Mount View | Archmongers

Mount View is a project to extend and refurbish a generous Victorian house in north London. The property had previously been poorly reworked resulting in a series of disjointed living spaces. The brief was to extend the house to create a large living space connected to the garden for use of a young family and for entertaining. The client also wanted the cellar converted to a basement for a self-contained guest-suite to accommodate family visiting from abroad.

The cellar in the front half of the house has been underpinned to create the basement spaces that look out to a lowered front garden with a new bay window. Its exterior boasts bespoke tiling and an outer wall lined with stainless steel panels to reflect light into the sunken garden. The contemporary tiles complement the red brick of the original facade.

The entrance hall has been widened to allow comfortable entry and exit and includes in-built cupboards with scalloped joinery doors. It connects to the front living room through double doors that reveal the original marble fireplace.

Extra height has been taken from the cellar to lower the floors of the living spaces at the rear of the house. This has created a voluminous space with generous floor-to-ceiling height and includes a large kitchen, dining and family living rooms connected to the garden with full-height doors and windows. An internal window gives a visual connection between the two living rooms, giving dual aspect views and light.

The extension’s facade to the rear garden sports the same handmade tiles as the front bay elevation. Its ridged tiles create texture and a datum marking the openings on the rear facade. The angled rear facade complements the roof windows placed at the top of slanted peaks, allowing light to wash down the walls.

The colours of the home’s fixtures and fittings and external tiles have been influenced by the client’s childhood home: a palette of 1970s yellows, browns and pinks. The loo and family bathrooms have colour-blocked tiled walls, terrazzo or vinyl floors and contrasting taps.

Johan Hybschmann, Managing Partner of Archmongers said:
‘Working with a house of such generous proportions revealed so much about the original intentions of Victorian design. Building on this framework and being able to create spacious additions to unlock the house was a fun challenge. We’ve created beautiful yet practical light-filled spaces that give the house a contemporary feel.’

Susanna, Client said:

‘Archmongers' vision - from the inspired roofline of the rear extension to the design of the bannister leading to the new basement flat - has transformed our home.  We still marvel at the way in which Johan and Margaret have enhanced the handsome Victorian features of the house with contrasting yet wonderfully sympathetic additions, creating imaginative, beautiful and practical spaces for our family to enjoy.’