150. Lydford Road

We were initially approached by an architect — now a close collaborator — following previous work on his own home. What began as a traditional contractor-led extension evolved during the costing stage into a highly collaborative design process, transforming a simple white rear addition into a richer, more layered extension and full garden redevelopment.

A key challenge emerged early on: once the groundworks were complete, the available height to the underside of the existing floor joists was limited to just 2.4m, with no scope to alter the structural datum. Working closely with the architect Robin Morgan, we developed a pitched extension form that maximised internal headroom while carefully coordinating floor build-ups with the upstairs window sill heights. Wet underfloor heating was installed throughout to maintain clean ceiling lines and a calm spatial quality.

The kitchen and dining furniture were designed and fabricated in-house. Structural beech was specified as the primary material; however, due to the nature of D30-graded hardwood — which cannot be kiln-graded with the same consistency as mass-produced softwood — additional contingency boards were required to allow for potential movement and bowing. Rather than allowing this surplus material to become waste, we integrated it into the wider joinery scheme, designing a bespoke kitchen and dining table that celebrated the character of the timber. Every component was carefully re-milled and finished in our South London workshop.

‍