Proctor & Shaw

A series of timber interventions transform this Arts and Craft inspired house in to an efficient and spacious contemporary family home.

The original house has several articulated timber elements, namely a pleasing decorative staircase, multi-paned circular bay windows and ornate fireplaces. Proctor and Shaw’s design response was to embellish this timber narrative with three distinct Oak interventions, each one distinctly entwined with principal extensions and reconfigurations to the property.

The ground floor is opened up and extended with a 3.0m modern timber ‘bay window’ to the rear. Elegant Oak beams lead you to a custom sofa, designed by Proctor & Shaw, sitting within a double aspect timber framed bay window. An oversized Accoya bi-fold window frames axial views towards the new garden room. When opened the window forms a bench to the new patio terrace.

The large open-plan family room is anchored with a new kitchen, articulated with oak cabinetry and polished concrete counters. The cabinet carcasses are expressed in elevation to emphasise the construction. Doors are veneered front and back with a thick, high quality, oak veneer which was brushed to reveal the grain and then finished in natural oil. Handles are routed from solid oak and box jointed into the top of the door panels. A concealed door hides a passage to the Utility Room behind.

The third intervention reorganises the first floor layout. A curved Oak battened wall greets you at the top of the original timber stair case. The battened wall encompasses the ensuite shower room and hovers under a high, almost double height, roof light. The timber object defines the parental area to the 1st floor and leads to the oversized timber battened bedroom door.

Oak was preliminary chosen for all of the crafted insertions. We subsequently decided to switch to sustainable Accoya for the external ground floor window elements to offer the client a less onerous maintenance regime. After an exhaustive sampling process we were satisfied that we could match the timbers tonally. All timber was carefully specified and FSC certified to ensure it was sourced responsibly, the Accoya is also C2C Gold overall and C2C Platinum for Material Health.

Press/Awards:
Don’t Move, Improve! 2022 – Longlisted

Completed: 2020

Location:
London Borough of Lambeth

Engineer: 
Blue Engineering

Photography:
Edmund Sumner