RO-106_NUNHEAD
White Social: Rear Kitchen Reconfiguration and Side Extension
The existing rear annex of this period property, housing the kitchen, was single storey -with a sloped roof and small unused loft space above the kitchen ceiling - and the clients were aiming to add a side extension and refurbish it to create a separable second social space. The neighbouring property had already been extended years ago and the good-looking Yellow London Stock Brick wall was built as a shared party wall.
The parameters allowed for escaping the typical division of lower ceiling and higher glass ‘lean-to’ and therefore we focused on a big one-roof-gesture spanning the overall space.
Despite replacing the roof entirely, all other elements of the building envelope were retained and only upgraded to comply with energy saving standards to stay within a limited budget.
The ceiling is very high, and the roof features an exposed structure of white painted timber joists and a steel beam, timber boarding and large rooflights. On one side of the kitchen the brick walls are painted white, whereas on the other side the Yellow London Stock bricks are shown.
A straight long kitchen run and shelves either side of the exposed chimney breast create the spine of the layout, while built-in full height units form the backdrop of the island towards the main house, flanked by the access from the hall and rear reception room.
WC and utility room were integrated into previous, underused storage units under the stair.
A large, fixed window screen with a deep sill seating frames the view to the garden. Continuous, concrete coloured micro-screed flooring and scaffolding board shelves and worktops underline the use of raw and true materials and create a very generous, free-spirited space, where French country house meets urban gallery.
Photos: Client