Our client, a close friend and former colleague, asked for our help to untangle the rear of the ground floor and address a cumbersome 1990s kitchen extension with its resultant dark, daylight deprived dining room and north-facing, neglected courtyard.

We approached this beautiful red brick 4-storey Edwardian end of terrace house with sensitivity and resource efficiency. Rather than extending further into the already modest garden, we rationalised and reconfigured the internal space and consolidated the courtyard into the remodelled interior. The previous north-facing courtyard has been transformed into a daylight-catching well, protected from direct sunlight and therefore from any risk of overheating during the warm months of the year. A discrete utility room and guest WC were fitted in the inner parts of the ground floor.

The rear elevation opens up to a level garden terrace and an expansive open plan family area combines a Tom Howley kitchen containing the existing Aga, a contemporary cooking island, dining and casual sitting area. The beautiful Lapitec kitchen worktop finish extends outwards as part of a shaded bay window that contains the sink and its Quooker tap.

Photo © matthew smith architectural photography