We were asked to remodel this early twentieth century Arts and Crafts house in Blackheath for a growing family needing more space.  Our brief called for an additional bedroom and bathroom that are located within the existing roof of the house. We were also asked to carve out additional living spaces for the family which we literally did by excavating the cellar of the house.  Originally, the cellar’s ceiling height was 1.2 metres but we wanted to ensure generous ceiling height by raising it to 2.8 metres thereby creating what now feels like a lofty space in its own right. We played with the character of the cellar by using exposed second hand London stock brickwork internally. This works well with the overall character of the period architecture giving the new elements a warmth as well as a sense of solidity that only improves with age. The cellar also enjoys a kitchen, utility area, home cinema and play room that can be observed from the new study area. To ensure that the new spaces have adequate light, the kitchen, for example, opens onto a sunken garden.

Client: Private
Engineer: Tottenham & Bennett
Contractor: Graham McLure