74 Lubbock Road, BR7

The detached five-bedroom house was built in 1982 and designed by Geoffrey Carter and Chu. When the client purchased the property in 2015 the house was tired and we were appointed to envisage and deliver a complete refurbishment. The brief was to create a five-bedroom house with a games room and an open-plan kitchen and dining area. Our strategy was to use the existing garage and under-utilised area of the site, into which the property was extended. Extending and converting various elements of the house required a strategy to tie the old and new together, which was achieved by re-cladding the entire house.

We were also keen to work with the existing valuable features of the house, such as the first-floor lounge and views of the garden. These features were retained and enhanced, the result being a refurbished house with the appearance of a complete new build, achieved in a cost-effective way. Cladding all elevations and replacing all the windows, with different configurations, allowed the property to be insulated, improving its overall thermal performance. The solid black render and metal base to the building with delicate western red cedar strips above creates an interesting composition, contrasting with the existing dark brick house. Post completion the house blends into its tree-lined surroundings with style and subtlety.