This revamped east London terraced house is a music lover’s dream
An east London terraced house gets a boost of personality and sustainability thanks to Archmongers, whose transformation makes room for the owners’ creativity and extensive record collection

There is no shortage of work, such as this east London terraced house, for Archmongers, a London practice specialising in residential retrofits: the capital’s streets are lined with Victorian terraces, modern semis and post-war flats crying out for an update, both in looks and in sustainability.
This year the studio, founded by Margaret Bursa and Johan Hybschmann in 2013, has completed two drastic renovations: the first, the Scandinavian-inspired Elemental House in Hackney, brought a 1970s split-level house up to contemporary standards; the second, Ray House in nearby Dalston, sees the pair retrofit a Victorian house in a conservation area.
Explore this transformed east London terraced house
Owned by a creative couple, Ray House was transformed from a poorly insulated building with single-glazed windows – sadly standard in London – into a hi-tech contemporary home. Gone are the gas boiler and compartmentalised layout; instead the all-electric house is powered by a heat pump (concealed behind a bespoke Corten steel panel in the front garden) and filled with daylight, its various levels linked by a brand new stairwell.
Often narrow and dark, staircases are the Achilles’ heel of Victorian terraced houses, so Archmongers has focused its attention on this space, with a new stairwell accented with black rubber treads and crafted of Douglas fir and ply by designer/maker Charles Tepasse. The same joinery appears throughout the house, from the door frames to the stunning deep timber windowsills, and even a bed frame in the principal bedroom.
‘We conceived the design as a journey, repeating materials and creating sight lines to make connections between the spaces,’ explains Bursa. ‘This journey is also marked by tactility, the contact with materials under hand or foot, hardwood handrails, brass door handles, rounded Douglas fir sills, marble steps to softwood floors.’
A seating area is dedicated to music, with a bespoke Douglas fir DJ cabinet and wall-mounted speakers
The new rear extension, a two-storey yellow brick column that has increased the house’s size by 17 sq m while respecting the strict planning regulations, allowed the creation of unique spaces adjacent to the staircase: a cosy snug next to the dining room, and below it in the basement lounge, a seating area dedicated to music, with a bespoke Douglas fir DJ cabinet and wall-mounted speakers.
Concealed by a wildflower green roof, an annex houses the client’s vinyl collection
The entire house is wired to stream music into every room from this listening space, which opens onto the patio and newly landscaped garden by Miria Harris, where steps lead to a small annex. Concealed by a wildflower green roof, it houses the client’s extensive vinyl collection.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
What’s more, the new rear façade is decorated with a sunny yellow frieze – quite a feat to achieve planning consent for this type of intervention in a conservation area with no precedents. Designed by the house owner Leona Clark, it comprises a bespoke pattern in decorative concrete tiles inspired by the house’s original street-side plasterwork.
‘Working with Archmongers on the tile façade was a highlight. I feel a sense of pride to have my work embedded in the design,’ says Clark. ‘Ray House is a joy to live in; there are so many facets to the house and so many ways to enjoy it.’
Finally, the studio has addressed another typical downside to many traditional terraced houses: the relegating of the kitchen to the lower ground floor. Relocated to the upper ground floor, the heart of the home is now bright and airy, facing onto the front garden and linked to a spacious dining room.
The interiors are peppered with the clients’ collection of classic designs, such as Ettore Sottsass’ ‘Tahiti’ and ‘Callimaco’ lighting, while the cosy downstairs houses both a lounge and a study, accessed via a few steps crafted from the marble recovered from the now redundant Victorian fireplaces.
Léa Teuscher is a Sub-Editor at Wallpaper*. A former travel writer and production editor, she joined the magazine over a decade ago, and has been sprucing up copy and attempting to write clever headlines ever since. Having spent her childhood hopping between continents and cultures, she’s a fan of all things travel, art and architecture. She has written three Wallpaper* City Guides on Geneva, Strasbourg and Basel.
-
Saatchi Gallery is in full bloom with floral works from Vivienne Westwood, Marimekko, Buccellati and more
‘Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture’ at Saatchi Gallery, London, explores the relationship between creatives and their floral muses, and spans from fashion and jewellery to tattoos
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Modena Automobili transforms the 1990s-era Maserati Shamal into a cutting-edge restomod
The MA-01 Maserati Biturbo Shamal gives Marcello Gandini’s iconic 1990s design a fresh lease of life, with uprated engineering, electronics and style
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Strangeness is a necessary ingredient in beauty’: Aesop’s new floral perfume Aurner refuses to conform
Aesop’s new floral perfume Aurner is described as a ‘defiant bloom’. Its creator Céline Barel tells Wallpaper’s Hannah Tindle why the fragrance refuses to conform
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
Conran Building's refresh brings a beloved London landmark into the 21st century
Conran Building at 22 Shad Thames has been given a new lease of life by Squire & Partners, which has rethought the London classic, originally designed by Hopkins, for the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Inside Powerhouse: The redevelopment of Lots Road Power Station, which once fuelled the London Underground
The twin-turreted building has followed in the footsteps of Battersea Power Station, being transformed into luxury homes and retail units
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Sadler’s Wells East opens: ‘grand, unassuming and beautifully utilitarian’
Sadler’s Wells East by O’Donnell and Tuomey opens this week, showing off its angular brick forms in London
By Tom Seymour Published
-
2025 Serpentine Pavilion: this year's architect, Marina Tabassum, explains her design
The 2025 Serpentine Pavilion design by Marina Tabassum is unveiled; the Bangladeshi architect talks to us about the commission, vision, and the notion of time
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
We celebrate the emerging London architects to be excited about
These emerging London architects are some of the capital's finest ground-breakers, movers and shakers; heralding a new generation of architecture
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
From a mobile pub to a thatched canopy: Japanese architecture and craft explored at AA show in London
'Distillation of Architecture', a new AA show in London, pairs architects with materials and makers in an exploration of craft through the Japanese lens
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A library in a London telephone box? This is a charming reading nook full of surprises
Set in a restored London telephone box, Upper Street Little Library is a cosy beacon to encourage reading to the wider community
By Tianna Williams Published
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscape
In this infill project, a row of garages in Blackheath, south-east London, has been replaced by a contemporary family home by local practice Mailen Design
By Léa Teuscher Published