Once a cramped terrace with a dark basement kitchen, this period home now features a small but carefully crafted extension, light-filled, functional spaces, and an improved connection to the garden.

Casting filtered light across the cosy banquette of the oak extension, a charming cherry tree takes centre stage in the newly landscaped garden of this cleverly reworked terrace, where a verdant outlook brightens the internal spaces. However, it wasn’t always this perky and upbeat inside the south London period home.

KBB journo Louise O’Bryan tells us more about this transformation…

The brief

The owners, a professional couple, had been attracted to the property’s superb location near to the city and green parks; but two years in, the dark lower floor was too depressing, so they embarked on a carefully considered renovation that would improve the access of light to the sunken space without any costly structural work.

The answer was to open up existing internal walls and add a small, one-metre-deep bespoke glazed, oak extension to pull the light and views from the densely green garden into the kitchen and dining space.

Having worked with interior designer Lizzie Green on their previous home in Dorset, the couple approached her again to help enhance the property’s period character with an artful mix of bespoke cabinetry, warm, earthy tones and tactile layers. “Their style has been influenced by their travels,” says Lizzie.

“The aim was to blend classic and contemporary pieces with hues that reference the rural landscapes of Dorset, such as deep greens, and the sunny colours of Australia and Africa, like rich blues and ochre.”

Maximising the period home’s lower ground

Lizzie suggested the couple work with architects Studio Elephant, for their pragmatic yet imaginative solutions. They were tasked with maximising the useable space on the lower ground floor, creating an entertainer’s kitchen-diner, and integrating a new WC and utility cupboard.

“All needed to blend seamlessly with the garden,” says George Guest, Studio Elephant’s founder and director, who also replanned the exterior to provide more space to relax in. “It was a team approach between ourselves and Lizzie to blend the interiors and architectural elements for a cohesive design.”

To flood the kitchen with much-needed natural light, the solid rear wall was replaced with a small, glazed extension that extends above the ceiling line to create views out to the garden without seeing a roof or any solidity above, helping the low-ceilinged kitchen feel bigger.

The oak extension blends beautifully with the pale clay pavers of the exterior courtyard, while warm timber was used internally on the bench seating, dining table and kitchen cabinetry to further blur the line between inside and out.

The kitchen-diner

“We removed an old chimney to slightly widen the dining area, and added a built-in bench seat so the dining table could be pushed much closer to the wall, creating ample space to pass on the other side,” says George. “Wrapping the bench in front of the extension, which also features a glazed roof, creates a sense of sitting in the garden despite being inside.

The bench is then mirrored externally so you can sit outside in the summer in the same way as you can sit inside in the winter.” Lizzie chose a deep-toned ochre velvet for the bench cushion as a natural extension of the organic setting.

The bench seat also connects with a bank of tall oak units where a double larder, bar and large appliances are concealed for a neat finish. For a striking contrast with the oak, petrol blue inlays were chosen for the other doors and drawers, completed with antique brass slimline handles.

Bespoke elements

“The big challenge down here was maximising storage and ensuring the room felt light, spacious and ticked the box of a comfortable dining area,” says Lizzie. “The new extension allowed us to push the dial and make this space feel more contemporary, so we enlisted bespoke cabinet makers WG Studios to create stunning joinery, including a bar area and a central island with enormous drawers.”

The kitchen sink was placed in the bay window to offer views towards the front of the house, while the island was orientated towards the rear elevation with clear sightlines through to the garden. A self-extracting hob also mitigates the need for a large hood that would have been a distraction from the garden outlook.

The colour palette

Further notes of rich blues are echoed through the upper floors, peppered with more warm ochre in the living room, smoky green woodwork in the hallway and olive green in the master bedroom. “The balanced use of colour was very deliberate to ensure each room flowed into the next,” says Lizzie.

“For example, in the living room, we used the sunshine and verdant palettes of Africa as inspiration and added a large ochre sofa, flanked by side tables. The yellows, subtle blues and greens are then pulled down to the basement and out to the garden space.”

Even at the top of the house in the master suite, there are considered references to the lower floors, with petrol blue wardrobes and deep-sea blue porcelain floor tiles tying in with the kitchen scheme, while the study has new joinery painted in dark green.

The result is a sophisticated and composed home with a fluid flow from upstairs to downstairs, finishing with a spacious, light-filled kitchen-diner at the bottom, which the owners are absolutely thrilled with.

As originally told to: Louise O’Bryan | Photography: Chris Snook

This house tour was featured in the January 2025 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.

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