108 homebuilding.co.uk
homeoWnersLauraEdwards
andMattJacksonwiththeir
children,SamandIsabel
ProjeCtExtensionandremodel
ofa 1960sex-localauthority
end-of-terracehouse
loCationLewisham,London
BuildCost£143,000Project notes
merit — a staggered structure that fits snugly in a
tight space, complementing the house while setting it
apart from its neighbours. For an ordinary ex-council
house to undergo such a fantastic transformation is
no mean feat.
“The council were clear that the extension be
‘subservient’ to the original build, and that’s where
the architects got the idea for the Russian doll design
we have now. I think it’s really clever,” says Laura.
This new addition also provided scope to remodel
the interiors. As well as creating a new light-filled
bedroom on the first floor, building the extension
has allowed Laura and Matt to revisit the open-plan
layout of their house to create a larger space.
“We both like modern lines. The architects were
brilliant in thinking about how we use the space and
making it work for us. That’s the benefit of having it
designed for you — it fits exactly to what you want.”
The house’s layout was open plan before the
extension and once the team knew how the outside
would look, they chatted over different ideas. The
layout was mapped out with zones for the open-plan
space on the ground floor.
“Architects see it through completely new eyes
— you have an idea about what might happen, but
they always have a bigger vision. They suggested the
exposed brick wall in the dining area, which is one
of my favourite things. It could have gone all the way
up into the bedroom — which in hindsight, mightthe council
were clear
that the
extension be
‘subservient’
to the
original build,
and that’s
where the
architects
got the
ideaforthe
russian
doll designA
wkward plots can often lead to creative
solutions, and that was certainly the case with
Laura and Matt’s 1960s end-of-terrace house
and garden. Keen to stay put but desperate for more
space, they looked to the oddly shaped, tapered plot
of land to the side of their property as a chance to
expand their home and create an extension that
better accommodated their young family.
“We’d lived in south-east London for 10 years and
loved the area. It’s got good schools and parks, and is
in walking distance of lovely places like Greenwich
and Blackheath — but we needed more space. To
move to another property nearby, like a period
house, would have meant we’d have to pay a lot
more,” Laura begins.
The couple wanted to make the most of their
money and put their stamp on their end-of-terrace
house. “We had an odd-shaped side return that we
realised we could do something quite interesting
with, so we decided to extend.” They found an
architect – a colleague’s husband who works for
London-based architectural practice Selencky//
Parsons – and approached the council for pre-
application advice before submitting their plans
forplanningpermission.the design
With the aid of Selencky//Parsons, the couple
designed a stand-out extension with real architectural