Amos Goldreich Architecture has completed an asymmetric brick extension that celebrates light and modern life for a young family in North London. The new layout gives the family distinct kitchen, dining and relaxation zones, and views to the large rear garden from numerous angles within the home. The owners wanted to update the property in a way that would maximise the available space and reconnect different areas while leaving them clearly defined. Rather than building the common, open box extension, Amos Goldreich Architecture created distinctly separate yet connected spaces both externally and internally using an asymmetric form united by pale white bricks. Previously the rear plan of the house was divided into a kitchen, dining room and conservatory. The kitchen and dining room were very dark; the kitchen was incredibly narrow and the late 90’s UPVC conservatory was thermally inefficient. Bringing in natural light and creating views into the garden where the clients’ children often spend time playing were both important elements of the brief. Amos Goldreich Architecture designed a large X by X metre box window in the centre of the sitting room that offers views from both the sitting area and dining table, meaning the clients can keep an eye on the children while working or relaxing. Amos Goldreich Architecture enlivened and lightened the home by working with materials that encourage the diffusion of light throughout the spaces. Exposed timber rafters create a clever shelving screen, functioning both as open storage and a permeable room divider to maintain the connection between the sitting area and kitchen. A deep blue kitchen with plywood handle detailing creates balance and contrast against the light tones of the pale timber and white walls. The new extension is clad in white bricks which help to bounce light around the new interiors, emphasise the freshness and newness, and create a clear, distinct separation from the existing part of the late Victorian semi-detached London home. Brick continues to make an impact in the patio area where Amos Goldreich Architecture chose to use Stone Grey brick pavers for their muted tones and durability. A sedum roof spans the entire extension giving a beautiful view from the first floor bedrooms. The sedum roof also acts to encourage biodiversity and collect rainwater. Continues Amos Goldreich, Director of Amos Goldreich Architecture says: “The Framework House was a fantastic project to work on with our clients. We thought carefully about the space planning to ensure we met the brief for distinct zones, while also keeping a connection to the outdoors and others in the space. “The materials of the project also had to marry with the new plan. We chose to keep the interiors fresh, calm, and clean so our clients could adapt their future interior design choices easily without the need to renovate the space again.” Clients, Tom and Jennifer Allen say: “I couldn’t have envisioned having a space like this. It has completely changed the way we live as a family for the better. We are more connected, yet also have our own spaces to work, eat, play, learn and relax.” “The extension has had an impact on the entire house. When our son looks out of his window on the first floor, he sees a beautiful planted roof that merges with the garden.”

Amos Goldreich Architecture has completed an asymmetric brick extension that celebrates light and modern life for a young family in North London. The new layout gives the family distinct kitchen, dining and relaxation zones, and views to the large rear garden from numerous angles within the home. The owners wanted to update the property in a way that would maximise the available space and reconnect different areas while leaving them clearly defined. Rather than building the common, open box extension, Amos Goldreich Architecture created distinctly separate yet connected spaces both externally and internally using an asymmetric form united by pale white bricks. Previously the rear plan of the house was divided into a kitchen, dining room and conservatory. The kitchen and dining room were very dark; the kitchen was incredibly narrow and the late 90’s UPVC conservatory was thermally inefficient. Bringing in natural light and creating views into the garden where the clients’ children often spend time playing were both important elements of the brief. Amos Goldreich Architecture designed a large X by X metre box window in the centre of the sitting room that offers views from both the sitting area and dining table, meaning the clients can keep an eye on the children while working or relaxing. Amos Goldreich Architecture enlivened and lightened the home by working with materials that encourage the diffusion of light throughout the spaces. Exposed timber rafters create a clever shelving screen, functioning both as open storage and a permeable room divider to maintain the connection between the sitting area and kitchen. A deep blue kitchen with plywood handle detailing creates balance and contrast against the light tones of the pale timber and white walls. The new extension is clad in white bricks which help to bounce light around the new interiors, emphasise the freshness and newness, and create a clear, distinct separation from the existing part of the late Victorian semi-detached London home. Brick continues to make an impact in the patio area where Amos Goldreich Architecture chose to use Stone Grey brick pavers for their muted tones and durability. A sedum roof spans the entire extension giving a beautiful view from the first floor bedrooms. The sedum roof also acts to encourage biodiversity and collect rainwater. Continues Amos Goldreich, Director of Amos Goldreich Architecture says: “The Framework House was a fantastic project to work on with our clients. We thought carefully about the space planning to ensure we met the brief for distinct zones, while also keeping a connection to the outdoors and others in the space. “The materials of the project also had to marry with the new plan. We chose to keep the interiors fresh, calm, and clean so our clients could adapt their future interior design choices easily without the need to renovate the space again.” Clients, Tom and Jennifer Allen say: “I couldn’t have envisioned having a space like this. It has completely changed the way we live as a family for the better. We are more connected, yet also have our own spaces to work, eat, play, learn and relax.” “The extension has had an impact on the entire house. When our son looks out of his window on the first floor, he sees a beautiful planted roof that merges with the garden.”

Rogan Macdonald
Design ideas for a medium sized scandi dining room in London.

Large scandi open plan games room in London with light hardwood flooring, a plastered fireplace surround and a wall mounted tv.

Our clients wanted a complete contrast to their existing brick bungalow. Gary and Caron were clear from the start; they wanted an extension that was beautiful, elegant and modern - a complete contrast from their existing brick bungalow. With some major internal alterations too, this project was brilliant to work on from start to finish. The use of a mono pitched roof, burnt timber cladding (done by the clients themselves), beautiful louvred shading and large areas of glazing all came together to create this striking extension to the home. The new rear living room provides a tranquil space, filled with light and with a seamless connection to the garden. Internally the new bedroom arrangement and master suite now allow the previously dark entrance hall to be flooded with light from front to back, cleverly dividing the internal space between bedrooms and daytime rooms. We are absolutely delighted with the end result and more importantly, so are the clients!

Medium sized scandinavian glass railing balcony in London with a roof extension and fencing.

This beautiful architecturally designed chalet looks picture perfect in the snow in Christchurch, designed by Britta Corbett from Britta Corbett Architects Ltd.

The lovely terrace of this East London home has been packed with character! The faux bamboo plants act as a clever screening to views of other flats and gives a sense of the jungle and greenery in the middle of London- we love it! The lovely compact dark grey table and chair makes it a perfect place to grow herbs and enjoy a cup of tea.

Inspiration for a medium sized scandinavian private glass railing balcony with a roof extension.

The corner site, at the junction of St. Matthews Avenue and Chamberlain Way and delimited by a garden with mature trees, is located in a tranquil and leafy area of Surbiton in Surrey. Located in the north-east cusp of the site, the large two-storey Victorian suburban villa is a large family home combined with business premises, whereby part of the Ground Floor is used as Nursery. The property has been extended by FPA to improve the internal layout and provide additional floor space for a dedicated kitchen and a large Living Room with multifunctional quality. FPA has developed a proposal for a side extension to replace a derelict garage, conceived as a subordinate addition to the host property. It is made up of two separate volumes facing Chamberlain Way: the smaller one accommodates the kitchen and the primary one the large Living Room. The two volumes - rectangular in plan and both with a mono pitch roof - are set back from one another and are rotated so that their roofs slope in opposite directions, allowing the primary space to have the highest ceiling facing the outside. The architectural language adopted draws inspiration from Froebel’s gifts and wood blocs. A would-be architect who pursued education as a profession instead, Friedrich Froebel believed that playing with blocks gives fundamental expression to a child’s soul, with blocks symbolizing the actual building blocks of the universe. Although predominantly screened by existing boundary treatments and mature vegetation, the new brick building initiates a dialogue with the buildings at the opposite end of St. Matthews Avenue that employ similar materials and roof design. The interior is inspired by Scandinavian design and aesthetic. Muted colours, bleached exposed timbers and birch plywood contrast the dark floor and white walls. Gianluca Maver

This fun, vibrant bedroom was created to fit the client's young daughter's detailed brief, with the view that the accessories can be updated as she grows up. We maximised the space under the new staircase to the second floor by incorporating it to create a secret reading nook.

Medium sized and black scandinavian detached house in Other with three floors, wood cladding, a pitched roof and a tiled roof.

"Briefly, this project comprises of all works and services relating to the construction of a new two storey extension in place of existing side garage, with deep retrofit, re-wiring and re-plumbing of the existing house. New kitchen, flooring and wall finishes. demolition of existing outbuildings to side and rear, replace all windows & doors , new external / internal insulation , new dormers and roof slates in lieu of existing tiles. Finishes to Scandinavian style."

Medium sized and black scandinavian detached house in Other with three floors, wood cladding, a pitched roof and a tiled roof.

The Guesthouse Nýp at Skarðsströnd is situated on a former sheep farm overlooking the Breiðafjörður Nature Reserve in western Iceland. Originally constructed as a farmhouse in 1936, the building was deserted in the 1970s, slowly falling into disrepair before the new owners eventually began rebuilding in 2001. Since 2006, it has come to be known as a cultural hub of sorts, playing host to various exhibitions, lectures, courses and workshops. The brief was to conceive a design that would make better use of the existing facilities, allowing for more multifunctional spaces for various cultural activities. This not only involved renovating the main house, but also rebuilding and enlarging the adjoining sheep-shed. Nýp’s first guests arrived in 2013 and where accommodated in two of the four bedrooms in the remodelled farmhouse. The reimagined sheep shed added a further three ensuite guestrooms with a separate entrance. This offers the owners greater flexibility, with the possibility of hosting larger events in the main house without disturbing guests. The new entrance hall and connection to the farmhouse has been given generous dimensions allowing it to double as an exhibition space. The main house is divided vertically in two volumes with the original living quarters to the south and a barn for hay storage to the North. Bua inserted an additional floor into the barn to create a raised event space with a series of new openings capturing views to the mountains and the fjord. Driftwood, salvaged from a neighbouring beach, has been used as columns to support the new floor. Steel handrails, timber doors and beams have been salvaged from building sites in Reykjavik old town. The ruins of concrete foundations have been repurposed to form a structured kitchen garden. A steel and polycarbonate structure has been bolted to the top of one concrete bay to create a tall greenhouse, also used by the client as an extra sitting room in the warmer months. Staying true to Nýp’s ethos of sustainability and slow tourism, Studio Bua took a vernacular approach with a form based on local turf homes and a gradual renovation that focused on restoring and reinterpreting historical features while making full use of local labour, techniques and materials such as stone-turf retaining walls and tiles handmade from local clay. Since the end of the 19th century, the combination of timber frame and corrugated metal cladding has been widespread throughout Iceland, replacing the traditional turf house. The prevailing wind comes down the valley from the north and east, and so it was decided to overclad the rear of the building and the new extension in corrugated aluzinc - one of the few materials proven to withstand the extreme weather. In the 1930's concrete was the wonder material, even used as window frames in the case of Nýp farmhouse! The aggregate for the house is rather course with pebbles sourced from the beach below, giving it a special character. Where possible the original concrete walls have been retained and exposed, both internally and externally. The 'front' facades towards the access road and fjord have been repaired and given a thin silicate render (in the original colours) which allows the texture of the concrete to show through. The project was developed and built in phases and on a modest budget. The site team was made up of local builders and craftsmen including the neighbouring farmer – who happened to own a cement truck. A specialist local mason restored the fragile concrete walls, none of which were reinforced.

This is an example of a medium sized and black scandi detached house in Other with three floors, wood cladding, a pitched roof and a tiled roof.

The corner site, at the junction of St. Matthews Avenue and Chamberlain Way and delimited by a garden with mature trees, is located in a tranquil and leafy area of Surbiton in Surrey. Located in the north-east cusp of the site, the large two-storey Victorian suburban villa is a large family home combined with business premises, whereby part of the Ground Floor is used as Nursery. The property has been extended by FPA to improve the internal layout and provide additional floor space for a dedicated kitchen and a large Living Room with multifunctional quality. FPA has developed a proposal for a side extension to replace a derelict garage, conceived as a subordinate addition to the host property. It is made up of two separate volumes facing Chamberlain Way: the smaller one accommodates the kitchen and the primary one the large Living Room. The two volumes - rectangular in plan and both with a mono pitch roof - are set back from one another and are rotated so that their roofs slope in opposite directions, allowing the primary space to have the highest ceiling facing the outside. The architectural language adopted draws inspiration from Froebel’s gifts and wood blocs. A would-be architect who pursued education as a profession instead, Friedrich Froebel believed that playing with blocks gives fundamental expression to a child’s soul, with blocks symbolizing the actual building blocks of the universe. Although predominantly screened by existing boundary treatments and mature vegetation, the new brick building initiates a dialogue with the buildings at the opposite end of St. Matthews Avenue that employ similar materials and roof design. The interior is inspired by Scandinavian design and aesthetic. Muted colours, bleached exposed timbers and birch plywood contrast the dark floor and white walls. Photo by Gianluca Maver

This is an example of a small and white scandi two floor house exterior in Channel Islands with wood cladding and a flat roof.

Rogan Macdonald
Photo of a medium sized scandinavian home in London.