An old Victorian property to the west of the City becomes the perfect nest for Stuart Allen, Rebecca Wilde-Allen and their two children, thanks to an essential restoration project signed by Studio McW. Founded in 2016 by David McGahon e Greg Waltonthe young English architectural studio has managed to blend the traditional details of a historic late Victorian home with the need for a efficient and modern houserethinking the layout of the rooms and increasing the usable space, but also incorporating design elements inspired by the panelling of Philip Johnson for the restaurant Four Seasons of New York, at Barragán House of Mexico City and the clean lines of the modernist architecture.
The entire width of the property has been preserved and used to its full potential, changing the layout and functionality of the rooms and keeping the back garden almost entirely. The old veranda has been removed and a second lateral extension has been built in its place. The architects have neatly divided the functional spaces of everyday life – storage for bicycles and waste, bathroom, pantry, storage room, workshop – within a new 9 square meter extension built in a side passage area of the house, which allowed for a larger open plan dining room and kitchen. Kitchen space that has been further improved lowering the floor level of 75 centimeters, obtaining a generous raised volume which echoes the grand original proportions of the property.
“Victorian houses always challenge modern spatial requirements. However, by moving the service areas into the new extension, it was possible to maintain the architectural integrity of the original property. The social spaces are in the house, the service spaces in the new wing,” Greg Walton, director of Studio McW, tells us.
Extensions that the Studio McW team worked on in collaboration with the laboratory Idle Furniturewho conceived the added spaces as fully integrated wood inserts. The new areas of the house are presented with oak panel walls that hide warehouses and They camouflage the doors of the service spaces. In addition to these, a niche with wood-covered bench adds a bistro atmosphere to the kitchen, where the long custom dining tabledesigned by the clients and Studio McW and built by Idle.
The back of the house has been rebuilt with Reclaimed London Bricks from the demolished kitchen, while a new guest bedroom and TV corner were created on the first floor, located above the new kitchen space. The first floor also houses the master bedroom, an additional bedroom and a new shower room, while the second floor welcomes a larger bathroom and an additional bedroom.
Stuart and Rebecca’s respect for design and attention to period materials is evident in the artwork selected for their home and the furnishings chosen, which include a set of Paco Muñoz dining chairs carefully restored by Stuart. Materials that were robust enough to cope with the London family life of the time – wood, stone, lime and brick – were key to the brief. The couple sought to retain and reuse as much of the original building as possible, painstakingly restoring the existing floorboards, fireplace and balustrades. Similarly, Studio McW recovered 85% of existing bricks to build the kitchen and side extensions.
Hideaway House is the demonstration of how Even limited design choices and a sustainable, restorative approach can have a huge impact. Renovating thoughtfully rather than building big, focusing on the efficient and creative use of available space, can pay off with a practical, modern and original home.
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