Samantha Jukes-Adams and her family have lived in their 1960s modernist house in Highgate, London, for eight years. When they moved in, it was functional but felt cramped. They were considering a loft extension when a neighbour recommended architect Owain Williams of OWA.
‘Owain is incredibly good at translating what you want,’ recalls Jukes-Adams. ‘He said, “You don’t need a loft extension because you haven’t talked about bedrooms at all. I think your downstairs isn’t working for you.”’ He proposed a radical rethink of the ground floor that involved using the hallway to establish the mood of the entire house through its sense of generosity and light.
A large willow tree in the front garden was a key factor in the design. When in full leaf, it blocked out a lot of light. This challenge inspired a creative solution; an iroko-clad front extension ‘floating’ on a concrete plinth with a hidden rooflight in the ceiling pushing sunshine deep into the house.
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Jukes-Adams explains: ‘Having the opportunity for daylight to come in from behind the tree and down means it’s never dark. In the summer, autumn and spring, light travels around the room and the tree creates these moving shadows so it feels as if you’re outside.’ The door was also moved to the side of the extension to allow for more windows on the front façade.
Bespoke plywood panelling on the walls and ceiling was integral to the design. ‘The aesthetic made the space into a room of its own,’ says Jukes-Adams. Forgoing storage in favour of a built-in bench with a view paid off, making the hallway a destination, somewhere to dwell rather than pass through.
They finished the space with pale wooden floorboards from Kahrs, Tom Raffield’s bentwood lights (in the same ply as the cladding) and ‘Palm Green’ and ‘Salt White’ paints from Farrow & Ball’s ‘California’ collection for their sunny, 1960s feel and because they reflect light brilliantly.
Jukes-Adams is amazed at how reinventing her hallway has transformed her home (as well as curing her husband of his Right-move habit). ‘Before this, I don’t think I would have thought about a hallway in any way other than functional – now it’s a welcoming room, somewhere I sit on summer evenings to read.’
OWA’s Williams gifted this family the confidence to try something different. ‘People say, “Why are you leaving it that big, why didn’t you have a large utility room?” but I’m really glad we didn’t, because then it would just be an entranceway,’ says Jukes-Adams.
‘This way, it feels like a home immediately. That first experience sets the tone – our house isn’t massive but holding onto the width of the hallway means that it always feels spacious. It’s a very clever trick.’ ow-a.co.uk
