InsideOut has transformed a grade II listed Georgian townhouse into a contemporary London home
InsideOut has refurbished a grade II listed Georgian townhouse to create a modern home in Camden, north London. The brief was to fully renovate and extend the dwelling, improving the quality of the spaces, and preserving and enhancing the historic integrity of the building.
Two below ground coal holes situated at the front of the property have been repurposed and extended to create a new bedroom. A third has been infilled with opaque glazing to allow light into an en-suite bathroom.
The closet wing and lightwell to the rear has been reoriented to take better advantage of the site’s aspect and maximise daylighting in the basement. The intervention is clad with reclaimed stock brick to recede it visually, and express the historic proportions and materials of the house.
Lower-ground, ground, first and second-floor plans; section
Located adjacent to the lightwell and courtyard is a new rear extension, which houses a dining room and links the kitchen to the garden. Designed in keeping with the Georgian terrace’s proportions, the structure is clad in thin, light-coloured handmade bricks. These reference the handmade qualities of the original building, while also contrasting and drawing attention to the existing London stock brickwork. Thr lighter brickwork also reflects more light into the adjacent courtyard and living spaces beyond.
The design of the rear extension distinguishes itself as a separate and modern addition. This is achieved through modern detailing, frameless windows and a narrow rooflight that serves as a threshold between the old and new elements, while also providing internal views onto the facade. A sloped ceiling directs views from the kitchen to the garden and provides privacy from the neighbouring flats.
Bronzed window frames and balustrades give the extension a modern feel, while also referencing the palette of the garden. Floorboards have been exposed and refinished, and a fireplace – sourced from architectural salvage and in keeping with the house’s age – has been reinstated. A chimney, which was lost in a 1980s alteration to the building, has also been reinstated in form, in the new kitchen. Original window shutters, which were previously boxed-in, have been revealed and restored, along with the original cornicing, architraves and skirting boards.
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