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Void House

Whole house refurbishment and new basement extension with 6m high glazed rear doors around a cut away void to connect the raise d and lower ground floors

Aside from the addition of the basement, the main challenge with was to maximise the natural daylight into the spaces of this north facing house with a limited rear garden. The introduction of the void to the rear decreased the sense of enclosure and allowed the natural daylight to flood into the rear and create a set of light and interconnected spaces across the two floors of principal living spaces. This move also maximises a visual connection with the garden throughout and adds a sense of increased volume.

By lowering the level of the lower ground floor we dramatically increased the ceiling height in the Kitchen to elevate it away from a typical lower ground floor. This, along with the views to the floor above and outside, make it feel like a primary rather than secondary floor.

A further lightwell just outside the kitchen rear door allows light to also penetrate down into the basement gym below. The new basement extends under the full footprint of the house and under the front and rear gardens incorporating a family room/ additional bedroom suite, utility room and gym, significantly adding valuable and usable space to the home. Again floor to ceiling heights are generous to give a sense of luxury.

The existing staircase was replaced with a simple stair and elegant balustrade with oak handrail, running from eth raised ground floor up to the top of the house. On the top floor the ceiling was pushed up to follow the butterfly roof structure to create a lofty landing with new triangular rooflights flooding daylight all the way down.

The elegant Master Ensuite Bathroom incorporates his and her basins, a large double shower and free-standing bath. And a clever new staircase at the rear connects to a secret dressing room, also accessed from the main staircase on eth half landing to provide ultimate flexibility for the family to use as a nursery of bedroom as required.

Detailing and materials throughout are kept simple, classical and elegant to allow comfortably contemporary design to sit comfortably alongside traditional period features.