Top-lit house
Archway, London
Top-lit house is a full home refurbishment with modest extension in Archway, North London.
The existing split level house has been fully refurbished and extended both on the ground floor and the loft. Set in a conservation area in north London, the aim was to create a light filled modern house that complimented the existing character, but also reflected the client’s ’Scantique’ aesthetic.
The project provides much needed connected family space which the original split level restricted, a second floor terrace with city views and re-landscaped the garden with the aim of blurring the line between where the existing house and the new elements meet.
The existing split-level layout previously had dark landings. We took the opportunity to bring more light into every level of the house and make moving through the home more joyful.
In the extended loft, we installed a large circular rooflight with a hanging rail for art and continued the stairs into a new master bathroom. On the first floor, a new walk-on rooflight to the second floor terrace brings daylight deep into the house.
On the ground floor we retained and repurposed the original side garden doors as a glazed kitchen entrance. As well as bringing light into the stair, it provides views through into the garden from front door and a beautiful feature in the kitchen.
When the client moved into the house, the kitchen was up a split level and disconnected from the rest of the house. We relocated the kitchen to the ground floor forming a generous and social kitchen/dining space, with adjacent snug, providing much needed connected family social and entertaining space for the client and their young children.
The bathrooms in the existing house were small, cold and tired. One key requirement of the brief was to remedy this.
We kept the family bathroom in the same place, changing the layout to make bath time more comfortable and enjoyable. The design has been kept simple with dashes of fun to the sink and shower curtain.
The new master bathroom at the top of the house includes a sauna for our Nordic client; a luxury in London but a norm in Finland. Microcement floors and walls accentuate soft curves in the master shower, and timber joinery complementing and giving the space warmth.