Clients & projects: New Chapter

This existing 1970’s St Albans home has undergone a major whole house refurbishment and extension.

Our clients, both in the publishing world, wished to create a colourful, sociable and light-filled home as well as a backdrop to display their large collection of books.

As well as designing the architecture we were also appointed to design the interiors & furniture including an overall palette of materials, the design of a new bespoke handmade kitchen, utility & cloaks area, built-in storage walls, bookcases, wardrobes, childrens’ bedrooms as well as the fit-out of the new loft conversion. We worked closely with Anthony Lloyd Fine Furniture who crafted the finished furniture on site.

The new rear extension incorporates full height glazing to engage with the garden and external brickwork recognisable as similar to the existing building but also subtly differentiated from it using contrasting stack bonded bricks. A cantilevered overhang provides a degree of shelter and shade to the rear facade with a wood soffit mirroring interior wood cladding. A sedum roof and large roof lights allow further natural light into the extended space.

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We can’t recommend Stewart and Stewart Design highly enough.  Having listened to how we lived our lives and wanted to get from the space, Mark and Amanda came up with a brilliant plan that meets all our needs, is incredibly stylish and such a creative use of space.  They helped with the interior design and decor, again listening closely to what we did and didn’t like and coming up with a vision and ideas that we would never have dreamt of.  Amanda worked incredibly closely with the joiner to put this vision into a reality, with the end result of a beautiful home with some really stunning features.

— Jennie & Matt

This existing 1970’s St Albans home has undergone a major whole house refurbishment and extension.

Our clients, both in the publishing world, wished to create a colourful, sociable and light-filled home as well as a backdrop to display their large collection of books.

As well as designing the architecture we were also appointed to design the interiors & furniture including an overall palette of materials, the design of a new bespoke handmade kitchen, utility & cloaks area, built-in storage walls, bookcases, wardrobes, childrens’ bedrooms as well as the fit-out of the new loft conversion. We worked closely with Anthony Lloyd Fine Furniture who crafted the finished furniture on site.

The new rear extension incorporates full height glazing to engage with the garden and external brickwork recognisable as similar to the existing building but also subtly differentiated from it using contrasting stack bonded bricks. A cantilevered overhang provides a degree of shelter and shade to the rear facade with a wood soffit mirroring interior wood cladding. A sedum roof and large roof lights allow further natural light into the extended space.

Rather than a completely open-plan arrangement to the rear we proposed a freestanding storage wall with integrated glass pocket doors between the kitchen/diner and family room allowing the space to be used as a whole or independently as desired. Acoustic timber wall panelling has been incorporated to attenuate noise responding to particular hearing requirements. Within the storage wall we designed a ‘secret’ cocktail cabinet and wine store transforming the space for entertaining.

A simple, restrained palette of materials including oak runs through the building from top to bottom providing linking all areas of the home either as flooring, wall cladding, bookcases or in the small details such as the handle details for the wardrobes or even the specially commissioned front door.

Colour is introduced in the kitchen units, wall panels and upholstery and in the creative way the clients’ books are displayed throughout the house.

Architecture, Interior & Furniture Design – Stewart & Stewart Design

Structural Engineer – Sketch Consulting Engineers

Main Contractor & Landscaping – RNB Construction

Joinery – Anthony Lloyd Fine Furniture

Lighting – Inspyer Lighting

Photography – Matthew Smith Architectural Photography

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