Houzz Tour: A Luxurious Contemporary Glass Home in Leafy North London
Double-height spaces, sleek materials and acres of glass make for a beautifully light, luxurious home in leafy Hampstead
‘It’s very playful,’ admits architect Matthew Brumby, referring to this glittering glass house in an exclusive enclave of north London. The impressive structure is a testament to architectural vision.
The project was the brainchild of London-based developer Kearsley, who purchased the site together with planning permission. The company brought in a team of architects, including Matthew, to help build the ultimate millionaire’s crash pad. With funding and a team of creative minds in place, the challenge was to amend the initial plans to create an edgy property – one that would stand out from the other Victorian homes on the street and yet still be respectful to its surroundings. ‘We wanted to create a stunning architectural home in one of London’s premier roads,’ says Matthew. ‘I think we exceeded expectations.’
Houzz at a Glance
Location Redington Road, Hampstead, London
Architect Matthew Brumby of Pennington Phillips
Size 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
The project was the brainchild of London-based developer Kearsley, who purchased the site together with planning permission. The company brought in a team of architects, including Matthew, to help build the ultimate millionaire’s crash pad. With funding and a team of creative minds in place, the challenge was to amend the initial plans to create an edgy property – one that would stand out from the other Victorian homes on the street and yet still be respectful to its surroundings. ‘We wanted to create a stunning architectural home in one of London’s premier roads,’ says Matthew. ‘I think we exceeded expectations.’
Houzz at a Glance
Location Redington Road, Hampstead, London
Architect Matthew Brumby of Pennington Phillips
Size 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
The glass structure is built on the site of a former 1950s cottage in the grounds of an imposing gothic mansion. Although the properties are now separate, permission was needed to cross the driveway of the larger house to gain access to this one. ‘It’s a stunning and luxurious home for a couple’ admits Matthew, ‘it’s not really a house for kids.’
The main, open-plan living space is surrounded by towering sheets of glass. These bend over onto the roof, allowing light to flood the property while also giving the owner unobstructed views of the surrounding woodlands.
Darkroom Architecture UK created the imposing chimney breast, lending the edgy space a more industrial vibe. ‘It’s an artisan piece,’ says Matthew. ‘It’s poured concrete that’s been layered up with pigment in the process, so it’s not a solid grey. The whole process is very artistic.’
The luxurious polished finish is juxtaposed with cracks – part of the effect – adding textured contrast to the sleek lines and finishes elsewhere in the house.
See more beautiful ways to use polished concrete
See more beautiful ways to use polished concrete
The glass-fronted, double-height reception room incorporates a cantilevered gallery, which acts as a luxurious home office and reading area. ‘It has been designed with ultimate luxury in mind,’ says Matthew. ‘We always wanted it to be an open-plan space, but it also had to have significant wow factor.’
The glass floor is designed to filter light through to a hallway that leads to two guest bedrooms underneath.
The wall of glazing, supplied by Glass UK, has super-thin frames for an almost uninterrupted view. ‘The joins are hidden between two pieces of glass, so all you see is a strip of grey paint,’ explains Matthew. ‘When you look at the house from the front, you just see a beautiful sheer face of glass, because the frame sits inside.’
Glazing, Glass UK.
Glazing, Glass UK.
The cantilevered mezzanine makes a glamorous office area. ‘It’s an amazing space where you can enjoy the views of Redington Road,’ says Matthew. ‘You’re in your contemporary glass box, yet it’s almost as if you’re looking out onto the countryside. And it’s flooded with light up here; it’s just a great place to sit and think.’ The seamless and railless glass balustrade opens the space up to the rest of the house, creating a floating feeling.
Check out another inventive mezzanine
Check out another inventive mezzanine
The back of the mezzanine looks out onto mature trees, and the expanse of glass means the house feels connected to the outdoors.
A cantilevered staircase leads up to the mezzanine, which appears to be hanging from a tiny metal rod on the outer corner.
The dark-stained oak timber of the cantilevered staircase matches the flooring elsewhere in the house.
A glass balustrade appears to be wedged into the chunky treads and allows light to pass freely through this area.
The sleek Boffi kitchen filled with Gaggenau appliances is reflected in the black polished-granite floor. ‘This room definitely has quite a masculine feel to it, a bit retro even,’ admits Matthew. ‘It’s an elite kitchen – everything is fully integrated with beautiful finishes.’ Slot lighting by Viabizzuno makes a stylish feature of the ceiling.
Kitchen, Boffi. Appliances, Gaggenau. Slot Lighting, Viabizzuno.
Kitchen, Boffi. Appliances, Gaggenau. Slot Lighting, Viabizzuno.
‘We tried to maintain a galley kitchen feel in this room, almost like a container ship,’ recalls Matthew. Long, sharp lines and a slot window running the length of the units lend a minimalist vibe to the space, which looks out towards the front of the house via a full-height window.
’Glass floor panels outside at the back of the house are another source of natural light for the guest bedrooms beneath. The lower floor is laid out as flexible bedroom/entertaining space, with the rear rooms designed to accommodate anything from a gym to a home cinema. ‘Essentially, this is a very decadent one-bedroom house with guest bedrooms,’ says Matthew. ‘It’s a one-off piece of modern architecture.’
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