The brief for this semi-detached, three-bedroom house in Walthamstow was concise. The family wanted more generous living space, and an end to the low ceilings of the existing basement.
Forty centimetres
The biggest move was also the least visible. Extensive excavation gained an extra 40 centimetres of height on the lower ground floor, raising the ceilings from 2.35 to 2.7 metres. Combined with an extension into the side return, this opened up the plan and brought in far more light.
How deep to dig was guided by the levels around it: the step down from the entrance and the raised garden. We wanted the sightlines through the house and out to the garden to feel balanced.
Hiding the awkward bits
The existing rear outrigger, home to the ground-floor bathroom, projected down into the new dining room. To hide the step in the ceiling, we added a curve in the wall and tucked the utility and larder into the space behind. The living, kitchen and dining areas now flow into one another.
House and garden together
Landscape designer Miria Harris was involved from the early planning stages, because the clients wanted their indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces to work as one. Slim aluminium doors frame the view to the zig-zag steps. Cobbles on the patio meet floor tiles with a bespoke glaze by Claybrook Studio.
From site: a diary
November 2019: starting on site. Work began on 18 November. The hoarding went up, the front garden planting was covered and protected for the length of the build, and our fortnightly site meetings began at the house itself. The contractor kindly set up a table, four chairs and a heater for us, a gesture noted gratefully in every set of minutes.
March 2020: digging down. Underpinning was complete and the lower ground floor was set well below the old level. Excavating the lower terrace brought significant water ingress, so the brick retaining wall was swapped for concrete on both sides, and a full-height waterproof membrane was added to the lower ground walls.
Spring and summer 2020: building through lockdown. Work carried on under industry Covid guidance, with distancing and staggered breaks on site. Meanwhile we made decisions together with the clients, interior designers Frank + Faber and landscape designer Miria Harris: handmade black terracotta floor tiles, clay plaster walls, slim aluminium garden doors and sandstone cobbles for the steps.
July 2020: a small planning win. We secured a non-material amendment to lower the front lower ground windows by 270mm, bringing more light into the new rooms below street level.
October 2020: the finishing touches. With the structure and envelope complete, the details went in: a birch ply pegboard in a child's bedroom, a chimney breast built out for record shelving, a wood burner, and hand-painted kitchen joinery.
December 2020: complete. Site discoveries and supply chain delays pushed completion back from September, and the house was finished in December.
A natural palette
The interiors were led by the clients' own taste, built around natural, high-quality materials. A solid black steel island by Sola Kitchens sits against ClayLime plaster walls. Timber floorboards were reused as cabinet fronts in the bathroom and utility, and a bespoke reeded shower reflects soft light. The result is a calm, gallery-like backdrop for the family's growing collection of furniture, lighting and art.
Contractor: Solid Crew Construction Ltd. Structural engineer: Constant SD. Interior design: the clients with Neighbourhood Studio and Frank + Faber. Landscape: Miria Harris. Photography: Building Narratives.