In London, a Moldy, Cramped Apartment Becomes a Surprisingly Spacious Sanctuary
It’s a special talent, seeing what isn’t there. At this ground-level flat in Muswell Hill Conservation Area in London, window frames were rotted out, the walls were stained orange by cigarette smoke, and moisture buildup led to a layer of black mold. Somehow, Christian Brailey and his partner, Faye Johnson, saw past the surface layer, envisioning a light-filled home with room enough for themselves and, down the line, a family.
Architect Christian Brailey used a timber prefab structure clad in Douglas fir to create an extension for a dilapidated London flat he renovated for himself and his parter, Faye Johnson. This window peers into the bedroom, which is surrounded by the gardens at the rear of the ground-level apartment.
"It was in very poor condition," says Christian, bluntly. "There were four layers of vinyl tiles on the floor, the layout was basically one room, and the bed was dangerously close to the cooker." The huge garden at the rear was really the draw, as it allowed he and Faye to imagine an extension off the original flat.
The kitchen is set lower than the living area, helping to create distinct zones while maintaining a sense of openness.
The couple first saw the property at the beginning of 2019, but didn’t buy until August of the same year. The lengthy sale process gave Christian time to speak with a local planning consultant and assess the site, at which point he realized the garden was nearly double the size advertised. And, the building’s existing foundations were roughly six feet deep, allowing for yet more space; the floor could be lowered without having to underpin the building.
The entire thermal envelope was upgraded with high-performance double glazing and natural wood-fibre insulation, chosen for its breathability, acoustic, and thermal advantages. A heat-recovery ventilation system provides fresh air to the interiors.
Eight weeks after submitting their planning application with a 3D model Christian created, the couple received consent to move ahead with the plans for a renovation and extension. But instead of acting right away, they decided to wait another year to save up. Unfortunately, the mold situation got so bad that it became a health risk for them to remain living on the property. Then the pandemic hit, forcing their hand.
The lime plaster covering the walls has been left exposed, rather than painted over. "You can see every sweep of the trowel, which helps to capture the light differently than a flat, painted wall," says Christian. "We love the raw finish that it provides."
"We decided to move to my parents in Hertfordshire, but we were still coming into London for work, so we lived in a caravan in their driveway to maintain isolation," says Christian. "It wasn’t great timing as there were material delays and it meant the prefab timber frame arrived for erection during the winter," says Christian. Fortunately, rain held off until the builders were able to make the frame wind and watertight, which only took four days.
The timber extension, complete with doors, windows, and insulation, was prefabricated in a workshop in Devon. It was then disassembled, transported, craned in, and assembled on-site in only four days.
Whereas before the studio flat felt cramped, not to mention dingy, the new spacious layout has clear, cleverly designed, distinct zones. Through the new timber front door is a utility room, which houses a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system (MVHR), the boiler, and storage under the flooring that’s accessed via a hatch. Just ahead is the full bath, which took the place of the old kitchen. "We dropped its ceiling to allow for a crawl space above," says Christian. "The lower ceiling makes for an intimate space, too, which is nice as you don’t need the bathroom to feel grand."
The bathroom is decorated in neutral colors to create a clutter-free sanctuary. Hidden storage is built into the ceiling above.
White fixtures from Laufen were chosen for a clean, crisp finish, which work perfectly with the raw concrete and wood finishes.
Down two steps is the living area where a huge 11-and-a-half-foot-high window provides a view out into the garden. To the right, three more steps lead down into the kitchen. Next is the prefab extension jutting out from the original flat, creating the long end of the new L-shaped layout. It houses both the dining area and the bedroom, which looks out into the garden through more wall-height windows.
Both the steps and the split level create welcome divisions between the entry, the living space, and the double-height kitchen. And, since the extension is sunken, it keeps a lower profile and simultaneously preserves treasured views of Alexandra Palace, a nearby conservation area.
Sinking the floor level meant the couple couldn’t have a raised ventilated floor. Instead, they had to have a ground bearing slab made up of a layer of concrete, insulation, and then concrete screed on top. Rather than add yet another layer for flooring, Christian and Faye decided to stick with the polished concrete and avoided added labor and material costs.
Christian chose Douglas fir from Canada for its tight grain, stability, and longer lengths compared to a fast-growing Scottish variety.
Christian took special care in future-proofing the new scheme. Along with installing the MVHR, he upgraded the property’s envelope with high-performance double glazing and natural wood-fiber insulation, chosen for its breathability and acoustic and thermal advantages. This all amounts to low energy consumption and a minimal energy bill.
In the bedroom, a large picture window with built-in seating and storage frames the luscious, wild garden.
Christian and Faye have approved plans in hand should they decide to convert the dining area into another bedroom.
A built-in wardrobe divides the dining room and bedroom. When it rains, the pitter-patter on the roof in the bedroom is very peaceful, says Christian, thanks to how the sound resonates across the exposed Douglas fir beams.
"Amazingly, we only needed the heating on for one or two hours a day this winter, and, even though we’ve almost doubled the floor area, our heating bills are lower than before," says Christian. What’s more, should the couple need a second bedroom if or when they have children, they have secured permission from their freeholder, building control, and local planners to convert the dining room into a second bedroom.
The C-shaped kitchen is built from Ikea cabinets, which were strengthened by the couple’s joiner to withstand the weight of the polished concrete counters. The custom cabinet fronts are made of Douglas fir plywood.
Christian and Faye considered lots of different timbers for the interior finish before deciding on Douglas fir. "Oak would have been too yellow, and we loved the pinkish tones of Douglas Fir, which we felt would complement the red and yellow brick of the existing Edwardian house," he says.
As bad a shape as the apartment was in, Christian and Faye could see the silver lining: good bones and a sizable garden that offered room to expand.
The couple were also careful to stay within budget. "We bought a rejected skylight from a company called Roofglaze," Christian says. "It was 40 percent cheaper than buying brand new and there was nothing wrong with it other than it was the wrong size for another project. We also bought low-cost kitchen cabinets from Ikea, which we assembled ourselves." The couple even reused the leftover polished concrete from the original floors which would have otherwise gone to waste, instructing their joiner to build wooden molds for the stairs, backsplash, and exterior paving slabs.
Vast windows were added to fill the living, kitchen, and dining areas with natural light.
A roughly 10-foot-long long skylight against the wall in the kitchen creates openness.
The concrete slabs in the garden were made out of the leftover polished concrete flooring inside the home, which otherwise would have been thrown away.
Christian and Faye couldn’t be more pleased with the finished project. "The level of comfort is so high, and designing something exactly how you want it is amazing," says Christian. Fortunately for him, not only has the project given he and Faye an amazing place to live, but it’s also created a portfolio piece for his new architectural practice, Christian Brailey Architects. "It’s great to be able to invite clients to come around to our flat and see our home," he says. "It has become the foundation of my business."
Related Reading:
This Radiant London Extension Takes Cues From Car Design
A Terrace Home in London Gets a Luminous Extension While Keeping a Low Profile
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Christian Brailey Architects/ @christianbrailey
Structural Engineer: Architecture for London/ @architectureforlondon
Joiner, Electrician & Plumber: Miles Builders/ @milesbuilders_
Timber Frame: Emanuel Hendry Ltd/ @emanuelhendryltd
Skylight: Roofglaze/ @roof glaze
Canadian Douglas Fir Plywood: Decor Solutions
Polished Concrete Floor & Worktops: The Concrete Flooring Contractors/ @theconcreteflooringcontractors
Lime Plaster: Lime Green products Solo Onecoat/ @limegreenproducts
Kitchen Appliances: Fisher & Paykel/ @fisherpaykel
Kitchen Tap: Vola/ @vola.denmark
Bathroom Fixtures: Laufen/ @laufen.uk
Bathroom Tiles: Tiles Direct/ @tilesdirect
Sofa: Muuto Outline sofa/ @muutodesign
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