A HOUSE FOR A GARDENER || A Harmonious Home Extension for a Victorian Mid-terrace House in Haringey, London
I recently became a plant mom. In fact, I decided to go for not one but two plants, welcoming a Monstera plant and a Birds of Paradise into my home at once.
When I came across the House for A Gardener, I pictured lush greenery popping through seamlessly connected indoor and outdoor spaces. Sunlight would be streaming in through large windows and skylights. There would be cozy nooks where one could relax and read or stare out and get lost in the vivid, tranquil scenery.
The extension connects the new kitchen and dining area to the front of the house where the study and lounge are located. The open space maintains sightlines directly into the backyard garden from the front of the house, so the owners can see and feel their beloved gardens and plants everywhere.
House for A Gardener, a Victorian mid-terrace house situated in the Stroud Green Conservation Area of Haringey, North London, checks all the boxes on my wish list. The team at Amos Goldreich Architecture was tasked with adding an extension to the existing structure, and they did so in a way that harmoniously blended the old and the new. The central theme, of course, revolves around greenery and light.
The client and owner is a keen gardener and had spent 27 years nurturing the garden; accounting for the homeowner’s love of plants, the team at Amos Goldreich Architecture devised an indoor garden with a fully glazed roof that would draw in natural light, creating a natural lightwell in the middle of the home.
Even to a passerby gazing at the rustic, red-brick facade, one will notice the exterior is punctuated by a glass balcony dotted with plants — a hint of the vibrant life that is being nurtured within.
The new internal winter garden connecting the living and dining area offers an unexpected oasis in the heart of the home
“Graham is an avid gardener and so in some ways we had three clients for the project – Graham and his partner Steve, but also their plants. A lot of the design revolves around the garden and the inclusion of a new winter garden that not only offers an unexpected oasis in the heart of the home but connects the old and new parts of the house. ”
Sliding doors maintain a view of the beautiful garden throughout the day. The garden is a labour of love by the home’s owner, who invested 27 years into nurturing the garden.
Inside, the modern interiors feature an open design layout that connects the dining area with the kitchen, enabling light to flow through the entire space. This area is the new extension that connects to the existing study and lounge at the front of the house. In between the living area and the dining area lies the new winter garden, which allows the couple to be close to their beloved plants all through the seasons.
The dining table could also double as a reading or working space, where a frameless, elegant L-shaped window maximizes natural light onto one side of the table. Walking through the new extension space, frameless lightwells make up over half of the roof area, drawing an abundance of natural light. In addition, the white wall tiles serve to reflect and bounce light, making the entire room appear brighter and more welcoming.
The team exposed the ceiling beams, which are oak-clad steel beams, to make the living space feel more expansive and give it more height. The exposed beams also make the new extension more coherent with the design elements found in the rest of the home.
Light is one of the key ingredients to take care of the plants in the home. However, the Amos Goldreich Architecture team was mindful to include other details to support the plant life in the home, such as automated skylights to regulate the temperature of the courtyard irrigation system in the garden. These thoughtful additions gave the owners peace of mind that the self-sufficient system would take care of plants while they are away on holidays.
Oak-clad structural beams add height to the space and establishes an organic look and feel to maintain consistency between the extensions to the existing structure.
The kitchen utilizes elements from Kutchenhaus + Inopera (terrazo)
Our favourite spot in the home would have to be the little reading nook facing the backyard. Here, curling up is the only option; a warmer tone of lighting soothes and calms. Picture yourself leaning against the cool windowpane snuggling up to an inspiring read to whisk your mind away to another world. The structure extends out over the pond in the backyard, adding a sense of tranquillity with a view of the water feature and garden.
Amos Goldreich Architecture has designed a thoughtful and harmonious living experience for the couple, seamlessly integrating the historic home with a handsome extension. A House for A Gardener inspires aspiring gardeners like me to envision my future home. Wouldn’t you agree?
Lighting by Phos sets the mood as the sun sets to make way for a relaxed evening in
“If you’re in the front sitting room you can see the whole floor plate of the house – it’s so big and open. Yet, the greatest part of the whole build is that you can compartmentalise while still feeling like you’re part of it. We can also sit in the window seat, over looking the pond in the garden, and look down to watch the fish. It’s just so tranquil. Amos got what we were looking to do and brought lots of great ideas to the table. It really felt like a collaboration.”
PROJECT DETAILS
Architects and Interior Designers: Amos Goldreich Architecture
Project size: 187 m2
Project Budget: £300000
Completion date: 2020
Building levels: 3
Photography: Ollie Hammick
