The design for this Victorian house in Brockley, London, is a collaboration between SAM Architects and Lunar Architects with the interior design by the client.

The proposal was to add a side and rear extension to the house in order to create a large open plan kitchen dining area which would act as a connecting space between the formal living of the existing house and the garden.

The space is flooded with light by the large pitched rooflight which runs almost the full length of the new side return as well as a smaller rooflight in the roof of the rear extension and the large full height glazed crittall doors on the rear wall.

Internally the materials are kept simple with white painted walls and a pale timber parquet floor. Contrast is added with the dark blue painted joinery of the kitchen.

The parquet flooring continues out into the garden, with timber decking laid in a herringbone pattern. This provides the extension with a transitional space for relaxing. As you move further into the garden the hard landscaping breaks down and paving is interspersed with gravel and large stones with richly planted areas of bushes and ferns, the garden design was by GRDN Landscape and Design.

Externally, the height of the extension is maximised by using a pitched roof which respects the neighbouring properties and local architecture but also allows for extra volume over the centre of the dining space.

The extension is clad with black charred larch cladding by Shou-Sugi-Ban which provides a modern but complimentary contrast with its Victorian context and it also acts as an unobtrusive backdrop to the greenery of the garden.