BEFORE & AFTER HOME HOUSE
ANNA LEA-WILSON AND SAM SILVERMAN KNEW THE QUIET LOCATION OF THEIR NEW HOME WAS PERFECT, BUT IT TOOK TWO EXTENSIONS AND A COMPLETE OVERHAUL BEFORE IT SUITED THEIR FAMILY OF FIVE
Family room
‘The open-plan layout is perfect for the kids to play in while I work at the breakfast bar,’ Anna says. ‘The size of the extension has given us the chance to all be together doing different things, but so that we're not on top of one another.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES
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GLAZING IDEAS
Bifold doors, a gable window and two skylights maximise the light flooding into the new extension
A fterliving in a Victorian terrace on a busy street, Anna and Sam wanted a larger property which offered them a quiet location, without having to leave London. When they viewed this 1930s house, they knew they had the vision to transform it into a perfect family home. The quiet cul-de-sac plus views over Epping Forest were the clincher. ‘When we saw the house it was almost exactly what we wanted. Ideally we would have loved rear or side access, but the location made up for that,’ says Anna. ‘It had been untouched for so long, and was ready for us to make our mark on it. As well as the great proportions of the rooms, we loved the size of the garden.’ The couple’s plan was to add two extensions and gut the property to bring it up to date, while preserving the original features where they could, and adding sympathetic new touches.
DREAM SPACE
‘Our builder was, and still is, a friend. I’m an interior designer, so we only brought in an architect to do drawings for the permitted-development kitchen extension,’ says Anna. ‘Our previous experience helped to keep it all running smoothly. We have done two building projects before, and I had learned that good communication with the builder is key.’
Of her plans for the new kitchen-diner-family room, Anna says, ‘I always wanted to do a vaulted-roof extension. We added the gable window above the bifold doors to maximise the light; it would have felt so different without it. It has elevated the space from ordinary to exciting. The light feels almost celestial during the day.’
FAMILY PLANNING
With her design ba
