Camden Renovation: Updating A Victorian Terraced Home
We were recently contacted by the owners of a Victorian-era terraced home in Camden. The family that lived in the property were happy with the flow of their current home, but they knew that there was scope to create some additional living spaces and improve existing areas. We’re going to share some of the specifics of this project, outlining some of the challenges it poses and explaining the design solution we’d take in order to help our clients to achieve exactly what they wanted from their home renovation.
The property: conservation area challenges
The home is located within the Dartmouth Park conservation area; and while it isn’t a listed building, it adjoins a Grade II listed multi-occupancy terraced property.
The home is laid out over four storeys: a lower ground floor (also referred to as a ‘garden floor’) , a raised ground floor, a first floor, and a second floor. It is located within a popular residential area, and many of the surrounding four-storey Victorian properties have a similar layout.
Our clients: their lifestyle & preferences
The family is a household of four, with two daughters aged 13 and 10, and a pet cat. They enjoy regular social afternoons in their home, and having plenty of practical space to entertain their guests was one of their main drivers for their home renovation. Further to this, they also needed space for their loved ones and friends to stay, so having a welcoming, stylish guest bedroom was essential.
As a busy family with a jam-packed weekly schedule, our clients felt that a few of the most frequently used spaces in their home were prone to clutter, and sometimes lacked functionality – the kitchen was a key culprit on both fronts. They wanted more appliance integration, to make for more usable worktop space, making this area feel more organised and less chaotic.
The parents also wanted to give their young girls a place in the home that felt like their own private corner, where they could relax and unwind. Additionally, the family also wanted a cosy, communal lounge on the raised ground floor level. Both parents work from home throughout the week, but they told us that a single home office is all they need to accommodate this.
Our clients also wanted to see small, meaningful touches throughout the renovation plan – from having additional bookshelves for their ever-growing collection, to clever hallway storage solutions, and a cat flap for their beloved pet.
How we approached this home renovation design
There were several aspects to this proposed renovation, and our clients had a relatively clear idea of what they’d like to focus on. We’ve summarised their key objectives below:
Garden floor: Removal of partition wall & new fixtures to create an airy open plan living area
Our clients also wanted to remove an existing wall that currently separates the kitchen and sitting area, and they also wanted to explore new style options for the doors and windows in this space. Our project management team established that planning permission would be needed in order to make these changes. As part of this, we’d also need to assess fire regulations, in the form of a fire rated door or mist or sprinkler system, helping to ensure compliance and safety.
While the home comes with an abundance of internal space, the homeowners told us that they were interested in adding a rear side extension to the garden floor level, as they’d like to have a bigger lounge, and move their current kitchen to the rear of the house. The plan is to create an open-plan layout combining the kitchen, dining, and lounge areas, along with adding a cloakroom and utility room, and improving access to both front and rear gardens. As the rear extension was a significant extra effort that our clients would need to consider carefully, we proposed two layout options – one with a rear, single storey extension, and one within the existing footprint
The kitchen will ideally include a large island with seating for four, where it can be used for breakfast, after school homework focus time, and drinks with friends.
Ground floor: Refined entrance hallway
On the ground floor, our plan was to revise the existing entrance hallway, and incorporate storage for the family’s various items, and our technical designers also explored the possibility of converting the current cloakroom into clever, hidden storage. While we weren’t planning on making any drastic changes to the layout, our concept design did call for the removal of any unnecessary doors, creating more continuous flow between spaces.
We’d also be upgrading all of the finishes throughout this floor, including under floor heating and new flooring, bathroom fixtures, internal doors, woodworks, walls, and heating and electrics.
First floor: interior updates for a refreshed feel
On the first floor of the home, our clients wanted us to focus on refreshing the current interior design appeal of each room; this included the master bedroom, guest room, and two bathrooms. Our clients wanted an improved look and feel for the rooms on this floor, with some added practicality, and we came up with several approaches to achieve this – including adding a bespoke wardrobe to the master bedroom, and optimising the layout of the current bathrooms. In one of the two bathrooms, we had outlined the addition of a bathtub and shower, creating more of a ‘family’ sized space. We also plan on adding sleek, compact storage solutions to both bathrooms.
In our concept design plan, we found a way to turn the current home office into a multi-purpose space, through the addition of a wardrobe and sofa bed, providing flexibility as a guest overflow room when needed. To enhance light flow and introduce architectural detail, we included crittall-style partitions to replace the existing office door.
Second floor
On the second floor, our designers created plans that involved adding a new skylight above the staircase to the second floor. The current roof insulation is also overdue for an update, and part of our project would involve assessing and supplying a more modern, efficient alternative. We’d work closely with our clients appointed builder, to ensure thermal efficiency and regulatory compliance are maintained. A final practical change on this floor would be to lay out new plumbing, heating, and electrical systems.
Outside the property: entrance and garden
Improvements for the front of the house were also outlined in our concept design plan, including new steps and a path, as well as a new canopy to replace an old, deteriorated shed, and bike storage.
Our workflow for this London home renovation
The project will be delivered in two phases, starting with our pre-construction actions. This is intentional, as we’d like to mitigate any delays while planning permission applications are reviewed. Once our client has approved the final concept design, our experienced project managers will liaise with site managers to create a timeline for the works. While this is ongoing, we’ll focus on securing a bill of quantities, telling our client exactly what amount of investment is required.
This phased approach will also allow our clients to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with the extension based on the planning outcome, cost implications, and overall design benefits. It will also help to optimise the project timeline by allowing certain elements to move forward while awaiting planning approval. From tis point, our construction support will begin.
Reimagine your home with We Love Build, trusted general contractors in London
Looking for a team that can support you in your aim of creating the home you’ve always dreamed of having? We Love Build will turn your plans into a home renovation project with a clear timeframe, goals, and total transparency. To book a free home design consultation for your property in London, simply contact us today and a member of our team will be in touch.
You don’t have to be planning a full home renovation to work with us – you might want to explore a specific project; it could be a rear home extension, kitchen renovation, or a loft conversion.
Leave a Reply