The project was to provide a new kitchen and additional living space to this end terrace Victorian house in Holywood, Co. Down. This was achieved through careful internal reconfiguration and a modest 5m2 area of new–build extension. Elements of bespoke iroko furniture are woven into the modified spaces to provide additional storage and versatility.

To unlock the spatial potential of the home without large areas of new construction, the design relied on relocation of the kitchen from the rear return to the centre of the plan. Located in the old dining room, the kitchen now sits at the heart of the ground floor, connected to both the formal sitting room and new snug, borrowing light from both in the process.

The existing unstable structure of the back wall was repaired and consolidated, allowing for a large new iroko window which overlooks the garden and mature treetops beyond. Made ground was excavated to mimic the proportions of the tall Victorian rooms elsewhere in the house, and to provide a more direct physical connection between the garden and new snug. A fitted iroko bench serves as both seat for adults and desk for child’s play.

A treasured dining table is placed in the extension, previously a yard, and sits under a large new rooflight, providing a bright place to dine, work from home and play, whilst overlooked by the spacious kitchen.

Externally, iroko cladding forms the envelope of new construction and limestone flags pave the yard and steps to the garden. The garden–facing window is set deep into the wall, providing privacy along a public right of way, while from the garden it acts as a moving image – reflecting moving clouds and swaying trees throughout the seasons.