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Avid gardener Graham and his partner, Steve, approached Amos Goldreich Architecture to expand their Victorian mid-terrace house in the Stroud Green Conservation Area of Haringey, North London. “The design revolves around the garden Graham has lovingly labored over for decades,” says the founder of the eponymous firm. The rear extension includes a bright and spacious kitchen with a terrazzo island and beams clad in oak. Glazed sliding doors and a bay window connect the interior to the yard.
DGN Studio renovated and extended a semidetached Victorian terrace near London Fields for clients Rebecca and Roman. The rear extension is defined by a material palette of exposed concrete and white-oiled oak, which was chosen for its durability, as well as its warm texture and grain. “We are very aware of the dialogue around the sustainability of concrete as a building material, so we were keen to make sure its use was related to a specific set of practical tasks for which it would stand the test of time,” says DGN studio cofounder Geraldine Ng.
The addition’s two stories of cedar-framed sliding doors and window provide generous views of the house’s prized jacaranda tree. The addition’s polished concrete floor and white cladding extend into the garden, drawing occupants to the serene rear porch. There, they can relax on stools designed by Alvar Aalto and Charles Wilson while admiring the luscious greenery.
Be selective about splurging. One of the hardest, yet potentially most satisfying, parts of staying on budget is learning where to save and where to splurge. There are certain items or pieces that are worthy of spending more on, whether it’s a sofa that will last you a decade or kitchen countertops that will really help improve the value of your home. Your contractor or other design professional can advise you on locations or pieces where a higher-quality product is important versus something more basic.
Rob Kennon Architects reimagined a California-style Bungalow in Melbourne’s Elwood suburb, taking inspiration from renowned Australian architect Sir Roy Grounds’s celebrated, modernist Hill House, which features a circular, glass-walled courtyard within a square of solid brick walls. The single-story extension to Elwood Bungalow similarly encloses a circular courtyard with an artfully planted garden.
Albert Mo, cofounder of Australian firm Architects EAT, designed the long, low-slung Bellows House to be built top-to-bottom with concrete masonry blocks. The south end of the residence is U-shaped and encircles a private courtyard. The communal living spaces open to a north-facing garden where the family gathers and entertains.
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