Kitchen of the Week: An Extension With a Twist in North London

Kitchen of the Week: An Extension With a Twist in North London- When the owners of this Victorian terraced house in north London purchased the property, it was in a state of total disrepair. Their taste was traditional, but they were inspired by architect Melissa Robinson’s suggestion of a split-level reception area, with four floors over two storeys (a basement, kitchen level, sitting room level and study level). ‘They were pretty brave and took a bit of a blind leap in trusting us,’ says Robinson. The kitchen, on the second of the four floors, was to be something a little different from the rest of the traditional Victorian property.

MW Architects

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A family with two children
Location North London
Size 30 sq m; part of a house with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
Architect Melissa Robinson of MW Architects
Kitchen designers Uncommon Projects

This Victorian house had a 50/50 split between the front and back, which means the front of the house was exactly half a storey higher than the back of the building. Robinson decided to maximise on the unique opportunity to create something unusual for the family.

‘We wanted to manipulate the existing terrace in a different way to normal,’ says Robinson. As well as extending the property at the side, she carved out a basement that now houses a utility room, cloakroom and extra storage.

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‘The kitchen cabinetry is a massive piece, with units coming up from the basement, through the kitchen and back up over into the study,’ explains Robinson. ‘We wanted it to be so big to introduce volume, because it has impact,’ she adds.

The colours used – the grey and yellow – were client-led. ‘Yellow came up early in the design process,’ says Robinson, ‘but the key for the kitchen was the exposed plywood. We recommended and worked with a company called Uncommon Projects for the kitchen.’

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The clients wanted to avoid the bifold doors they’d seen on extensions to period properties throughout London, so instead went for a steel-framed expanse that gives a nod to more traditional design. Windows on either side of hinged doors can be opened, providing flexible levels of ventilation.

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The designers went for partially open storage for the wall units. ‘We wanted there to be continuity as it went up the wall,’ says Robinson. ‘It starts to form more of a bookcase at the study level, and keeping that openness was a nice way of bringing it down into the kitchen, where it’s a combination of shelving and closed units,’ she adds.

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Robinson installed a large skylight in the side extension area to bring maximum light into the kitchen. The voids themselves also act almost as skylights, as they allow light to penetrate through the connected spaces.

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Robinson kept the original staircase in the rest of the house, and its form creates beautiful lines in the kitchen area that organically bring a soft end to the shelving units. By bringing the steps that lead down into the kitchen out of the main stairwell, it allowed the architect to create the interesting, multi-level effect, and carve out a passage that leads down into the new basement area.

To allow the light from the kitchen to penetrate into the hallway, Robinson installed a window between the two spaces. She also put in steel railings with an antique finish to connect with the steel-framed doors, and also give a nod to the metal banisters frequently used in Victorian houses.

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For lighting, they went for surface-mounted spotlights. ‘I’m not a huge fan of recessed spots,’ Robinson explains. ‘You can play with surface-mounted ones more. They give a lot more flexibility, particularly with the shelving system: you can direct them wherever you like.’

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The idea with the kitchen island was that it would be multi-directional. ‘It’s a massive island with access on all sides,’ explains Robinson. ‘So near the dining area, there’s a cupboard for tableware, the side that faces the kitchen is used for pots and pans, the part facing the staircase is more decorative, with open storage, and there’s a cupboard for occasional-use things on the remaining side,’

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The dining table came from next door. ‘A neighbour was downsizing, so she gave the owners the table and chairs – they came in over the garden fence,’ says Robinson.

To create a link with the exterior, she continued the dark limestone tiles out from the kitchen onto the patio.

Carnforth tiles, Fired Earth.

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MW Architects

One of the major challenges for the project was the structure. ‘It was quite complicated,’ explains Robinson. ‘We took out some of the main pieces of structure, and because of the split levels, we were limited in where we could put new structure in, so we had to get steel in quite cleverly. The column in the middle is key,’ she adds.

As second skylight above the kitchen end of the living room, which acts as a play area, adds to the abundant light.

Walls painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.

MW Architects

The idea was that the kitchen would be modern, with the rest of the house retaining its traditional Victorian feel. ‘We didn’t want to destroy the fact that it’s a Victorian home,’ says Robinson, and the rest of the property is much more period in style. The darker colour on the walls is quite cosy, and the owners’ furniture gives it that traditional feel.

Walls painted in Hague Blue; floor painted in Railings, both Farrow & Ball.

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