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Room Tour: Wood Adds Warmth to a Bright, Open-plan Space
A family gain an airy room where they can relax and be together while enjoying a connection with the garden
The open-plan lower ground floor of this townhouse benefits from the light that spills in from the front bay window as well as from the wide sliding doors at the rear. To ensure the cavernous space felt cosy and inviting, the team at Martins Camisuli Architects included a timber floor and beautiful oak joinery in the design.
The extension is framed by a zinc portal, which incorporates rainwater pipes and guttering. “We’ve used this devise on other projects,” Sebastian says. “It works well as a strong element on which the rest of the house sits.”
Steel supports are hidden within the ceiling to ensure a streamlined interior. The structure is strong enough to allow a small terrace above, which is accessed from French windows on the upper ground floor.
Steel supports are hidden within the ceiling to ensure a streamlined interior. The structure is strong enough to allow a small terrace above, which is accessed from French windows on the upper ground floor.
Inside, the living area is positioned at the widest part of the room, at the back, with the dining space in the middle and the kitchen next to the bay window at the front of the house.
Wide sliding doors allow an almost uninterrupted view of the garden. “We usually recommend clients go for sliders, as they have fewer mechanisms to maintain and don’t take up space in an open position,” Sebastian says. “You can’t open as much as [you can with] bifolds, but, with a three-door arrangement, you end up with two-thirds open, which is plenty.”
Walls painted in Wevet, Farrow & Ball. Classic bespoke pale oak lll flooring, Istoria by Jordan Andrews. Sliding doors, Southern Windows.
Wide sliding doors allow an almost uninterrupted view of the garden. “We usually recommend clients go for sliders, as they have fewer mechanisms to maintain and don’t take up space in an open position,” Sebastian says. “You can’t open as much as [you can with] bifolds, but, with a three-door arrangement, you end up with two-thirds open, which is plenty.”
Walls painted in Wevet, Farrow & Ball. Classic bespoke pale oak lll flooring, Istoria by Jordan Andrews. Sliding doors, Southern Windows.
Pale engineered oak floorboards are complemented by a darker oak on the bespoke kitchen cabinetry. To zone the cooking area, the team built a peninsula with open shelving on the dining room side.
Sebastian created a layered lighting scheme in the space, with downlights around the edge of the ceiling to wash the walls with light. Task lighting is provided by integrated LED strips beneath the open shelves, while pendants add feature illumination. “Everything is on a dimmer to allow the owners to change the mood easily,” Sebastian says.
Sebastian created a layered lighting scheme in the space, with downlights around the edge of the ceiling to wash the walls with light. Task lighting is provided by integrated LED strips beneath the open shelves, while pendants add feature illumination. “Everything is on a dimmer to allow the owners to change the mood easily,” Sebastian says.
A bright white quartz worktop contrasts with the warm oak and painted doors on the cabinets. An undermounted sink on the peninsula maintains the clean lines of the work surface.
The team left the corner unit open, rather than having a cupboard with pull-out shelving. “It minimises the complexity of moving elements, and is easy to access as an open area,” Sebastian says.
Undermounted sink, Franke. Cabinets painted in Black Blue, Farrow & Ball. Worktop, Caesarstone.
The team left the corner unit open, rather than having a cupboard with pull-out shelving. “It minimises the complexity of moving elements, and is easy to access as an open area,” Sebastian says.
Undermounted sink, Franke. Cabinets painted in Black Blue, Farrow & Ball. Worktop, Caesarstone.
Opposite the cooking area is a bank of floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinets with internal drawers and shelves. The couple’s laundry appliances were moved to a utility room on the upper ground floor, which freed up some space in the kitchen.
Are you planning some bespoke storage in your home? Find carpenters and joiners in your area.
Are you planning some bespoke storage in your home? Find carpenters and joiners in your area.
The extra storage allowed the team to fit shelves rather than wall units. “These maximise the width of the room,” Sebastian says.
The bay window was refurbished with the original vertical shutters, which slot into the panelling below.
Open kitchen storage ideas that will make you want to tidy up.
The bay window was refurbished with the original vertical shutters, which slot into the panelling below.
Open kitchen storage ideas that will make you want to tidy up.
The kitchen units were designed with a freestanding look. “Each unit is its own standalone element,” Sebastian says. “As it was custom-made, we weren’t restricted to standard widths, so could adapt them to the kitchen dimensions.”
The team chose drawers rather than cupboards, as it’s easier to access all areas within them.
The team chose drawers rather than cupboards, as it’s easier to access all areas within them.
To pass Building Regulations, the architects were required to provide a fire door by the stairs. “This is fire-rated glass with a hardwood, fire-rated frame,” Sebastian says. “It’s become a feature in itself – you see through to the wall, so it’s much lighter than having it blocked off.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this open-plan space? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like about this open-plan space? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A family with two teenage children
Location North London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Room dimensions 5.5m (at widest part) x 12m; kitchen is 4m wide and dining room is 4.5m wide
Architect Sebastian Camisuli and Ana Martins of Martins Camisuli Architects
Photos by Alex Maguire
To create a sociable space in this Victorian home, the team at Martins Camisuli opened up the lower ground level and extended at the back.
“The house was a warren of different rooms, with an office at the front,” Sebastian Camisuli says. “The aim was to design a nice open-plan family room that opened onto the garden.”