Transformation of a dilapidated Victorian terrace house on Railton Road (once known as The Front Line) into a spacious, light‑filled modern family home with sculptural, free‑flowing spaces. The house had suffered from poorly built extensions and small, dark, compromised rooms; the project reconfigured and extended it to create long views, improved comfort and a coherent sequence of spaces.

Extensive remodelling included a new side extension with skylight, a reworked back elevation, adjusted floor levels, removal of walls and chimney breasts, and a complete reorganisation of rooms and circulation to maximise space and volume. Comfort and sustainability were improved through targeted upgrades to building fabric, plumbing, electrics, glazing, insulation and fixtures throughout.

Steelwork inserted between floor joists avoids downstand beams, unifying the ground floor with clean horizontal planes and uninterrupted sightlines. The kitchen is positioned along one wall at the centre of the plan to allow flexible use, while the front room is partially enclosed and delineated by curved walls and a step from the entrance area. Lowering the floor to garden level extends the living space out through new full‑height glazed doors. A cedar rainscreen conceals drainage, frames views and creates a natural façade to the slate‑paved garden.

Upstairs, reconfiguring the stair, landing and doorway to the new generous bathroom creates an efficient layout with a separate utility‑storage area, while reinstating two well‑proportioned bedrooms. Long views and daylight are set up through the house: the new portrait opaque bathroom window aligns with the hall and front bedroom window, while a CNC‑cut birch‑faced ply half‑wall forms a minimal vertical plane that extends through the stair void with integral storage below. A coherent material palette and integrated lighting enhance the sculptural elements, contributing to the sense of bright, free‑flowing space.

Project team:
Architects & self‑build: Laura Marr & Richard White
Structural engineer: John Romer Engineering
Extension steelwork: Crowndale Builders
Fit‑out contractor: SW Chelsea

Photography by Anthony Coleman.

Front Line House was longlisted in the 2017 Don’t Move, Improve! awards and exhibited at the Building Centre.