Chesilton Road
A basement-level kitchen that’s full of heart.
Location: Fulham, SW6
Year Completed: 2020
Project details:
We integrated a new kitchen with its surroundings. This involved:
excavating to increase the ceiling height and natural light
reconfiguring the entire floor level
redesigning the dining and living areas
replacing the conservatory with an extension and new garden.
Client brief—What the client wanted…
The client wanted to create the kitchen her late husband had intended for their family.
After twenty years in her Victorian era home (many spent considering renovating), the client wanted to realise her late husband’s vision for their kitchen. She also wanted a space her two young adult daughters would love to share with friends.
Key design features—How we responded
To create three distinct zones that still spoke to each other—and allowed the occupants to speak to each other—we used sightlines. The living area flows into the kitchen, which then flows out to the garden.
Sightlines were also used to emphasise the height and length of the space. The garden is an extension of the internal area, and the bold, textured outdoor fireplace draws your attention the moment you come downstairs. This visual link makes the interior feel more spacious.
Challenges—Issues we had to overcome
Basement levels often lack height and natural light. The existing kitchen ceiling was very low compared to the generous ceiling heights of the levels above. To realise the potential of the space, we needed to excavate and add an extension. This required structural work to the existing home.
A steel box frame to support the back of the house cost an extra £10k, but was a good investment. The frame allowed us to open up the space, increasing both height and length. We could conceal the steel beams within the coffered ceiling and lighting detail.
End result—Words from the client
“Nick has excellent taste. I'm really fussy about style. I love design. My home is filled with beautiful things. I like stripped-back contemporary, calm spaces. I needed an architect who had a similar aesthetic. I never had to worry about Nick not understanding my aesthetic. He really understood what I liked and disliked.”
— Caroline
“My husband passed away at the beginning of the project. Nick and I then continued with my husband's vision for what he wanted us to do. It became a very special project for everybody involved. The project was now about rebuilding us as a three, not a four. It was about reinventing the house for our future, but also honouring my husband’s legacy and his vision.”
— Caroline
Next Project: Holland Park - Woodsford Sq.
