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Barnes Village House
Barnes / London
Completed 2024
Conservation Area within Richmond Upon Thames Local Authority
Build Team Sonsino Turcan Construction
The family that we were designing for travelled extensively for work with three grown-up children. The house had to be able to readily welcome home the brood as well as work for just mum and dad. This handsome Victorian house had not been touched for 40+ years and needed significant repair.
Designing yourself out of an extension.
The family wanted to modernise the house without losing its period character. Their preference was for a rear extension, however, we wanted to demonstrate how we could radically alter the feeling and quality of the internal spaces without extending. Why extend if the house can provide what you need? The idea was embraced and supported, giving the family more garden space.
Family with design experience.
The mum of the family had been involved in the interiors world for some time, we had great fun working through the finishes and colours of the house together. It was a true melting pot of ideas, and it was exciting to absorb so much of her creativity throughout the design process.
When coming home from a busy day, we wanted the family to immediately see out to the garden and across the living spaces. The original Victorian hallway to the house was refurbished, and the family’s favourite colour drenched over the staircase.
The original garden facing spaces had low-ish ceiling heights and were dark and cramped with steps down towards the garden. To bring in more light and strengthen the relationship between the house and garden, we increased the width and height of the doors and windows. We increased the height of the sitting room to 3.5m tall, by lowering the floor to match the garden level. On a sunny day - the sitting room feels like a room in the middle of the garden.
The arched front door is echoed in the arched design of the windows facing the garden. Arches then dance across the kitchen cupboards and into the under stairs joinery.
We converted the garage to form a hidden study space that can be opened up to the front garden or hidden away. An intimate north-facing snug is enveloped in a deep blue to provide a cosy living room.
Concept Sketches
Concept Sketch
Cross section sketch looking back towards kitchen and sunken sitting room
Concept Sketch
Sketch section looking towards the garden from dining room and sitting room with increased head height
Project Summary
Garden Design
We worked with Ula Maria who designed the front and back garden for this project. The split level of the rear sitting and kitchen room were echoed in the design of the external terraces.
www.ulamaria.com
Animal Friendly Design
Our client was heavily involved in the interior design of this project. We worked together to realise her vision, which was influenced by working in the Interiors publishing field.
Client Design Direction
Lexi the lab was present at most site meetings (where safely managed of course) and was important in the design of the spaces. Robust materials, sleeping spaces and a muddy wash down area were all parts of the brief.