London homes: Extensive Renovation ideas

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Every so often a home renovation and remodel comes along that inspires originality and innovation—this is one such example. Wonderfully designed by James Wells Architects, this project is brought to life through the astute lens of Will Eckersley. Today on homify we are privileged to take a rare tour through this Victorian town house that has been lovingly extended and remodelled to accommodate contemporary living. The brief included a new kitchen/dining room, which occupies the ground floor extension. Furthermore, a new basement was added to provide a larger, more workable space, encompassing a media room, library, and utility/shower room directly located underneath the rear extension. Throughout the project we see high quality finishes, fittings, and fixtures, such as the zinc clad roof, hydraulic skylight, and glass home office ‘pod’. Natural light abounds within this space, and the home manages the relationship with the indoors and outdoors effortlessly and stylishly. 

Take a peek into this beautiful home below, and with the help of Eckersley’s striking photographs, enjoy the tour of this exquisite architectural accomplishment.

The rear perspective

Here, we are given a view of the sympathetic rear extension that, although looks quite compact, is large and surprisingly expansive within. The architects have designed this space beautifully with the existing structure, and created an addition that looks and feels much a part of the original building.

A sunlit and cheerful extension

This gorgeous extension has incorporated a stylish mix of contemporary design, with age-defying fittings, fixtures, and a sense of timeless modernity. From this perspective we see into the rear extension, and are offered a rare glimpse into this stunning and striking residence. The immediate feeling that the architect imparts upon the occupant is one of cleanliness and open airiness. From this viewpoint the garden is visible and evokes a bright liveliness that the architecture makes full use of through glass ceilings and huge skylights.

Stylishly modern kitchen

Take a peek into the kitchen space and you get a wonderful feeling of minimalism that is coupled with homeliness and liveability. Generally, minimal kitchens can seem rather void of emotion, but this is an exception: the space is individual and original, with the mirrored splashback creating a beautiful openness. The use of dark contrasting features such as the wall console evokes innovation and a sense of uniqueness, while the light neutral flooring is clean and crisp.

Time for dinner

This striking renovation and extension has utilised modern design with contemporary mid-century style furniture to evoke a sense of novelty and personality. The gorgeous timber dining setting shown here is a brilliant way to break up potential monotony that can sometimes arise in all white interiors. Here we feel at home, warm, and excited.

Plenty of natural light

This extension is beautifully designed to maximise the natural light inside the home. Many rear extensions fail in their attempt to provide additional space within the home, as they are built without considering light and sun. If your rear annexe is dark, dull, and dreary, it is never going to be suitable for family living. This design is quite the opposite—the glass ceilings present a wonderful view into the above, and impart a sense of freedom and vivacity within the space.

An updated aesthetic

As well as the rear extension, this renovation also updated the front areas of the home. Shown here is the living space, which is decorated with a fusion of tradition, heritage, and modern furniture. The antique console cabinet is beautifully paired with the old-world mantelpiece, while the intriguing sofa is mid-century in design, and paired with soft downwards-facing lamps. Finally the room is given a facelift with a bright yet modest colour scheme, and harmonised with whitewashed raw timber floorboards that evoke a modernity, and casualness.

The sleek bathroom

Now we enter the bathroom, a space that is highly important to the overall aesthetic of the home. The bathroom may not be a room that is outwardly presented to guests and occupants, but it is definitely an area of the home that is extremely important in the overall cohesion of house design. If your bathroom is unpleasant, the rest of the home often suffers. Luckily in this instance, the washing space is beautifully fitted with all the necessary modern conveniences, and looks absolutely striking. A huge rain shower takes centre stage in this space, while the simplistic toilet, basin, and storage are effortlessly minimal yet stylish.

A convenient workspace

To top off this privileged tour, we enter the study. A compact yet efficient area, this room is built above the rear extension and provides ample space for a home office, as well as additional storage. Offering a wonderful view out into the garden beyond, it's almost difficult to be able to imagine any work getting done at all. The effortlessness of this room is astounding, and is the icing on the cake to a wonderfully versatile and successful home renovation.

For more inspiration, take a peek at another one of our ideabooks: House with endless views

What was your favourite element of this stunning and striking remodel? Let us know in the comments below.

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