safety measures. Check who is appointed to this essential role. Avoiding the highway/railway If your excavation might impact on a road or railway, you will need local authority highways or Network Rail approval – and these aren’t cheap. If you can, avoid a construction where you need to retain any infrastructure like this, as costs will run into the thousands.
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Structural matters The design of an earth-shelter home will depend entirely on the nature of each site. A shallow slope is likely to require less substantial ground retention than steeper or more unstable sites. Only an expert structural engineer will be able to advise on this. The structural work involved in building into or beneath the ground is more expensive than a standard construction, and may involve lots of concrete and steel. 70 JANUARY 2022 /
The structural work involved in building into or beneath the ground is more expensive than a standard construction Keeping dry Reliable waterproofing is the first line of defence against water ingress. But it is also often recommended to include drainage, such as a French drain, to help remove groundwater that could otherwise remain trapped behind the house. This type of drain is perforated and set in a rubble-filled trench, which allows water to trickle MAGAZINE.COM
away, but also allows air in to help remove moisture by evaporation.
Fresh perspectives As there may be limited through-ventilation due to the absence of windows on all sides, a well-designed, whole-house solution such as a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system is a must. There should be good provision for purge ventilation upwards too. This flushes several changes of outside air rapidly though the house to remove excess heat that might have built up during the day, or to clear any cooking smells.
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PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW WALL, ANDY HASLAM
structure, but an insulation or waterproofing failure underground will be very bad news, and may be almost impossible to remedy.
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10 A range of innovative ideas for living in built-up areas WORDS EMILY BROOKS
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Homes in the city In the UK more than 80 per cent of people live in cities, according to a survey by The World Bank, which also notes a steady rise in urban living all over the world. These homes come in many guises, from an apartment in the heart of the action that makes up for a lack of space with some clever design tricks, to a characterful converted warehouse. Will the post-pandemic exodus to the countryside continue? The following projects might prompt a rethink.
COURTYARD NEW-BUILD Quality over quantity
of space was the ethos behind this three-bedroom home in Vancouver, Canada, built for two lawyers and their two children. Despite the urban setting, local architecture firm Leckie Studio incorporated views of nature. Full-height glazed panels and sliding glass doors look out on an internal courtyard garden, and there are mountain views from the first-floor windows.
The timber-clad, street-facing side of the house features a row of vertical battens on the ground floor, which creates a sense of privacy for the living room. At the rear of the house the second storey cantilevers over a portion of the patio, acting as solar shading to prevent the interior from overheating in the summer months. The 232sqm house cost around £1.18 million to build. (leckiestudio.com)
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SHELL SCHEME
East London-based Emil Eve Architects remodelled this second-floor warehouse apartment in Clerkenwell, central London, for a couple who work in tech and finance. The £235,000 project saw the architects take a 172sqm empty shell and transform it into a home that teams the original industrial features with contemporary design. The open-plan living, dining and kitchen areas are at one end of the flat. Elsewhere, the layout has been divided, creating a pantry off the kitchen, a library, bathroom, main bedroom with en-suite bathroom and dressing room, and a second bedroom. Bespoke oak joinery and lime-washed birch ply kitchen cabinets bring a clean-lined look that contrasts with the brick walls and concrete pillars. (emileve.co.uk)
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WAREHOUSE REWORKED
Architect Helen Chong of FOF Studio refurbished a ground-floor, two-bedroom apartment for a young couple. The Grade II listed warehouse in Bermondsey, south London, used to be a paper mill and tannery, and retains features such as cast-iron columns, timber beams and exposed brickwork. The couple had two requests: to have a bigger kitchen with an island, and to make the flat brighter. A solid partition leading to one of the bedrooms was replaced with bi-folding glazed doors to improve the amount of light – a curtain provides privacy. The kitchen was made larger by taking space from a bathroom, and a new clerestory window between the two rooms lets the daylight in. The palette of materials includes oak-framed secondary glazing, whitewashed oak flooring and neutral-coloured concrete. The cost was around £2,200 per sqm. (fofstudio.co.uk)
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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE
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TINY TIMBER HOME A 51sqm,
one-bedroom house, built on vacant land in central Tokyo, Japan, was designed for a friend of project architect Hiroyuki Unemori of Unemori Architects. The timber structure has roof trusses that are exposed inside and clad in corrugated iron on the outside. From the entrance, the house drops down half a level to a semi basement containing the bedroom and bathroom, then rises to an open-plan kitchen and dining area on the first floor. The upper storey is a void with ceiling heights reaching 4.7m, giving impressive vertical space and light for such a tiny footprint. The house cost around £154,000 to build. (unemori-archi.com)
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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE
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CONTEMPORARY TERRACE
This two-bedroom new-build in south-east London replaces unused garages. The plot was bought by an architect and his sister. He then set up the practice 1200 Works to steer the project through to completion. Now home to the architect and his wife, the 110sqm house has a sunken ground floor and is spread over three levels. The Victorian homes on the street inspired the bay window and the horizontal lines that make up the front door and window lintels, while the crisp lines and lack of ornamentation ensure the look is contemporary. The structure is fibrereinforced concrete, designed to use a minimum of steel reinforcement, with a skin of bricks that complement the neighbouring properties. An attic living space could be turned into a third bedroom in the future. The project cost £265,000. (1200works.com)
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EXPANSION PROJECT A tiny
single-storey house in the Newtown inner suburb of Sydney, Australia, was reworked for a young professional couple by local studio Architect George. The project involved the creation of a new upper storey taking the overall footprint to 60sqm. A kitchen, dining and living space on the ground floor leads to a small back garden. The new first floor includes two bedrooms and a shower room. The practice specified glazed doors and windows at the rear to frame views of a park and listed church. Inside, every detail, from the handleless doors to the understair cupboards, is designed to optimise the limited space. The project cost around £163,000. (architectgeorge.com)
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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE
NARROW TOWNHOUSE It’s rare
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to find new houses in Paris, France, but in 2020 architecture practice Ajile was commissioned to design a seven-level home in the urban village La Butte Bergeyre. Built for a family of six, the 204sqm, fivebedroom house is just 4.8m wide and replaces an older property on the site. An entrance hall on the ground floor leads down to a lower ground
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living room and up to a kitchen, while the fourth and fifth floors include the children’s bedrooms. The crowning glory is the main bedroom, which has outside decks to the front and back and a roof terrace reached via a spiral staircase. Because of its unstable foundations, the house was built on 18m-deep micropiles and constructed from Thermibloc – hollow modular blocks made from 80 per cent waste woodchips and 20 per cent cement, with an insulated core. (ajile.fr)
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HERITAGE HOUSE UPDATE
This five-bedroom Category B listed townhouse in the West End conservation area of Glasgow, Scotland, had its basement and ground floor extended and reconfigured by Loader Monteith Architects for a young family. They wanted the space to be better organised for mealtimes with an easier route to the garden. A section of floor was lowered to connect a new kitchen extension, made from cast concrete, to the
garden, adding around 20sqm of extra space. The new addition’s Corten steel exterior picks up on the distinctive red sandstone of the house. A contemporary timber staircase leads down to the kitchen-diner, and the rest of the house has been upgraded to make it more energyefficient, with new insulation and a new heating system. The project cost £120,000 in 2020, but Loader Monteith Architects estimates recent rising costs would add 25 per cent to 50 per cent. (loadermonteith.co.uk)
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PROJECTS GRAND GUIDE
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TWO-INTO-ONE REMODELLING
When it was bought by a couple in their sixties with grownup children, this three-bedroom, 155sqm mews house in Belsize Park, north London, was divided into a two-storey apartment and a separate top-floor studio. They asked local practice XUL Architecture to turn the 19th-century former stable and coach house into a single home, while making sense of the different window and floor heights. Bringing in more daylight was key. On the ground floor a new glazed corner courtyard acts as a large lightwell, while a slim walk-on rooflight runs along the ceiling next to one wall, above which is an outdoor terrace. A skylight over the staircase gets rid of any gloomy areas. The pared-back colour palette of white walls and dark-timber floors streamlines the look of the interiors, adding to the sense of space. (xularchitecture.co.uk)
Sligo-based Noji Architects (noji.ie) created this addition to a semi-detached Victorian house in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The interiors were overseen by Kingston Lafferty Design (kingston laffertydesign.com). Owned by a couple with four young children, the three-bedroom house gained two more bedrooms, on the first floor and in the attic, and now totals 433sqm. Because of the urban setting and nearby neighbours, the extension peaks in the middle to minimise the height on the boundaries. The angular living/dining space features white-painted timber slats on the glazing to soften the natural light. The extension was constructed from a steel frame, with a blockwork ground floor and timberframe first floor erected around it.
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PHOTOGRAPHY EMA PETER, MARIELL LIND HANSEN, BIEL MORENO, KAI NAKAMURA, GILLIAN HAYES, CLINTON WEAVER, CECILE SEPTET, MATT CLAYTON, RUTH MARIA MURPHY
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with a convincing log-effect fuel bed and lifelike flames, the Liv 3 looks as good as the real thing. Available as a balanced flue stove, the Liv 3 can be installed in homes without a chimney because it’s completely sealed from the room, and a twin-wall pipe vents directly through an exterior wall. The air required for combustion comes through the outer pipe and the inner pipe carries waste gases outside. Find out more about the Liv 3 and this luxury brand from your local approved Onyx retailer.
TOP AND ABOVE The Onyx Liv 3’s black glass lining has a polished surface that helps to give the flames depth and definition. From £2,995 ● For more information, visit onyxfires.com MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 81
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PROJECTS RENOVATION
Ways to remodel your home Ideas for gaining space and a better layout WORDS CAROLINE RODRIGUES
Sometimes reworking the interior arrangement and architectural elements of your home provides all the extra quality and functionality of space you need – without having to spend a fortune. ‘Investing in openings between rooms, better glazed doors and bigger rooflights is worthwhile and will have a long-term value,’ says architect Kim Loddo of Inglis Badrashi Loddo (ibla.co.uk).
Mulroy Architects (mulroyarchitects.com) made dramatic changes to this Victorian terraced house in Muswell Hill, north London. See more of the project overleaf
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PROJECTS RENOVATION
Will I need permission? Aside from basements and some loft conversions, internal remodelling projects don’t usually require planning permission, unless your home is listed. But before you get too far down the line, make sure to check with your council and the Planning Portal (planningportal.co.uk). Mulroy Architects moved the staircase to a central position, removing a floor to allow views down into the new basement dining area. Works to the four-bedroom house, including an extension, cost £2,400 per sqm
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Small jobs may only require a builder, but an architect or design-and-build studio will be useful for reworking spaces and complex projects. In terraced or semi-detached houses any work affecting a shared wall will need a party wall agreement with your neighbours. And all work must meet Building Regulations.
Rethinking the layout Weigh up the advantages of going open-plan against the need for privacy and quiet areas – this will relate to the type of activities you want to use the spaces for. Sometimes a broken-plan layout is the answer, such as with a partial wall or level changes between spaces. ‘The separation creates areas for different uses,’ says Steve Clinch, head architect at Echlin architecture and design studio (echlinlondon.com). ‘A broken plan suits everyone, from single people who don’t want a cavernous space to couples wanting separate areas for hobbies or work, and families who will use the spaces differently as the kids grow up. But it’s important to seek professional advice on the structure and Building Regulations implications.’
ABOVE AND LEFT Toledano+ Architects demolished the partition walls of a high-ceilinged 130sqm period apartment in Paris, France, and introduced a plywood ribbon in their place. Laser-cut supporting rails and curved walls, created using moulds, were prefabricated and then reassembled on site in a single day. The ribbon, set lower than the ceiling to preserve the original mouldings, divides the two-bedroom apartment and includes niches for storage. The project cost £170,000. (toledano-architects.com) MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 85
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PROJECTS RENOVATION
Moving walls Reconfiguring a layout may involve removing one or more walls and building others. If you plan to take down a loadbearing wall, the opening must be supported by a rolled steel joist (RSJ). Seek advice from a surveyor or architect and confirmation from a structural engineer who can identify if a wall is loadbearing before removing it. Partition walls can be removed or repositioned without an RSJ.
Seek advice from a surveyor or architect and confirmation from a structural engineer who can identify if a wall is loadbearing before removing it
ABOVE AND TOP This 82.7sqm, two-bedroom conversion flat in Putney, south London, hadn’t been touched for years when the new owners asked Zaluga Developments for a complete upgrade. A structural wall between the dining room and kitchen was removed, new glazed doors and windows were installed, and a chunk was taken from the bedroom to create a shower area in the bathroom. A cloakroom with loo was added beneath the stairs. The project cost £72,000. (zalugadevelopments.com)
‘Moving walls is a good solution when the budget is tight,’ says James Gostelow, director at Zaluga Developments (zalugadevelopments.com). But knocking down the walls of a built-in cupboard may require you to replace the storage space you will lose somewhere else.
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 87
ABOVE AND RIGHT For this five-bedroom house in Knightsbridge, central London, Echlin moved the kitchen to a new basement level, along with a sunken seating area and two bedrooms. A skylight above the helical timber staircase brings in much-needed light. (echlinlondon.com)
Shifting the staircase Altering the stairs can be one of the most effective ways of improving the layout of your home. The options range from changing the position or direction of a straight run to installing a cantilevered stair, adding winders to create turns, or opting for a helical or space-saving spiral design. It can be tricky since every detail is strictly regulated. Building Regulations control the height and depth of each step, the permissible gap between open treads, the rake, or angle, and the headroom, which is usually 2m, as well as the handrail requirements. Your architect or staircase supplier should take care of all of this.
Taking out a chimney breast When not used for a fire or stove, the chimney breast of a period home can be removed to free up floorspace. As it is structural element, if you’re removing a chimney breast at ground or first-floor level but leaving any on the floors above intact, a structural engineer must calculate the support needed to secure the ones that remain. The exterior chimney stack can also be removed, and the roof repaired by your contractor.
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PROJECTS RENOVATION Make it brighter
BELOW AND BOTTOM The owners of this 1980s detached three-bedroom house in Bromley, south-east London, wanted a spacious kitchen-diner. By removing walls between the kitchen, dining space and original utility room, they extended the kitchen to the full width of the back of the house. Part of the internal garage has been used to create a new utility room. The project, by interior designer House by Mia, cost £45,000. (housebymia.com)
Even if you’re not extending into the garden, replacing a back window with French doors or sliding or bi-fold doors will increase the sense of spaciousness and light. Replacement windows with slimmer frames will also make a difference. You don’t normally need planning permission to replace windows and doors, but restrictions will apply if you’re in a listed building or a conservation area, national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Adding a bay window at the front does require permission. As always, check with your local council first. ‘Other ways to bring in light include adding a skylight above a staircase to brighten the space from top to bottom, or setting a panel of structural glass into a floor to light the room or corridor below,’ says Steve Clinch, head architect at Echlin. Upgrade the rooflights and glazing of an older extension to improve efficiency – inserting skylights into a roof falls under permitted development (PD), not requiring planning permission, but there are some conditions which you can check at the Planning Portal.
ASSESS THE COST Budgeting tips from architect Kim Loddo of Inglis Badrashi Loddo (ibla.co.uk) ● Be completely honest
with your architect about how much you want to spend and what you want to achieve. They will tell you early on if you have unrealistic expectations and offer solutions. ● Investing in an accurate
measured survey, asbestos survey, or investigative works in the early stages of a project may seem expensive, and be a bit disruptive, but it could save you a lot of money and time in the long run. ● Determine early on whether
services such as pipes and wiring to other areas need to be rerouted. This may involve chasing out walls, replastering and redecorating, and taking up floors in rooms which you were not intending to touch. These costs quickly add up. ● Never make assumptions
about whether walls are structural or not without taking the advice of a structural engineer, and set aside costs for a party wall surveyor if you are undertaking works near the boundary walls of your home. ● Get a clear and precise set of drawings, specifications and a schedule of works for the project, no matter how small. This will enable you to get a firm price from one or more builders. Have a contract in place before you start. Try the RIBA domestic building contract (architecture. com) or the JCT minor works contract (jctltd.co.uk). ● It’s a false economy to
save money on the less visible elements such as by skimming over the junction between a new and original wall instead of hacking off and replastering. New and old materials will almost inevitable move differently over time, and you will get cracking and most likely need to replaster the room at a later date.
PROJECTS RENOVATION Use overhead space Open up a room by removing the ceiling to create a doubleheight space, perhaps up into a vaulted roof, or take away part of a floor to create a mezzanine area with an open gallery. Adding a true mezzanine – an extra floor level between two storeys – is possible if the ceilings are high enough. Cutting into or adding new floors will alter the structural loads of your home, so you will need to get advice from a structural engineer. The new floor area can be supported by structural steel columns, timber or a mix. Building Regulations state that the floor area of the mezzanine must be no greater than 50 per cent of the floor area of the room below for fire safety reasons. Other safety considerations include the position of the stair, and the inclusion of fire doors. On a smaller scale, a modest raised platform could also sit on the floor below, perhaps to create a low-ceilinged spot for a children’s sleepover.
PHOTOGRAPHY DAN GLASSER, SALEM MOSTEFAOUI, ANDREW BEASLEY, TARAN WILKHU, NINA SYRUCKOVA, JULIAN ABRAMS
RIGHT AND BELOW Architecture practice Patalab rearranged the layout of a Victorian cottage in Wandsworth, south London. Just 4m wide, and with a tiny second bedroom, the terraced house previously had its staircase at the back. This has been replaced by a central triple-height stairwell, with skylights bringing light from the roof right down into the middle of the house. The 102sqm cottage also has a new two-storey extension. (patalab.com)
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The signal is transmitted with 128-bit encryption, used by many banks for online security, so that no one can copy it. As well as offering outstanding security, Garador doors are stylish and practical, with sections that lift vertically and run on tracks into the garage. The door won’t kick out, and you can park right outside. Each of the sections is fully insulated, which provides great thermal efficiency and helps to retain heat while preventing water ingress and unwanted draughts. The door is 42mm thick and filled with polyurethane foam with rubber seals all the way round. This keeps the garage interior warm and dry which can help to lower energy bills, especially when it adjoins the house.
TOP Because they rise vertically, Garador’s premium sectional doors offer room for wider vehicles. Linear Large door with Silkgrain finish, from £1,468 ABOVE The doors are 42mm thick and come with intermediate seals between every section joint to enhance thermal efficiency ● For more information, visit garador.co.uk or call 01935 443722 MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 91
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PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE
FOCUS ON
Solid floors Uncovering the pros and cons of concrete, resin and terrazzo WORDS ANDREA MANLEY
Once regarded as only suitable for utilitarian spaces such as garages, workshops or cellars, solid floors are now used in all areas of the home. Long valued for their durability, modern concrete, resin and terrazzo floors come in a versatile range of hues and give a seamless finish that can be highly polished or more matt.
This polished concrete in basalt runs throughout the ground floor of this self-build home. It extends outside to the terrace, where it has a slip-resistant, textured matt finish. A similar floor from Lazenby would cost around £110-£250 per sqm. (lazenby.co.uk)
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PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE
ABOVE In this open plan-living space Soup Architects specified a white concrete floor colour-matched to the exterior brickwork. The concrete was premixed prior to delivery and cost around £150 per sqm. (souparchitects.com)
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MADE TO LAST A concrete floor is poured in a single 100mm-thick layer that takes 28 days to cure before it is sealed and polished. The mixture is pumped in through a long, flexible tube, and the cement mixer needs to be close to the house to enable this to happen. There are several colours available, including off-white, grey and black, which can be given a matt, satin or gloss finish. There is a possibility that the floor will crack due to shrinkage as the concrete cures. To lessen the chances of this happening, shrink-reducing additives can be included in the mix, and anti-crack reinforcements added during installation. Concrete can be used on upper floors providing the subfloor is properly prepared and designed to take the weight. Alternatively, microcement is a more lightweight option. Concrete is poured after the underfloor heating is installed. During a renovation project, the doors and skirting boards will be removed prior to the floor going down. The degree of disruption and mess may rule out the material as an option for smaller refurbishment projects. ‘Poured concrete is a more straightforward process for a self-build, whereas microcement may be a better choice for a renovation,’ says Ben Young of decorative concrete specialist Lazenby (lazenby.co.uk). Concrete is extremely durable and has a high thermal mass. It can absorb and retain the warmth of sunlight and other heat sources, helping to make spaces warm in winter and cool in summer. MAGAZINE.COM
But the manufacturing process produces high levels of carbon emissions and uses lots of water. To reduce the environmental impact, choose a company with a UK plant that uses recycled and waste byproducts to make its concrete such as Cemex (cemex.co.uk).
ABOVE A continuous polished concrete floor in pale grey from The Concrete Flooring Contractors. It was laid over underfloor heating and cost around £100 per sqm. (theconcreteflooring.com)
LIGHTWEIGHT AND TOUGH Microcement, also known as microconcrete, is cement-based. It looks like poured concrete, but is hand-applied in layers using a trowel to a depth of just 3mm. It dries in 24 hours and can be sealed the day after installation. As microcement is thinly applied, the quality of the subfloor is very important. If it is compromised in any way, there will be imperfections in the surface. Despite its shallow depth, the floor is durable and lasts for ten to 15 years if well maintained. It’s also water-resistant, seamless, and can be laid over any solid subfloor including ceramic tiles. It is a good alternative to poured concrete for renovation projects or loft conversions where the weight of the floor and/or the access is a limiting factor. Eco-friendly formulas such as Carrcrete’s MicroFloor (carrcrete.co.uk) include recycled glass as an aggregate and a low-CO2 cement binder.
RIGHT KM I Design studio clad the floor and walls of this bathroom in microcement. The product cost around £150 per sqm. (km-idesign.com)
COSY AND COLOURFUL Resin feels soft and warm underfoot. It has a degree of flexibility and is resistant to cracking, so it can even be applied to timber floorboards or across different subfloors. It is hand-applied in several layers to a total depth of 3-4mm. Each layer must cure before the next is added, so installation takes five to seven days. Resin must be applied and sealed by a professional, after which it should last around 25 years when cared for properly. It comes in a wide range of colours. Choose from the RAL and Natural Colour System (NCS) charts, plus shades that mimic concrete. Some resins use castor oil as a core ingredient, and these are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), don’t off-gas and are UV-resistant, so they don’t go yellow when exposed to daylight. LEFT Bureau De Change Architects (b-de-c.com) created a graphic kitchen floor of blue resin and grey concrete. Floored Genius supplied and fitted the floor, from £150 per sqm. (flooredgenius.com) MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 95
PROJECTS BUYER’S GUIDE
Sphere8 made this eco-friendly bio resin staircase from HomeSphere resin in Motion Fossil, £140 per sqm. (sphere8.com)
FINISHING TOUCHES Tips on how to make sure you get the best results from Jason Hyatt, owner of The Resin Flooring Company (resinflooring.co.uk) ● Resin, microcement
and concrete can be swept every day with a damp or dry microfibre mop to remove surface dirt. Use a PH-neutral cleaning product as needed. ● Resin floors can be
resealed to look like new. This will usually involve cleaning, degreasing and lightly abrading the surface, followed by a polyurethane (PU) coating. A similar process can be used to change the colour of the floor. Microcement and concrete can also be cleaned and a new sealant applied. ● If any of these floors
MAKING A STAIRCASE It is possible to have steps that are made of concrete or resin. The former is poured into a staircase formwork, or mould, and once it has cured the formwork is removed. It can then be trowelled to match the appearance of a surrounding concrete floor. A formwork is also used for a resin staircase. ‘Most types of step can be created in resin, with
a few exceptions such as bullnose treads,’ explains Alex Dennis, technical director at Sphere 8 (sphere8.co.uk). ‘It is poured by hand in many layers. This results in a structure that looks like it has been moulded in a single piece.’ Resin staircases cost from £3,500 per flight, and concrete from £2,500 per flight.
have minor damage, repairs may be possible using the same materials they are composed of. ● A specialist resin repair
process and system, unique to The Resin Floor Company, matches the colour and finish of the floor to leave an invisible repair.
A SENSE OF DEPTH Terrazzo has distinctive chips of material embedded in it. It can be poured, laid in precast slabs or supplied as tiles. There are two types. Cement terrazzo includes cement and marble pieces and is polished until it’s smooth. Resin terrazzo combines resin with marble chips. It’s thinner than the cement option, but still strong. Terrazzo tiles come in formats up to 1,200x1,200mm. Bespoke terrazzo can be made with coloured glass, shells or chunks of local stone – the possibilities are endless. LEFT Cement-based terrazzo brings texture and pattern to the bathroom in this project by Studio Ogee (studioogee.co.uk). Large-format Pradena Terrazzo Honed tiles, 60x60x20cm, £85.50 per sqm, Terrazzo Tiles (terrazzo-tiles.co.uk) 96 JANUARY 2022 /
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PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY MATTHEWS, FIONA WALKER-ARNOTT, DIRK LINDNER, BEN BLOSSOM
Terrazzo has distinctive chips of material embedded in it. It can be poured, laid in precast slabs or supplied as tiles
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KITCHENS &
BATHROOMS 1500 dining table, from £2,565, 520 PF chairs, from £850 each, all Thonet (thonet.de). Turn to page 105 for more kitchen dining area solutions
MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 99
ON YOUR SCREEN
The essential online resource for anyone embarking on a self-build, renovation or home-improvement project
MAGAZINE.COM
KITCHEN UPGRADE
Go configure Buster + Punch has launched its first custom-built, modular, freestanding kitchen. The design can be configured online by choosing from the two cast-aluminium frames, three cabinet options and colours, plus stone or metal worksurfaces. The kitchen also features adjustable brass or stainless-steel feet and can be teamed with a new mixer tap, shelving and lighting, plus a choice of appliances. Made in Britain, prices start at £25,000 with an optional installation service. (busterandpunch.com)
On good form Flooring manufacturer Amtico’s recently updated Form luxury vinyl collection includes 17 new embossed wood- and stone-effect designs, plus four laying patterns, including this Pavestone option. Inspired by the classic flagstone, the tiles are available in five stone colours and can be paired with complementary strips for a grout effect. Form flooring in Cinder Pavestone, from £58.99 per sqm. (amtico.com)
Colourful collaboration
Character piece This Boren cabinet is made with mindi, a hardwood also known as white cedar. Available from Cox & Cox, Boren has a weathered finish, rattan cane top panels, and three interior shelves. A matching media unit and sideboard are also available. The cabinet measures H1,600xW1,070xD370mm, and costs £1,825. (coxandcox.co.uk)
The Bert & May x Little Greene tile collection sees eight of British paint company Little Greene’s classic hues replicated on two of Bert & May’s signature tiles. Available in Chemise, Livid, Royal Navy, Bassoon, Purple Brown, Rolling Fog, Aquamarine and French Grey, the rectangular 75x150mm glossy clay tiles cost £119.62 per sqm, while these 200x200mm chalky cement squares, in Chemise, are £102 per sqm. (bertandmay.com)
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KITCHEN UPGR ADE
Jewel bright Designed to hang in a cluster or as a single pendant, Pill is a capsuleshaped light made from handblown glass and cast brass or aluminium. Made to order by Empty State, each one measures Dia100xH404mm, and can be customised by specifying the drop height, glass colour, metal finish and cluster configuration. Choose from five colours, including this pale pink, blue and green option, and five metallic finishes. Prices start from £850 for a single handmade pendant. (emptystate.com)
In the right vein Ethereal is a collection of four white marble-effect quartz surfaces made using Cosentino’s HybriQ+ technology. This ensures at least 20 per cent of recycled raw materials are used in the production process, as well as 99 per cent recycled water and 100 per cent renewable energy. Choose from Ethereal Glow, Ethereal Noctis, Ethereal Haze or this Ethereal Dusk. From £450 per sqm. (cosentino.com/silestone)
All-in-one solution The new generation of single ovens from Smeg has Galileo cooking technology, combining steam, microwave and convection functions in one oven to decrease cooking times by up to 70 per cent. It’s available across the 600mm Classic, Linea and Dolce Stil Novo ranges, with prices from £499. This top-of-the-range Dolce Stil Novo Omnichef with a VIVOscreen Max intuitive screen costs £3,499. (smeguk.com)
This Origin kitchen by Schmidt is made with 100 per cent recycled high-density particleboard with a matt melamine finish. Featuring Twist woven-effect fronts and integrated handles, it can be teamed with crate-style drawers, metal end panels and Tavern wood-effect worksurfaces. From £10,000 including installation. (home-design.schmidt)
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WORDS PAULA WOODS
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PROJECTS KITCHENS
Where to eat? Design solutions for creating the perfect dining area in any kitchen WORDS PAUL A WOODS
Work the room Include architectural features in your plan. An alcove or recess may provide room for a narrow table without obstructing floorspace in the rest of the kitchen. Bespoke kitchen in Dry Rose with quartz worksurfaces, from £30,000, Life Kitchens (life-kitchens.co.uk)
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All in a line Could you fit everything you need into a kitchen that takes up just one wall, leaving space for a dining table in front? Bookend a run of base units with tall cabinets for built-in appliances and storage. Add shallow wall units for more cupboard space. K2 kitchen in Bancha by Farrow & Ball (farrow-ball.com), with quartz worksurfaces, from £25,000, Brookmans by Smallbone (brookmans.co.uk)
Built-in solution
Light and space
An extended tabletop at one end, or in the middle, of an island is a space-saving option for everyday meals. But you’ll need an overhang of at least 250-400mm for sufficient legroom. Teddy Edwards bespoke kitchen in solid bleached oak and warm grey, from £50,000, Kitchen Architecture (kitchenarchitecture.co.uk). Extension by Anderson Orr Architects (andersonorr.com)
An area of overhead glazing in an extension can be used to define the dining area as well as keep it bright. Built-in seating that’s been custom-made for the space provides room for as many guests as possible. Renovation project and interior design, including bespoke kitchen and banquette seating, by Catherine Wilman Interiors (catherinewilman.com)
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PROJECTS KITCHENS
SITTING COMFORTABLY? Take some table tips from Catherine Wilman, founder of architectural interior design company Catherine Wilman Interiors (catherinewilman.com) ● For ease of movement and
to ensure that chairs can be pulled out fully, there must be around 850mm between the table and any furniture or walls. ● Allow for between 600-700mm
of linear tabletop per person, though this could be reduced to around 550mm if using spacesaving benches or banquettes. ● Circular tables work well in most
Plot it out Give the dining area a sense of intimacy within a bigger space by including an eye-catching light fitting above the table and upholstered dining chairs. Measure furnishings and fittings before you buy to make sure everything is in proportion to the room. Bespoke kitchen, from £45,000, Blakes London (blakeslondon.com)
rooms, and their space-saving curves make them particularly suited to smaller areas. I tend to recommend designs for four to eight diners – any bigger and it can be hard to have a conversation or reach items across the table. Designs with a pedestal base provide plenty of legroom. ● A rectangular table is a good
option when seating more than six. The shape fits into most rooms and can be pushed up against a wall when not in use. ● Avoid going narrower than 900mm or you may struggle for room to fit both place settings and serving dishes. ● Chairs with arms are unlikely
to tuck under the table. So this will need to be taken into account when calculating space requirements. Aim for a seat height of around 460mm. To create extra room, consider narrower designs that range from 420-500mm wide.
Fresh air and quiet An efficient extractor fan is essential in an open-plan kitchen-diner to prevent cooking smells distracting from your meal. Look for a model with a low decibel rating and, if possible, banish the washing machine to a utility room. Arbor kitchen painted in Keep the Peace by Valspar (valsparpaint.co.uk) with Calacatta Blue quartz worksurfaces, from £25,000, Harvey Jones (harveyjones.com) MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 107
PROJECTS KITCHENS
Table talk
Keep it practical
In the zone
Choose durable, low-maintenance hard flooring that will stand the test of time. Engineered timber, stone, luxury vinyl and porcelain are all good options. Team with underfloor heating for added comfort and to free up wall space. Tuscany Beige porcelain tiles, 600x600mm, £39 per sqm, Porcelain Superstore (porcelainsuperstore.co.uk)
A change in floor or ceiling level can help define the dining space in an open-plan new-build. Get a similar effect with a change of flooring or a big rug under the table. Industrial oak table, L1,600xW950xH750mm, £975, Edie dining chairs, H760xW540xD410mm, £525 per pair, round jute rug, from £99, Nordic House (nordichouse.co.uk)
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PHOTOGRAPHY ALEXANDER JAMES
The further away the dining area is from where you cook, the more relaxed mealtimes will be. Facing as many chairs as possible away from kitchen clutter will also help. Bespoke plywood kitchen in London plane wood and Atlantic Blue laminate, from £15,000, Pluck (pluck.kitchen). Extension and remodelling by MW Architects (mwarchitects.co.uk)
PROJECTS CASE STUDY
P R O J EC T PROFILE –
LOCATION Walthamstow, north-east London STYLE OF PROPERTY Victorian 3-bedroom terrace DURATION OF BUILD 20 weeks SIZE 20sqm COST £83,000 (entire extension)
Added value
WORDS PAULA WOODS PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES WHITAKER
A carefully planned extension made room for a multipurpose dining area Julia and Greg Simmons, who are both in their thirties, were keen to improve the small, dark kitchen in their Victorian home. ‘We wanted a better space in which to cook, eat and spend time with our boys,’ explains Julia. The couple, who have two young sons, Jake, five, and Alfie, three, approached James Dale of James Dale Architects (jamesdalearchitects.com) for help. He suggested building a single-storey side and rear extension to provide extra space and light without losing too much garden. Planning permission took eight weeks to be approved. Once it had, the build started with the demolition of two loadbearing outrigger walls, followed by the construction of new structural steel beams and framework. The L-shaped extension has a big glazed door to the garden, rooflights and wraparound windows to maximise
the amount of daylight coming in. Its exterior is clad in Siberian larch boards. ‘Larch is a durable, sustainable and cost-effective material,’ says James. Inside, the kitchen units are arranged along two walls with the dining area in a clear space off to one side. ‘James’s suggestion to put the table in the rear section of the extension brings it close
Practical quarry tiles have been used inside and out. From £31.80 per sqm, CTD Architectural Tiles (ctdarchitectural tiles.co.uk) BELOW White units help to bounce light around the space. Highline units, £2,000, DIY Kitchens (diy-kitchens.com) to the garden and away from the busiest part of the kitchen,’ explains Julia. It’s where the family eat and play games together. It’s also a good spot for the couple to read or keep an eye on Jake and Alfie in the garden. The boys can go in and out of the back door without disturbing anyone cooking or relaxing at the table. Julia and Greg are both keen on modern Scandinavian design, so they chose understated white slab cabinets to go with the white walls and a tiled splashback to make sure that the scheme would be bright and uncluttered. On the floor, classic quarry tiles bring an element of warm colour to the scheme, while underfloor heating keeps the room cosy whatever the weather. ‘Our new extension is everything that we hoped for,’ says Julia. ‘James has designed a fantastic kitchen-diner that works brilliantly for all of us.’ MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 109
BUILT-IN WOW FACTOR Tom and Neilson’s versatile kitchen works for family meals and party time
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ADVERTISING PROMOTION
ABOVE With a handle-free design, the Infinity Plus Milano Ultra units give the kitchen a streamlined look. From £189 LEFT Copper metallic profiles help incorporate the built-in Bosch appliances into the overall design
PHOTOGRAPHY TARRAN PHOTO
ABOVE RIGHT From left, Tom and Neilson. Featuring wine coolers and a bar area, their kitchen is a place to entertain as well as prepare family meals
In early 2020 Tom and Neilson Jones visited their local Wren showroom in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. ‘We drove past the showroom and thought we’d pop in and have a look,’ says Neilson. ‘We were really impressed – there were some great deals available. It really made us think seriously about getting a new kitchen.’ The couple live in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, with Neilson’s three children. Their 420sqm, chalet-style house was built by its previous owner in 2014 and is a timber frame construction with steel beams. Its adaptable design means that every wall in the building is moveable. ‘We already had planning permission to extend our home and, after our visit to the showroom, we decided to renew the kitchen at the same time,’ says Tom. ‘We knew exactly what we wanted from the outset, and Chris, our Wren designer, really listened and did everything he could to work with our ideas.’ Tom and Neilson are both accomplished cooks and like to prepare meals together, particularly when they’re having friends and family over, so the space needed to be practical as well as stylish. ‘We felt Wren had exactly what we wanted and, after speaking with Chris, we were confident the company could deliver to our exact specifications,’ says Neilson. Once the design was finalised, Chris helped the couple find a Wren-approved installer. ‘Tom and Neilson needed someone who could rewire, build stud walls, plaster
‘We knew exactly what we wanted, and Chris, our Wren designer, really listened and did everything he could to work with our ideas’ and plumb as well as rip out the old kitchen before prepping and installing the new one, which was no small task,’ says Chris. The Milano Elements design is finished in striking Metallic Slate and Washed Concrete with Copper profiles, giving the space a contemporary look. The scheme incorporates 13 appliances, including two wine coolers, an under-counter fridge, hobs on the island and a Bosch integrated coffee machine. ‘There’s a one-stop-shop element to the kitchen,’ says Neilson. ‘It’s the focal part of our home and where we love to entertain. It’s great to prepare food or nibbles and drinks while people congregate around the island, it keeps everyone together.’ ‘We’re really proud of our new kitchen and love spending time in it,’ says Tom. ‘Whether that’s just relaxing as a family, or throwing one of our legendary parties.’ ● Book your free design appointment today at wrenkitchens.com MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 111
B AT H R O O M E D I T
Natural and luxurious German bathroom brand Keuco and Austrian furniture company Team 7 have launched a range of furniture, basins, brassware and accessories designed by Terreraux + Partner. The wood cabinets come in a choice of finishes and can be teamed with basins in ceramic or solid surface. Edition Lignatur Venetian Oak vanity unit, W1,400xD535xH400mm, with ceramic double basin, W1,407xD538xH12mm, £3,177,72, tall mirrored unit, W400xD370xH1750mm, £2,264.52, light mirror, W1,400xD60xH700mm, £662.16, and Edition 11 single lever basin mixer, £580.32. (edition-lignatur.de)
Standing tall Designed for use with a countertop basin, this elegant H420mm tap from London Basin Company has a curved swivel spout with aerator and a single crosshead mixer. Available in brushed or polished brass or black, it needs a working pressure of 1-5 bar and can be teamed with a matching waste and bottle trap. Jackson deck-mounted mixer tap, £560. (londonbasincompany.com)
Screen stealer
Classic beauty Part of timber flooring specialist Ted Todd’s Warehouse collection, Furrow Herringbone is an engineered, FSC-certified European oak parquet featuring characterful brushed-grain detail and bevelled edging. The 900x450mm blocks are sealed using hardened oil for a low-maintenance, splash-resistant finish, and are also suitable for use on walls. Priced £97.05 per sqm. (tedtodd.co.uk)
Matki’s latest range of EauZone shower panels and doors can be finished in Aged Brass. The unlacquered finish involves chemically ageing the metal to create a bronzed patina that will continue to develop over time. Vertical metal trim accents feature on the doors of both frameless and framed designs. EPI1000 door with panels for recess, H2,020xW995xD10mm, £2,895.60. (matki.co.uk)
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Nothing out of place Storage solutions and clutter-busting ideas to keep your room in good order WORDS PAUL A WOODS
Quick fix Look for cabinets that have adjustable shelves so that you can tailor the interior to accommodate the heights of the items you wish to store. D-Neo semi-tall cabinet, H1,320xW400xD240mm, £640.80, asymmetric vanity unit in black oak with drawer, W784xD452xH440mm, £327.60, asymmetric vanity basin, W800xD480xH60mm, £798, basin mixer tap, £121.20, Duravit (duravit.co.uk)
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PROJECTS BATHROOMS
Streamlined solution When building a stud wall to hide pipework or as a partition, it’s worth including a recessed shelf for storage that takes up no extra space. Glamour Ivory subway ceramic wall tiles, 75x150mm, £24.40 per sqm, Direct Tile Warehouse (directtilewarehouse.com)
Fit for purpose
A growing concern
Made-to-measure fitted furniture is the best way to squeeze cabinets into an awkward layout or a room with a sloping ceiling. Commission a company specialising in custom-made joinery or a carpenter via the Guild of Master Craftsmen (guildmc.com). Bespoke bathroom with built-in walnut cabinets and vanity unit, from £15,000, Woodstock Furniture (woodstockfurniture.co.uk)
Selecting from a co-ordinated collection of cabinets allows you to add extra pieces if your storage needs increase. Look for a wide range of units for different room sizes and shapes. Forever Collection vanity unit with basin, side and tall units, from £5,296, open shelving unit in smoked glass, £789, mirror, £1,039, Gessi 316 Intreccio tap, £1,270, Lily Pad tiles, £72.72 per sqm, all West One Bathrooms (westonebathrooms.com) MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 115
PROJECTS BATHROOMS
Slide to find If a vanity unit is awkward to use, what should have been stored inside may end up on top. Drawers are more ergonomic than cupboards, especially if they pull out to their full depth. Artelinea Monolite Bronzo Flutes vanity units, W750xD520xH430mm, with 1,500mm worksurface, £4,240.80, Tina basin in Ninfea Le Acque di Cielo gloss finish, Dia450xH260mm, £904.80, Spillo single mixer tap, £675.60, Cielo round mirror, Dia600mm, £858, CP Hart (cphart.co.uk)
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Plan ahead Whether buying furniture off the shelf or having it custom-made, compile an inventory of the toiletries, make-up, accessories and towels you want to store. Assess how much shelf or cupboard space each category will take up, add an allowance for extras, and use this as a guide to the storage space you need. Bespoke furniture from £20,000, Blakes London (blakeslondon.com)
Internal affairs
All at hand
Organise your clutter and find what you need quickly by fitting cleverly designed interior compartments. Look for drawers with integrated LED lighting for extra visibility. Modulnova Moon Cross drawer unit in matt lacquer grey with satinised glass vanity top, integral basin and a choice of custom-made inserts, from £2,000, DesignSpace London (designspacelondon.com)
One way to keep the soap and shampoo close by a freestanding bath is to fix wall-mounted shelves within arm’s reach. If wall space is limited or too far away, use a bath bridge or a side table. Sector plywood shelving in ash or oak veneer with brass or black brass detailing, from £245 for a W540xD221xH1,020mm three-shelf unit, Nest (nest.co.uk) MAGAZINE.COM / JANUARY 2022 117
Economy of scale Multifunctional furniture is the ultimate space-saver. Look for mirrored cabinets that include charging points, and innovative designs combining multiple fittings in one piece. Arco console with basin, mirror, tap and shelving, W800xD640xH1,500mm, from around £4,149, Felt modular wall grids, from £290.16 for a W300xD150x H595mm unit, Ribbon tub, L1,700xW785xD550mm, £6,072.80, all Ex.t (ex-t.com)
Benefit of upcycling Commission a carpenter and/or plumber to turn a period cabinet into a unique vanity unit. By mounting the basin on the countertop, only the minimum of cupboard space will be lost. Vintage Danish sideboard, around £1,000, Lovely & Co (lovelyandco.co.uk). Bespoke repurposing work including new slate top and metal framework for mirrors, £2,000, plus interior design, Run for the Hills (runforthehills.com) 118 JANUARY 2022 /
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PROJECTS BATHROOMS
HOT TOPIC Advice on heated towel rails from Steve Birch, sales director at Vogue (UK) (vogueuk.co.uk) ● Ladder-style rails, along
with designs that have integrated shelves, offer the most storage space. Those with curved rungs have the extra benefit of more room between the rails and wall. ● A heated towel rail is unlikely
to offer the same heat output as an equivalent radiator. But larger, taller models may be sufficient to heat a small to medium-sized room. For a greater heat output, consider a radiator with towel storage such as the Harmonique Duo by Vogue. ● You can use a British thermal
unit (BTU) calculator to estimate the output needed for your room. Alternatively, measure the volume of the room in cubic metres (length x width x height) and divide by 14. ● Towel warmers connected
solely to a central heating system only warm up once the system is switched on. By contrast, dual-powered designs can be heated by the central heating or electricity for year-round use. Electric models can be installed without the need for any plumbing work. ● Eco-friendly aluminium
models are made from recycled metal. Aluminium is an excellent conductor, providing a high temperature output and heating rapidly. But it’s also ideal for lower temperature systems such as ground-source heat pumps.
Behind the scenes Make use of vertical wall space by fitting a tall panel radiator with a concealed hanging rail and shelves. Niva bath steel radiator with rail and shelves, D325mm, available in two sizes, 55 RAL colours and black or white shelves, from £881.99, Vasco (vasco.eu)
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RESOURCES
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01483 200477 We have immense stocks of:
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RESOURCES THE ALTERNATIVE CONSERVATORY TIE BAR The TIEWIRE is the component of choice and has solutions for new conservatory roofs, refurbishments, solid roof replacements and traditional construction. Contemporary design allows the TIEWIRE, with its 6mm diameter stainless steel cable to blend into the background. The TIEWIRE is CE Marked.
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DIY VAT RECLAIMS FOR NEW BUILDS & CONVERSIONS I offer a professional, friendly and helpful service with a very competitive fee structure. I can help you maximise the VAT refund received upon completion of your claim and with any queries you have throughout the build. Final fee payable AFTER claim successfully refunded from HMRC.
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PROFILE
MY GRAND IDEA –
How did the project originally come about? In 2017 I was approached by a couple with three children who challenged my colleague Adam Shapland and I to build a house on a narrow slice of land beside their Victorian terraced home in Southwark, south-east London. They already owned the plot, which included a singlestorey builder’s store. — What are the plot’s dimensions? It is just 3.1m wide, making the RIGHT The total construction cost interior of the house just 2.8m of the three-storey wide. Trickier still, the plot gets house was around progressively narrower until it’s £160,000 1.9m at the back wall. That’s little BELOW Thanks to its compact design more than the length of a bath. and good levels — Did you face any other of insulation, the restrictions along the way? new house is thermally efficient Building Regulations stipulate that you must have a minimum floorspace BELOW RIGHT Exposed roof of 50sqm for a one-bed flat, so it timbers throughout was touch and go whether we could the house give achieve that given a footprint of just an increased 20sqm. But we did an early stage sense of space
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feasibility study for a one-bedroom house spread over three floors and managed to eke out 52sqm. We included a courtyard garden at the back to meet an additional planning requirement for outdoor space. — What kind of design tricks did you use? Key to the project’s success is the incredibly efficient staircase that didn’t waste an inch on unnecessary circulation space. We created a kitchen-diner at ground level,
with a living area and bathroom on the first floor and a bedroom and study at the top. The dining space, bathroom and study are stacked in the narrowest sections at the rear. — Why do you call this project urban dentistry? It’s a term borrowed from civic architect John Thorp that refers to a way of improving the appearance of city streets by enhancing the buildings that are already there. Adam and I like working where space is at a premium and enjoy the challenge of making the most of leftover and in-between sites. — How does the family feel about the house? They are proud that an entirely new home has come from such an unpromising and underused space. It’s rented out to a young couple, but when my clients’ children have grown up and left home they intend to downsize and live there themselves. Alma-nac, alma-nac.com
WORDS ALICE WESTGATE PHOTOGRAPHY JACK HOBHOUSE, PETER LANDERS
Architect Tristan Wigfall designed a compact, wedge-shaped house on a very narrow plot