Ickburgh Road

Emil Eve’s co-directors have extended and renovated their split level Victorian terrace in Hackney to create a colourful home that embraces the creative clutter of family life.

Conceived as a ‘lifetime’ house that can evolve and change over the years, the design prioritises free standing, adaptable elements, from a modular kitchen island, designed by the architects, to an attic seating platform that doubles as a bed.

Generous walls of bespoke shelving are ranged with assorted nooks; designed for display as much as storage, they suggest a house-scale cabinet of curiosities, with artwork, collected objects, and plant life on show throughout the rooms.

The new extension splays out into the garden on one side, pushing against the greenery, which in turn pushes back towards the house. Its scooped form catches the daylight and offers views of mature trees through a wall of glazing, with rich blue slimline framing and full height sliding doors, including a double opening on an angled corner. A deep line of bespoke blue ceramic tiles runs above the opening, their glazed surface bouncing light into garden and changing colour from almost black to bright blue.

Inside there is a new large open-plan kitchen and dining area, and a snug sitting within the extended space. A set of three rooflights – two rectangular and one circular – bring in additional daylight while subtly differentiating the spaces.

In the main bedroom, painted timber joinery has been built around an existing chimney breast to make the most of the available space. The centrepiece of the new family bathroom is a large undermounted bath, with a deep red and grey-flecked terrazzo surround providing space to rest a book, a glass of wine and an array of plants. The loft has been designed as an adaptable ‘family studio,’ featuring a full wall-length desk, divided into four so that everyone has their own spot for working, crafting, sewing or painting.

The garden features curved planters in Ketley brick to match the extension façade, and a ‘secret’ second patio hidden behind a screen which also shelters the kids’ treehouse. The two areas are joined by meandering paths of Cumbrian slate stepping stones through deep layered planting, bringing a sense of exploration.

More images coming soon.

 

Photography: Taran Wilkhu