A Neo-Georgian Islington house, tucked away amid the north London area's leafy residential streets, has undergone a total revamp to become a client’s dream home. Comprising a new extension and interior, the project was created by Architecture for London and Hamish Vincent Design.
Step inside this reimagined Islington House
The client, a successful entrepreneur and investor in the sustainability sector, was looking for a property that could accommodate a larger living space with an open plan kitchen, dining and reception area. They were drawn to striking Georgian architecture, but were advised that a typical listed Islington townhouse would present significant constraints when attempting to achieve their desired open-plan layout.
Hamish Vincent Design discovered a Neo-Georgian home set in the Canonbury Conservation Area, on the southern side of St Paul’s Road, which forms part of a terrace of nine post-war rebuilt houses. This non-listed property offered the perfect solution.
The team's design is centred on using natural materials. These make up the rear extension and the striking arched doorway and cantilevered stairs, which anchor the living spaces.
'We wanted to create a calming and functional space that reflected the client’s interest in travel and entertaining,' explains Daniel Jones, founder and creative director of Hamish Vincent Design. 'The element of surprise, without being overbearing, was a driver in the creation of the triple-height voided entrance and pill-shaped staircase with soft curves, a prominent theme throughout.'
He continues: 'It was important to highlight and showcase in the design, that despite its modest, traditional-looking façade, the interior made way for a home that responds to the needs of its occupier. Light was also a key factor during the design concept phase. The property benefits from beautiful natural light from the rear, therefore materiality was important.'
The staircase, which cascades down the three-storey interior, makes a bold architectural statement, yet the honest materiality of the Douglas fir treads and the stone detailing injects a distinctive sense of calm.
The stairs were actually repositioned, and that created the generous height of the home’s entry area. A study is nestled in the existing loft area of the property. The material palette unifies the interior spaces, comprising lime plaster, marble, timber and brick. Clayworks plaster helps light bounce across the subtle arches, imbuing a soothing feel throughout the home.
The first floor is home to the main bedroom, with its ensuite bathroom. This was designed to utilise the outer curve of the staircase and includes a spa shower with a steam function. Opposite is a second bedroom that doubles as a study. On the second floor, visitors will find a third bedroom and a wet room.
'We hope that a visitor’s first impression of the house is one of surprise and delight. From the outside, the house appears as a typical Neo-Georgian mid-20th-century cottage. Instead of the expected dark hallway and low ceiling height, the front door opens to reveal a bright double-height space, with a sweeping cantilevered stair rising through it', says Ben Ridley, founder and director of Architecture for London.
He concludes: 'We hope that visitors sense that the house is somehow more “Georgian” than it was previously, having been originally built as a cost-effective 20th-century house, hidden behind a Georgian-ish façade. The house now enjoys the high-quality joinery, materials, and staircase that might make a Georgian craftsperson proud. The new extension's brick walls, with deep reveals and structural arch, further suggest the mass and structure of an authentic 19th-century house.'
architectureforlondon.com
hamishvincent.co.uk