Coffey / Homes

Phil extended and largely refurbished our house which was a 3,000 sq ft victorian villa in North London. It was a huge project involving the creation of a huge new partially glazed extension and a new staircase running the full height of the house. It won a national design award and was shortlisted by RIBA for a prize. Having had nearly ten years of living in Phil's work, we still get a thrill coming down the stairs and seeing the relationship between the geometry of the design, the light and shade and marvel at how Phil managed to create such a sense of grandeur in a suburban north london family house. People comment on how they have seen nothing like it before, how it feels like an art gallery. He has avoided cliche and done what all great modernist architects do which is to strip things back to their essential elements and let proportion, light and materials work together to create a calm and stillness that we can appreciate all year round. There is ultimately one simple reason why i would not hesitate to recommend Phil for your project: he has a really "good eye" for design which you can see not only in his architecture but also in his photography. Phil has an instinctive aesthetic sense with space, light and proportion which when combined with his technical ability means he is a really superb architect. I still from time to time stand in my kitchen or on my staircase and just want to stop and stare. When we were tendering we could see how, compared to the other architects, Phil was miles ahead and seemed to be rotating the space in his head and reconfiguring it on our first meeting. On to the more day to day, as a person to work with Phil is genial and calm; he is a diligent and very experienced professional who knows how to get things done in London boroughs which is important and he also had a great team behind him. When your project goes over budget (which it of course will!) he is sensible about agreeing increased fees. On that topic, his fees are reasonable and at a market level - but given the quality of what you get I think he is tremendously good value. He also has the confidence to tell you when you are wrong and show you other ways of approaching things. He does genuinely care about what he is doing and that you are happy - you can't ask for much more from a professional in my view. If you haven't done this before and have an open mind working with Phil and his team will be one of most memorable things you do. Dan A, London

We have a warehouse home that was converted into a modern and minimalist build. We worked with Phil to create a home that we love and enjoy. Every inch has been maximised and it feels roomy, light and modern as we discussed in planning. We love the design and use of space but would have liked more guidance in making it a more family friendly home. When we all got together at the beginning we talked about having children in the near future but hadn't designed with that in mind since we didn't know what that would entail. It's all worked out in the end of course and it's a beautiful home we are lucky to call ours. Phil has a great eye for detail and brought wonderful light and functionality to the build. He helped us maximise every room adding plenty of storage and without sacrificing the look and feel of our home.

Coffey Architects helped me turn an unimaginative little box on Hoxton Sq into something I've really enjoyed living in for the past 7 years. I considered a number of practices before deciding to go with Coffey because I felt they really understood what I wanted from my home and was inspired by their creative vision. Phil and Michael managed the process from start to finish with such diligence, that I didn't really have any unwanted burdens on my time.

We first met Phil after when we visited his house on the Open House London event years ago. We contacted him, as we were to embark on a project in York. He came up to see us, and I remember how he was astounded by the fact he could be in York in less than 2 hours, as it could take him longer to travel from London to a 20 mile radius from to client in the south east! He interpreted exactly what we were looking to do, and his team worked very well with us, and the contractor. The standard of his professional approach to the whole project was excellent, and I would recommend him to any party , whether or not it was a total new build, or a major adjustment to existing building. Phil has the scope, and the knowledge to interpret exactly what the client requires. Yours faithfully Jonathan and Ilona Woodhead

Working with Phil , Ella and the team was a great experience start to finish and the final product they have created with Ed McBeath is unique and of exceptional quality. Delivering such a complex and challenging project required a high level of client/consultant/contractor understanding and trust from the outset and a fanatical attention to detail. The level of design quality, professional skill and personal engagement across the team was outstanding throughout.

We'd not used an architect before, and it was a revelation. Phil Coffey and his team are a hugely talented bunch, and spending time with them was a privilege from start to finish. The design was breathtaking and, in the end, our home won a RIBA award and featured in several TV shows. More importantly, for us, was the peace of mind of knowing everything was overseen by top professionals. Five years on, and especially throughout 'lockdown', we enjoy living in our little piece of art every day. It's wellbeing on another level!

Working with Phil and his team on the Hidden House was an absolute joy. The site is very unique and complex both historically and physically - the house sits adjacent to a listed building and above listed vaults. Thanks to Coffey Architects' extensive knowledge in regulations and their relations with the local council, at no point during the project were we concerned that these complexities would turn into complications. Their continued attention and ambition throughout all phases of the project resulted in this beautiful house resembling a very efficient boat where every detail is meticulously thought out. I highly recommend working with Phil and his team if you want to build a home to be proud of filled with awards and have fun during the process!