DeBeauvoir House

A spacious and stylish four-bedroomed home for a growing young family.

A primary goal was to add an additional bedroom, while not sacrificing space for the other key spaces. As the property is semi-detached, this enabled us to extend both out to the rear and the side, providing the opportunity for additional floor space. On the upper ground floor, the additional bedroom has been inserted into a new space to the rear of the property. The entrance is situated off the side of the main hallway, giving the sense of entering a separate wing of the house and ensuring it feels private. Planning restrictions limited how much the extension could protrude from the footprint of the property so the configuration for this interior space was limited. Another barrier was also due, in part, to the existing staircase to the upper floor, which was to be retained. However, large floor-to-ceiling glazing coupled with a subtle approach to the interior design by the owners has resulted in a private space that feels bright yet warm. The structural elements of the existing staircase have been boxed in to form a curved canopy—a purposeful addition to bringing soft lines to the room. A corridor with built-in storage connects the room to an ensuite. Overhead, a glazed ribbon window brings light into this joining space. Extending out to the side enabled the building to accommodate multiple spaces on the lower and upper ground floors including a large kitchen diner, pantry, tv room, and guest bedroom.