Burcote Road

A relaxed family home with pops of colour.

Location: Wandsworth Common, SW18

Year Completed: 2022

Project details:

A completely unmodernised 1930’s house was ready for a new chapter in its life.

As a result, we successfully increased its footprint by 1,200 sqft through a rear extension and the addition of an entirely new floor within a wraparound roof extension.

Stripped back to its bare bones, the house underwent a transformative remodel, bringing it to modern-day standards with meticulous attention to high-end finishes.

Client brief—What the client wanted…

Our client had purchased this house with one half looking at it as an investment and knowing it had untapped potential.

The other half, excited to have the opportunity to start with a blank canvas and create a warm and welcoming family home to call their own.

All family members were to be considered, which meant creating two equal sized bedrooms for their two boys and a warm water tap at the front of the house for washing the dog down after those muddy walks on the common.

Key design features—How we responded

To prevent a tunneling effect in the hallway, we created visual interest using artwork with picture lights and a custom bar with marble, accent lighting, and Crittall doors.

In the kitchen, we introduced burnished brass metal finishes and textured Taj Mahal stone worktops for understated elegance.

For a playful touch, a secret door in the hallway for the guest loo is seamlessly hidden within the wall paneling. A delightful surprise for dinner party guests, it also prevents visual clutter in the hallway.

The new staircase from ground to loft was designed with matching proportions for a seemlessly integrated feel, avoiding the typical 'tack-on' effect of loft extensions with restricted head heights and narrow stairs.

Challenges—Issues we had to overcome

Addressing the challenge of glare and heat in the south-facing kitchen extension, we sought a clean, contemporary solution. Our answer: discreet roller blinds, seamlessly hidden in the ceiling, ensuring they vanish when not in use.

Post covid, the construction industry was experiencing a huge amount of disruption with costs increasing daily and a shortage of materials impacting progress.

This required collaboration with the builder to hunt down materials which had to be sourced from alternative suppliers. And using our creativity to prioritise the budget efficiently by retaining as much existing structure as possible and focussing the spend on areas where it would have the most impactful results.