Walthamstow House

Having recently purchased and reinvigorated a terraced dwelling in Walthamstow, the clients sought to reconfigure the ground floor arrangment through expanding the house with a new side-infill and rear extension, whilst also refurbishing the first floor bathroom.

The ground floor arrangment was defined by 3 separate spaces; the front living room, a central dining room, and a rear kitchen, sat within a more recently constructed two-storey rear outrigger, stepped down from the original dwelling. The existing arrangment lacked both a visual and physical connection to the garden, and the separation between the kitchen and dining room was limiting in functionality. The dining room remained dark with limited natural light, and the disconnected external space was undesirable, unusable and thus forgotten.

Through creating a new side-infill and rear extension, extending up to both side boundaries, the ground floor is opened up to create one singular, connected kitchen / dining space. All surrporting steelwork is intelligently planned and coordinated, concealed within cabinetry, walls and ceilings, removing any sense of separation or transition between the old and the new. Contrastingly, the open kitchen / dining space seamlessley extends upto the rear garden, framed through new minimally framed sliding aluminium doors.

The dining room is relocated to the rear, connected intimately to the garden and rear patio, whilst being illuminated overhead by a large glazed rooflight. Exposed timber rafters provide solar shading and aid in distributing light more evenly throughout.

The kitchen, identified as being the heartbeat of the family home, is relocated to the centre of the house. It is defined by one large kitchen island - a hub for socialising, relaxing, and routine kitchen activities. Built-in kitchen cabinetry accomodates appliances and large amounts of storage and open worktop, in addition to hosting a built-in utility, storage for tableware and dining serving, and neatly concealing a new boiler installation.

Chamferred brickwork reveals and inset sliding doors emphasise the connection between inside and out.