A Victorian house has recently been updated by the architects John Smart. We show you the impressive result of this home renovation – be inspired!
Restructuring – old building in South London gets a makeover
The house is located in South London, where an old historic building has recently been converted into four flats. Each home has 5 floors and more than 370 square meters of living space. That may sound generous, but in reality the narrow site was a major challenge. The architects approached the task of creating bright living spaces with great creativity. To save space, they built a spiral staircase. The staircase consists of prefabricated parts that were assembled on site.
The renovation of the house started with the living room. The cramped space was divided into three zones: a cozy dining room, the kitchen and the living room above. Glass walls allow plenty of sunlight inside and connect the interior with the exterior.
Retrofit – shelf serves as a room divider
The spiral staircase leads upstairs, where a library with a cozy reading corner is arranged. The floor-to-ceiling shelving system houses the owner’s book collection and also serves as a room divider. Large glass doors with Victorian-style wooden frames lead to the balcony, where glass railings were installed. The view opens onto the garden. Comfortable upholstered furniture offers a place to relax after a long workday and talk with other family members. The renovation of the house is a successful example of how an older building can be upgraded with creativity.
Spiral staircase – the focal point of the house
The dark wood of the railing contrasts with the white wall
Library – stylish and comfortable
The ground floor – a glass facade lets plenty of sunlight into the interior
The kitchen is arranged very practically
Wooden sliding doors leading to the bathroom
The spiral staircase leads upstairs
Anna Lohan
Peter Dark
Lincoln Matheson
