The interior of this townhouse, located in a gated development, moments from the Regent’s Canal, was in need of a modern overhaul. The name comes from our interpretation of the homeowner’s brief: while maintaining the house’s existing structure, we designed a series of nooks within a progressive, innovative design.
We sensitively re-imagined the house to work in step with the homeowner’s lifestyle, establishing a dialogue between the structural envelope and the daily interactions of the occupants. The aforementioned nooks pop up throughout the property as intimate spaces where the family can enjoy time together, or alone.
Preserving the original layout pushed us to be creative with how we orientated the space. Rather than eliminating walls to create an open plan, we enhanced the home’s essential elements with tailored joinery. A warm walnut floor and staircase – with a glass banister to increase the feeling of space – leads from the front door into a combined kitchen and dining room with corner alcoves for reading and playing. Upstairs, a shower room hides behind a double vanity, contained within its own private nook. We transformed a family lounge with maritime-themed curved-steel walls lined with fishnet to delineate playful spaces brightened by skylights.
The Nook illustrates our working philosophy: to begin every project learning about and analysing the clients’ lifestyle. In understanding the homeowners through deep discussions and analysis, we can better understand how to enhance their lives using form, material and texture. This allows for surprising design decisions we could never make with a simple list of requirements.
> Read more about extending and renovating period houses
Photography: Luke Hayes