This east London Victorian house underwent a remarkable transformation by embracing biophilic design to create a green oasis in the heart of the city
TIMELINE
HOMEOWNERS Sarah Coleman and Graham Redman
LOCATION Maryland, Stratford
HOUSE TYPE Victorian terraced house with contemporary extension
BUILD ROUTE Traditional procurement with architect, main contractor and specialist joinery contractor
CONSTRUCTION Timber frame extension with wood fibre insulation
WORDS Gabriella Dyson PHOTOGRAPHY Adam Scott
W henSarah Coleman and Graham Redman purchased a Victorian terrace house in 2013, their thoughts quickly turned to renovation. The tired and neglected property sat in a quiet corner of east London and suffered from years of rental market negligence. Initial efforts to revive the house saw repainting throughout and a stripping out of the dated carpets to reveal the original wooden floors. But raising young children took precedence for the couple, so the renovation was paused.
Fast forward to 2018 and while scrolling through The Modern House’s Instagram account, Sarah came across London-based architects Emil Eve. Inspired by their body of work, Sarah and Graham contacted director Emma Perkin. Together, they drafted a blueprint for their dream home — aproperty that would grow organically with their young family and reflect their own green lifestyle.
A BRIGHT AND OPEN KITCHEN EXTENSION
Central to the family’s vision was a large kitchen and dining room that would blend seamlessly with the outdoors. “We wanted to expand the house with a big kitchen diner and give the sense of transitioning into the garden — asort of indooroutdoor space,” says Sarah.
The new kitchen design features custom-made birch plywood units by Harbour Joinery and a walk-in pantry concealed behind a panelled door. “Previously, it had been a galley kitchen disconnected from both living and outdoor spaces,” says Sarah. “Now, on a Sunday morning, the kids will sit at the counter and I’ll make pancakes and look out at the garden as I cook. To have the kitchen configured in an L-shape allows me to move around and see what’s going on elsewhere in the room.”
The kitchen features a long window seat with large bifold windows opening out onto the garden to encourage a greater connection with the outdoors. “The seat was Emil Eve’s idea, and it was a stroke of genius,” says Sarah. “We can open it up in the summer and sit on either side. We use it a lot because it also has storage underneath it, so it’s a really useful space.”
HIDDEN DEPTHS
The modern timber-clad extension hints at the bright and airy space within. Beneath the lawn lies a cleverly concealed rainwater tank, providing grey water for the home and irrigation for the garden.
RECONFIGURING THE LAYOUT
