We created arches through the house to unify the design internally and externally - view through to the kitchen and through to the garden can be seen when you enter the house
The open plan kitchen, dining and living area that looks onto the garden through the arched windows and doors
The luxurious cocktail bar and poker table
A nice spot for reading and relaxing
A small but perfectly formed home office set off the entrance corridor with crittall doors to allow for good natural light levels
The Powder Room with beautiful Arte wallpaper and a natural stone pedestal basin
Views of the rear facade through the lovely garden. The original olive tree was retained throughout the build
The house as it was before redevelopment
The cosy living room area - we created a lightwell space that connects the room to the garden
CGI of the house to develop the concept for the planning stage. Image by Haze Viz
The bespoke kitchen, designed in-house with a generous kitchen island
The entrance corridor with a bespoke in-house designed bench with concealed shoe storage
The Principal En-suite with natural travertine - a lovely sanctuary to get ready and retire to each day
The rear facade of the new build home created with pretty arched doors and windows and traditional black railings
The bespoke banquette was designed in-house to be be softly curved and able to accommodate a big dinner party comfortably
The informal living room area in the open plan space with the kitchen and dining areas
The entrance corridor with a bespoke in-house designed cloakroom and storage spaces
The Principal Bedroom with calm views out to the garden with pretty French doors that open onto a Juliette balcony
The house was almost fully rebuilt - just utilising the existing floor plates and external walls to create a brand new aesthetic for the house that fitted with the local historic area
Belsize Park Coach House, London
A Conservation area rebuild and new build home
Set within the Belsize Park Conservation Area, this former coach house has been sensitively fully redesigned and rebuilt to create a generous and unique family home. NGA were appointed as the architects and designers to deliver a near-complete rebuild of the existing structure which in essence became a new build home, including a completely new rear facade, additional basement and rear extensions.
From the outset, after meeting with our client and understanding her taste and style we realised that the house needed a complete overhaul in terms of its aesthetic. The original house had previously been modernised in a way that did not sit comfortably within its historic surroundings. Drawing on the history of the local area, with its beautiful Victorian architecture, we created an imagined past and personality for the new home; one that was inspired by and moulded around the personality of our client.
Carefully we crafted a new architectural language taking cues and inspiration from the neighbouring houses with their grand Victorian Italianate style architecture, with arched windows, deep reveals and filigree metalwork. These arched openings serve to frame views of the garden, creating long sightlines that run through the depth of the house and out into the landscape beyond.
We added significant new area and volume to the existing house with basement and ground floor extensions which practically allows for much better functioning living, dining and kitchen spaces internally. Working closely with planning consultants, NGA secured permission within the conservation area for substantial ground and basement level additions to the original volume of the house. These new interventions create expanded living spaces at ground floor level, where a generous kitchen, dining and open plan living area connects to the garden level. At basement level, a larger living room area with a cocktail bar and poker table allows for both cosy family times, sleepovers for children’s friends and late night poker games for adults.
Alongside the new vision for the house we also fully re-designed the garden landscaping, allowing the architecture and landscape to flow together cohesively to create a calm and considered whole.
Externally, the material palette is refined and understated. White stucco along with traditional black painted metal work railings was used to define the exterior of the house while internally the house uses a warm, relaxing tone throughout with drama created through beautiful marble, sculptural lighting and interesting art.
It has been a joy to see our clients living so happily in their new home and welcoming extended family over and to see that the house can gently and generously accommodate them all.
Photographs: Mary Wadsworth