Spaces

HIGHBURY HILL EXTENSION

29th June 2018

I’ve featured Havwoods on Copperline before in this beautiful London apartment from 2016, and I wrote at the time: ‘Every so often an email lands in my inbox and I realise its contents have to be featured…’ and this is another one of those moments. This stunning space features flooring by Havwoods – Block Herringbone Engineered Oak Flooring to be specific, and the warm golden tones of this finish are the perfect backdrop to the black accents and brick textures in this kitchen and dining space in London’s Highbury Hill.

The owners of this four-storey Victorian terraced house added this single storey extension to create more space for their family and also a great entertaining zone, and what’s evident from these photos by Rob Battersby is how much this new space has also created a connection to the garden, giving this period home a new indoor-outdoor flow.

The extension was designed by architects Blee Halligan and has added over 100m2 of space. As well as excavation and conversion of the basement to form a large living space with a utility room, the ground floor conversion has extended the kitchen to the side of the house, creating a private courtyard and a spacious lantern-like dining room that pours light deep into the space thanks to the glazed roof. Floor-to-ceiling Crittall doors and windows also draw in natural light while the slightly industrial aesthetic complements the existing brickwork.

The soft tones of the internal brickwork look beautiful against the herringbone oak floor, which really adds to the character of this space, while the custom-made timber kitchen cabinetry exudes hardworking simplicity. I must admit, I find this extension inspiring. We’re currently considering what to do with an (old) timber framed extension – specifically in terms of finishes alongside the existing brick, and in how to control the light and heat in summer (and lack of both in winter) – and this combination of the dark framework against the brick feels perfect. Something for the future perhaps.

See the selection of engineered oak flooring from Havwoods here.

See more projects from Blee Halligan.

Photography by Rob Battersby.