Houzz Tour: A Victorian Home in London Gains a Contemporary Extension
The contrast of a modern extension on a house that, at heart, is classic and timeless gives this family home an exciting new direction
When Sam O’Grady and her husband, Ryan, began thinking about renovating their late Victorian home in south London, they were focusing on two floors. The original plan was to grab some additional living space for their growing children by creating a basement level, and to rethink the awkwardly laid-out ground floor. “Then the build gained momentum!” laughs O’Grady. “We ended up reconfiguring the first floor, too.”
So the project mushroomed, but after 18 months of work, the result is a forever family home that cleverly combines contemporary and timeless design.
So the project mushroomed, but after 18 months of work, the result is a forever family home that cleverly combines contemporary and timeless design.
“The ground floor didn’t flow very well,” says O’Grady. “We wanted something lighter and brighter.” She decided to knock down the small extension at the rear of the house and create a larger, more contemporary space. The new basement provides additional room for the children and also contains a guest suite.
This meant O’Grady could sacrifice the guest bedroom on the first floor and redesign this level as a master suite. “The renovation made us look at the whole house and how it works together,” she says.
What can an architect do for you?
This meant O’Grady could sacrifice the guest bedroom on the first floor and redesign this level as a master suite. “The renovation made us look at the whole house and how it works together,” she says.
What can an architect do for you?
An exposed brick wall runs from the ground floor down into the basement. “I wanted there to be a contrast between the contemporary extension and the more classic part of the house,” says O’Grady. “I tried hard to maintain the timeless feel of the original part of the house by fitting panelling and preserving the original cornicing and skirting.”
A lightwell floods the brick wall with daylight and helps to pick it out and differentiate the two areas.
A lightwell floods the brick wall with daylight and helps to pick it out and differentiate the two areas.
The contemporary extension measures 11m x 6m. “Designing the kitchen was slightly challenging, because although it’s a massive space, there’s only one wall on which to put cabinetry,” says O’Grady. She had a run of units fitted to the exterior wall and also made use of the boot room that opens off it, using it to hold a freezer, additional sink and larder.
Kitchen cabinetry in Warm Grey matt lacquer with Charcoal Oak breakfast bar and cabinetry interiors, Brayer Design. BOP 220 single ovens, Gaggenau. Platinum rug by David Rockwell, The Rug Company.
Read about this kitchen in more detail
Kitchen cabinetry in Warm Grey matt lacquer with Charcoal Oak breakfast bar and cabinetry interiors, Brayer Design. BOP 220 single ovens, Gaggenau. Platinum rug by David Rockwell, The Rug Company.
Read about this kitchen in more detail
The boot room off the kitchen is also accessible from the hallway. The cabinets fitted in the kitchen extend into this space to create a sense of seamless flow.
CX 480 induction hob, Gaggenau.
CX 480 induction hob, Gaggenau.
O’Grady chose a large island with a generous breakfast bar. “We eat here most of the time,” she says. She chose cabinetry in a smoky grey with a white composite worktop. “I wanted to bring warmth and character into this space or it could have looked rather cold and clinical,” she says. “I used different materials, such as the brick, which gives lots of character, a wood rather than a tiled floor, a marble splashback and bronzed fittings.”
Kensington Grey Oak flooring, Element 7.
Kensington Grey Oak flooring, Element 7.
The breakfast bar area is a stained dark oak. “I didn’t want it to be stone or composite, as it would feel as if we were eating in a kitchen,” says O’Grady. “This feels as if we’re sitting at a table.”
Byron bar stools, The Sofa & Chair Company.
Byron bar stools, The Sofa & Chair Company.
Sliding doors open to create seamless access to the garden; even when closed, they allow daylight to flood in. “There’s a lovely connection with the garden now,” says O’Grady. “The sense of space is amazing. The kids love it and run in and out. For them, there’s no difference between the garden and the kitchen.”
Black Chain pendant lights, Tigermoth Lighting.
10 things lighting designers wish you knew
Black Chain pendant lights, Tigermoth Lighting.
10 things lighting designers wish you knew
A tall cabinet in the kitchen opens to reveal a handy breakfast station and hidden microwave.
A formal dining space sits on the opposite side of the extension. “I didn’t want it to feel separate or disconnected from the kitchen,” says O’Grady. “Now we can cook and still chat with people at the table.”
The cupboard was an ingenious way to hide a steel running down the wall. It’s now used as a drinks cabinet.
KV1 tap and T36 soap dispenser, both Vola. Modern boiling-water tap, Quooker.
The cupboard was an ingenious way to hide a steel running down the wall. It’s now used as a drinks cabinet.
KV1 tap and T36 soap dispenser, both Vola. Modern boiling-water tap, Quooker.
A warm palette of muted, smoky tones runs through the whole house. “I haven’t used exactly the same colours throughout,” says O’Grady, “but they are similar, so when the ground floor is all opened up, it feels like one big space.”
Byron Carver dining chairs, The Sofa & Chair Company. Bespoke dining table and sideboard, Decorus. Stages table lamps in Antiqued Brass, Porta Romana. Arctic Pear chandelier, Ochre.
Byron Carver dining chairs, The Sofa & Chair Company. Bespoke dining table and sideboard, Decorus. Stages table lamps in Antiqued Brass, Porta Romana. Arctic Pear chandelier, Ochre.
From the dining area, sliding doors open onto the relaxed TV room, then another set of double doors leads into the formal reception room at the front of the house. “On a typical day, we have everything open and it’s lovely to have that open-plan layout,” says O’Grady. “You can see to the back of the house from the front door.”
The family use the TV room a great deal. “It also has a computer workstation, so I work in here sometimes,” says O’Grady. “You can shut all the doors, too, to make it a cosy snug.”
Sofa, David Seyfried. Tracery rug by Kelly Wearstler, The Rug Company. Joinery, Brayer Design. Side chair, Gotham.
Sofa, David Seyfried. Tracery rug by Kelly Wearstler, The Rug Company. Joinery, Brayer Design. Side chair, Gotham.
Stairs lead down to the newly created basement floor. The glass balustrade ensures light flows down into the hallway and TV room below.
Cow painting by John Marshall, Fairfax Gallery.
Cow painting by John Marshall, Fairfax Gallery.
The hallway used to be narrow and dark, and stopped just where the console table is. “The first thing we did was to put in double sliding doors to the front reception room,” says O’Grady. “That immediately creates space in the hallway.”
The room widens out in the middle, with access to a cloakroom, coat cupboard and office, as well as to the TV room and boot room, and through to the contemporary extension at the rear. “It’s a busy space, with everyone in and out of it, but it flows really well,” she says.
The room widens out in the middle, with access to a cloakroom, coat cupboard and office, as well as to the TV room and boot room, and through to the contemporary extension at the rear. “It’s a busy space, with everyone in and out of it, but it flows really well,” she says.
The formal reception room at the front of the house is used for entertaining and there’s no TV in here. “That room hasn’t really changed apart from decorating it and fitting new doors,” says O’Grady. “It was always the posh sitting room. Now if all the doors are open, we can at least see it, even if we don’t use it much.”
Sofa and armchairs, The Sofa & Chair Company. Deco Diamond Light rug by Tim Gosling, The Rug Company. Console tables, Jan Cavelle. Lamps, Porta Romana. Paintings (either side of fireplace) by John Caple, John Martin Gallery. Pendant light, Heathfield Lighting.
Sofa and armchairs, The Sofa & Chair Company. Deco Diamond Light rug by Tim Gosling, The Rug Company. Console tables, Jan Cavelle. Lamps, Porta Romana. Paintings (either side of fireplace) by John Caple, John Martin Gallery. Pendant light, Heathfield Lighting.
The staircase to the basement level has been designed as an open construction that lets light flow down from above. It’s made from the same dark oak as the floor above, but the flooring in the basement is a paler oak, to keep the space light.
Kensington Grey Oak flooring, Element 7.
Kensington Grey Oak flooring, Element 7.
The basement TV room is accessed from sliding doors just a bit further along the hallway (and just out of shot). A glass panel inset allows light to communicate between the TV room and the hall area.
The TV/cinema room in the basement is also somewhere for the children to play. “All that built-in storage is full of their toys,” says O’Grady. “It does not look this tidy usually!”
The basement also contains a guest bedroom that benefits from natural daylight from the lightwell. “It brings a surprising amount of light down into the basement rooms,” says O’Grady.
The basement also contains a wine room with bespoke shelving and thermostatically controlled climate. “My husband really wanted that,” says O’Grady. “I don’t even like wine. This was definitely for him!”
The gym in the basement also contains wall-to-wall cupboards. “It serves as our garage. The cupboards hold sports kit and tons of stuff,” says O’Grady. “It’s really great to have that additional storage.”
The first floor used to contain the master bedroom, a guest bedroom and two bathrooms, but having created a guest room in the basement, O’Grady decided to create a master bedroom suite here. All the walls came down to create a flowing space. The sleeping area leads onto a little sitting room on one side.
Circular chair, The Sofa & Chair Company. Lamps, Porta Romana. Wall lights, Heathfield Lighting.
Circular chair, The Sofa & Chair Company. Lamps, Porta Romana. Wall lights, Heathfield Lighting.
In the centre of the master suite is a dressing area with wardrobes on the left and a dressing table on the right, leading into the bathroom.
Joinery/wardrobes, Brayer Design.
Joinery/wardrobes, Brayer Design.
“It’s so luxurious,” says O’Grady of the master suite. “It might be my favourite part of the house. It’s a very tranquil space.” All the wardrobes and cabinetry were made bespoke in a stained oak.
The master bathroom sits at the front of the house, with shutters providing privacy but still letting in light.
Son George’s room is at the top of the house. “We pinched a bit of space from the loft to create a little mezzanine up there for him,” says O’Grady. “He can go up there with his friends and be naughty. Perfect for little boys!”
There’s built-in storage in all the rooms in the house, creating an uncluttered feel and providing valuable storage. Beautiful flamingo wallpaper personalises Lily’s room.
Flamingos wallpaper, Cole & Son.
Impressed by this gorgeous family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Flamingos wallpaper, Cole & Son.
Impressed by this gorgeous family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Sam and Ryan O’Grady, their daughter, Lily, 10, and son, George, 7, plus a dog and two cats
Location Wandsworth, south London
Property A semi-detached home built at the end of the 19th century
Size 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Interior design Sam O’Grady of Oliver Bea Design
Architect Craft Design
“We’ve lived here about eight years and decided to renovate a couple of years ago,” says O’Grady. “We love the house and garden and didn’t want to move, but the layout didn’t really work. The hallway was dark, we never used the dining room and you had to walk through it to get to the kitchen in a small extension at the back.”
Outdoor sofa, chairs and table, Bitta Collection by Kettal.