Once home to a dark, narrow, and disconnected kitchen, this Victorian terrace house now boasts a bright family space with connection to the garden. We talk to the architect about the project…
Bold in its use of colour, and fitted out with plenty of sleek storage, this kitchen extension in north London came about following an interesting revelation. The homeowners – a wildlife documentary producer and a film director – admitted to disliking each other’s design preferences.
They had called in Curtaz Studio to design them the perfect family kitchen, so lead architect Marco Curtaz had to come up with something the couple both agreed on. KBB journo Jennifer Grimble finds out the full story…
The plans
After numerous conversations, the pair discovered they shared the same proclivity for certain shades of blue, as well as raw grey textures. So, Marco had a starting point for the design.
“The existing home was dark and featured a narrow kitchen-come-dining space at the rear, which was part of the original property,” he explains. “There was also a gloomy lounge and reception room at the front, both of which were disconnected from the kitchen, with little natural light and no view of the garden. The home was really quite unsuitable for modern family life.”
The extension
Marco designed a rear and side infill extension spanning the full width of the site, adding 16 sq m to the property. “The couple wanted a kitchen with a sense of openness,” Marco explains. “Nature is central to their lives, so they required a space that felt connected to the garden, with the possibility of bringing greenery inside.”
To achieve this, the room includes a sliding glass door and an oversized single casement window, to create that indoor-outdoor connection and draw ample light in. Marco also added window-like openings in the wall between the reception room and kitchen, and a sliding pocket door leading to the entrance hall, to allow light to travel and provide garden views across the ground floor.
The materials
With the basis of the extension established, he worked with the couple to choose materials. “We settled on a palette of polished concrete, silvered rough sawn timber, off-grey painted blockwork and two tones of blue,” says Marco. “We considered how each would work to ensure a seamless finish.”
They received planning permission in just eight weeks, with Haringey London Borough Council coming back with no stipulations. The project was then put out to tender and appointed S.G. General Building. In stark contrast to the original London stock bricks of the house, the extension is clad in rough sawn British larch, with a triangulated profile.
“Weathered to a silver-grey hue, the timber mimics the tones and textures of concrete,” says Marco. This theme continues below, with the rear patio constructed from polished concrete. “The flooring flows inside, via a flush threshold, offering a visual connection with the garden.” Sliding glass doors, with pretty pastel blue frames, provide the literal connection.
The kitchen design
The new interior space features a spacious kitchen and a multi-purpose dining zone. “The room is defined by bold blue joinery, created using a combination of Howdens carcasses and bespoke framing and doors, made by joinery specialists, Formwork Construction.”
Floor-to-ceiling storage units hide away essentials, while polished concrete worktops mirror the floor’s tone and texture. Light ash wood details add warmth, black fittings provide interest, and the off-white walls and ceiling act as light relief from the sea of blue.
“Ash handles, organic patterned tiles, and the timber cladding’s intricate profiling add a bespoke finish,” says Marco. Moreover, the homeowners now have their dream space, stylishly connected to the great outdoors.
As originally told to: Jennifer Grimble | Photography: Curtaz Studio
This house tour was featured in the July 2025 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.
Enjoyed this post? Click here to tour this dark blue kitchen design with a curved island
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