Brixton

London-based studio AMA uses perforated solid steel plates to transform this five-story Georgian terrace house in Belgravia into a creative, contemporary home that encourages interesting play of light and shadow.

An outdoor bathroom and shed were demolished for a full-width rear extension. Pivoting doors contrast with a blanket of brick comprising the house, its garden walls, and all the neighboring houses. A two-story addition is camouflaged in reclaimed brick. “We had to develop a series of floor plates at the rear of the building that aligned with adjoining properties,” says architect David Tigg, as an example of the rigors of working in a conservation area.

Red Dot Studio rehabbed a historically designated 1890 cottage

An added benefit of installing the skylights was adding headroom over the day beds, Smith says.

Smith designed the custom cabinets, which were fashioned from medium-density fiberboard with a white lacquer finish. There are three drawer heights. "The faces are consistent but some, when you open them up, are triple-height," Smith says. "So that helps with things that are really large, like sleeping bags or camping stuff or whatever. They're three feet deep, so it goes into the knee wall, which is really handy. So you get lots and lots of storage."

The architects created the illusion of more space by opening up the floor plan, repositioning the staircase and introducing sight lines to the large windows on the south side. Recurring black accents—from the dining room’s Serge Mouille light fixture to its tall bookcases—contrast the brightness of the crisp white walls. Walnut floors and lighter wood furniture like the Klaus Willhelm table and Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs cozy up the home, while colorful objects animate it. “We strongly believe that people do not need more space, they just need better-designed space,” Dubbeldam says.