London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

A London Terrace House Gets a Bright Extension That Honors Its Arts and Crafts Heritage

A London Terrace House Gets a Bright Extension That Honors Its Arts and Crafts Heritage

The 194-square-foot addition by Novak Hiles Architects features an open-plan kitchen and dining area that connects to a split-level garden.

London-based couple Ben and Jess approached architects Carla Novak and Adam Hiles, directors of Novak Hiles Architects, for a solution to the dark and inconveniently arranged rooms on the ground floor of the terraced Arts and Crafts home where they live with their daughter and cat, Cosmo.



"The downstairs of the property had an awkward arrangement of small rooms which were functionally compromised and lacked natural light," says Hiles. "There was very little space for family dining, and the kitchen was cut off from the rest of the house."



The family wanted a space where they could socialize with each other and friends while feeling more connected to the garden. With this in mind, the architects proposed a contemporary extension that incorporates subtle nods to the original Arts and Crafts design of the three-bedroom residence.



The architects replaced the existing small and dark kitchen with an open-plan cooking and dining area that includes floor-to-ceiling windows, a skylight, and pocket doors that lead out to the split-level garden. Muted earth tones, such as the olive-green cabinets and jade tile backsplash, mimic the hues of the lush greenery outside.



The exterior of the rear addition is clad in pressed metal and features a frieze made of handmade ceramic tiles decorated with Arts and Crafts references, such as bracken fern leaves. "The coloration of the extension drew inspiration from London’s familiar tiled tube station frontages, albeit with a softer, contemporary tone and greater degree of relief," Hiles says.



The family couldn’t be happier, Hiles says, stating that the residents call their renovated home an "urban oasis in the heart of South London."


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
×