Houzz Tour: A Victorian House in London Gets a Makeover

Houzz Tour: A Victorian House in London Gets a Makeover - When contemporary architect Rob Wilson has taken possession of a dilapidated Victorian house in Clapham, it was the opportunity to play to his customer own practice. "I knew the area like I used to live across the road," he explains. "When the property went on the market had been abandoned for two years. My practice has taken on the project and we decided to take the opportunity to implement much green technology as possible retrofit.

Granit Chartered Architects

Houzz at a glance
Who lives here Robert Wilson
Location Clapham Old Town, London
Size 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms; 180 square meters.
Designer Robert Wilson Chartered Architects Granite

Although you'd be forgiven for assuming the impressive pink front was quite original, Wilson and his team actually added a whole extra floor to the property. "Initially, I applied for a building permit for a mansard roof," he explains. But planners have preferred the idea of ​​creating a new floor, which would also bring the building up to the next house.

The facade of the house was restored to its original pink finish and thermally enhanced with internal insulation. The existing windows were replaced with double-glazed units with heat mirror film sandwiched between the panes, 'Wilson said. "This makes the equivalent of triple pane glass.

Chartered Architects Granite

one of the unique features Wilson designed and installed is a high sash window to measure (visible in the right of the image above), located at the rear of the house in front of the door of Entrance. "The window allows you to walk out of the house, across stepping stones in the pond and in the garden," says Wilson. It also floods the halls with more light.

Armchairs, Made. Dulux Walls painted porcelain.

Chartered Architects Granite

the functions of the window in a similar manner to a pocket door, with the exception vertically. The long, narrow belt (seen here in the center of the rear wall) slides upward through a cavity in the ceiling above and is against the upstairs window.

Chartered Architects Granite

'We reconfigured the layout, moving stairs from directly in front of you that you came to the right rear of the house, behind the dining room, Wilson said. 'This means that you have a full reception room at the front of the house and it feels much more open. "

pocket doors were used to provide a discrete fracture between the two chambers when necessary. Pocket doors disappear, Wilson said. "These days most people let their inner doors open anyway, and heat retention is not a problem because we have the underfloor heating throughout.

Sofa, Made. Engineered oak flooring, finishing Jacobin, The Floor Natural Wood Company.

Chartered Architects Granite

another tip design used in the Wilson room is to place mirrors on each side of a sash window to create the appearance of a bay. "I had been wanting to try it for a while, he said.

The shelves alongside the house from the window of the Wilson collection Penguin vintage. "I have more now than when the photos were taken, he said.

Chartered Architects Granite

On right as you enter the house is a dining room. "I wanted the general to the house is clean but relaxed regime," Wilson said. "The downstairs rooms are centered around entertainment, while the floor is more private.

Walls painted EICO paintings, clay.

Granit Chartered Architects

on the ground floor, behind the stairs is a small toilet - the first chamber in the rear extension "We used a resin floor in the locker room that has a mass of old European coins established in it," says Wilson.. "copper theme continues through the spashback '. the wall basin and vanity unit are by Laufen.

custom floor, epoxy resin suppliers Ltd. Walls painted in Dulux, China .

Chartered Architects Granite

While the front of the house was treated as an extension of the original property, with a smooth transition between old and new; at the rear of the building, a triple bay windows on two floors offers a contemporary contrast.

'We used the same tiles indoors and outdoors, but with different finishes,' Wilson said. "In the kitchen are tiles Architech Sage with a" natural finish ". Besides, we used the "bush hammered" finish for a rougher texture. Hot Yorkstone colored paving and stepping stones on either side of the central band are.

Triple glazing system Lumax.

Chartered Architects Granite

'the rear extension, two-storey houses a kitchen on the ground level and a bedroom, which I use as a study, first floor, "says Wilson. Both overlook a contemporary landscaped garden with fishpond moat and planters corten measure.

'We used powder coated aluminum doors that slide into a space on the left of the bay, closing a small corner of the garden while opening the kitchen, "says Wilson. The effect is an indoor-outdoor space relaxed.

Chartered Architects Granite

'rear walls of the sidewalls and the existing new were also isolated on the outside and then rendered, "said Wilson. "As we have reached a very high level of air tightness, we installed a MVHR ( Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) system that filters incoming air and preheat it in cold weather. A cooling loop traverses fishponds, acting in reverse to pre-cool the air in summer. solar water-heating pre-heated feed to a combined reservoir and the boiler. This provides the majority of demand and powers of underfloor heating hot water.

Chartered Architects Granite

the kitchen is stylish, handles the design in neutral colors, except for a bright turquoise backsplash. "It is made of back-painted glass that you can have in all colors," says Wilson.

kitchen cabinets, Euromobil. Furnaces Neff.

Chartered Architects Granite

What appear as three tall cabinets are actually two wardrobes and a door (left) that leads to a hidden laundry. "A friend told me it was his favorite feature in the house," says Wilson. The utility room houses the secret washing machine and dryer. "It's good to be able to throw stuff out there and close the door; the kitchen always looks tidy! '.

Chartered Architects Granite

Many thought went into sculptural staircase, which was built by a carpenter on the project. 'I liked the idea of ​​seeing both sides of the stairs, said Wilson. "We had to convince me to introduce bright colors - if it had been left to me the whole house was white -. But the luminous paint really well

wall painted staircase in EICO paintings, jelly.

Chartered Architects Granite

Wilson and his team carefully looked at every detail of the design to ensure a high quality finish. "We spent a lot of time working on how the wood floors should work, he said. "It's not a huge house. I wanted to get the maximum number of rooms, but I did not want the stairs to feel cramped or the room to be too narrow. "

Chartered Architects Granite

upstairs in line is the study of Wilson. The walls are decorated with impressions of his travels, and a pair of IKEA sofas offer a relaxed seating. opaque glass on the corner windows provides privacy without the need for curtains or blinds. There is also a bathroom.

Chartered Architects Granite

The first floor has two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. The color on the feature wall is Clay, by EICO, an Icelandic company of environmentally friendly paint. "It is natural that you could drink!," Laughs Wilson. The lampshade was carried through the dining room, where it was also used.

oak floor, The Floor Natural Wood Company.

Granit Chartered Architects

in the family bathroom, neutral tiles and white sanitaryware create a soothing environment. The walls and floors are tiled in I Bianchi, Sorrento tiles are porcelain but with the appearance of marble. The acrylic bath is double ended Ceramica.

The Cento basin has a subtly textured tile backsplash Modestone white with a barcode finish of the mosaic. The flat front-towel is Newick model in the range Sussex.

Chartered Architects Granite

The new floor top of the house is delivered to the master bedroom and a bathroom. The sleeping area is divided in two by a wooden partition with shelving compartments on one side and a dressing room on the other. "The backs of cupboards form the bedhead" says Wilson.

Chartered Architects Granite

The locker room is packed with storage by announcing wooden cabinets on one side and an IKEA unit from floor to ceiling on the other. "We tucked away around the corner, says Wilson. Bathroom leads off the dressing area, separated by a pocket door.

Chartered Architects Granite

The hall master bathroom has a tactile quality male with dark tiles and a cast and against concrete basin.

Raindance Connect Showerpipe Hansgrohe. Thermostatic two-way deflection, Totti.

Chartered Architects Granite

the outdoor space is pretty as well as practical, hiding several hidden benefits. "Buried under the garden, rainwater tank is connected to an automatic irrigation system," explains Wilson. 'This provides water to a wild meadow green roof over the extension and the waters of the front and rear beds planted.


The abundance of green foliage and the private aspect of the court lend an oasis feel like the calm in this garden in the middle of London.

white couch outside IKEA.


Tell us ...
What is the detail of your favorite in this amazing Victorian house? Share your thoughts in the comments below.