Terraced Victorian family house in Kensal Green.

In the existing arrangement of this house, the kitchen was based in a low, narrow space at the rear. Our brief was to focus on this area, and to form a large, dramatic, light and open kitchen, living and entertaining space that worked all year round as the heart of the home.

The rear facade is punctuated by a window seat and a glazed screen with double doors. The window seat forms a visual focus framing a view of the garden, and providing a pleasant place to sit at the end of the kitchen.

Throughout we have used simple, good quality materials that have a relationship with the existing building. Internally, we used Victorian timber cladding as found in the existing house to form concealed cupboards and, in a chevron pattern, to form the sloping ceiling. The garden-facing façade is clad in hexagon shaped natural slates, which will weather well and produce a patina over time.