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1. Loft ensuite 5329 px 7994 px 6 MB A3 print |
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2. Loft ensuite 5283 px 7925 px 7 MB A3 print |
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3. Loft ensuite 8256 px 5504 px 7 MB A3 print |
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4. Guest bathroom 5138 px 7707 px 7 MB A3 print |
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5. Loft bedroom 8256 px 5504 px 8 MB A3 print |
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6. Curved loft ensuite shower 4913 px 7370 px 8 MB A3 print |
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7. Loft bedroom 4696 px 7044 px 8 MB A3 print |
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8. Guest bedroom 8256 px 5504 px 6 MB A3 print |
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9. Loft window seat 5217 px 7825 px 7 MB A3 print |
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10. Guest bedroom 8256 px 5504 px 7 MB A3 print |
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11. Loft window seat 5504 px 8256 px 8 MB A3 print |
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12. Loft window seat 5504 px 8256 px 8 MB A3 print |
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13. Loft bedroom 8256 px 5504 px 8 MB A3 print |
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14. Kitchen island 5350 px 8025 px 7 MB A3 print |
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15. Loft ensuite and wardrobe 8256 px 5504 px 7 MB A3 print |
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16. Kitchen island 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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17. Kitchen 5317 px 7975 px 8 MB A3 print |
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18. Dining bench 5319 px 7979 px 8 MB A3 print |
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19. view through to dining room 5102 px 7653 px 7 MB A3 print |
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20. Dining room 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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21. Dining room 8193 px 5462 px 7 MB A3 print |
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22. Dining room 5351 px 8026 px 8 MB A3 print |
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23. Kitchen and dining 5504 px 8256 px 9 MB A3 print |
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24. Dining room and window seat 5252 px 7878 px 9 MB A3 print |
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25. Kitchen side extension 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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26. Front lounge through to kitchen 5504 px 8256 px 7 MB A3 print |
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27. Martina and kitchen pantry 5023 px 7535 px 7 MB A3 print |
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28. Side extension through to lounge 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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29. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 10 MB A3 print |
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30. Martina and pantry 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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31. The Venetian Pantry 8256 px 5504 px 7 MB A3 print |
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32. Kitchen 8059 px 5373 px 9 MB A3 print |
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33. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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34. Sink detail 5504 px 8256 px 8 MB A3 print |
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35. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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36. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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37. Loft wardrobe and vanity table 5504 px 8256 px 7 MB A3 print |
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38. Night exterior 5504 px 8256 px 9 MB A3 print |
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39. Night exterior 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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40. Exterior 8256 px 5504 px 8 MB A3 print |
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41. Front lounge 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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42. Night exterior 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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43. Exterior 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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44. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 8 MB A3 print |
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45. Night exterior 5504 px 8256 px 9 MB A3 print |
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46. Study desk in mid lounge 5501 px 8252 px 6 MB A3 print |
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47. Kitchen 8112 px 5408 px 9 MB A3 print |
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48. Loft window seat 5504 px 8256 px 8 MB A3 print |
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49. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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50. Sink detail 5504 px 8256 px 7 MB A3 print |
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51. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 8 MB A3 print |
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52. Kitchen 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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53. Pantry 5504 px 8256 px 8 MB A3 print |
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54. Night exterior 8256 px 5504 px 9 MB A3 print |
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55. Pantry 5504 px 8256 px 10 MB A3 print |
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56. Front lounge 5504 px 8256 px 7 MB A3 print |
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57. Loft stairs 5188 px 7782 px 10 MB A3 print |
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58. Pantry 5504 px 8256 px 9 MB A3 print |
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59. Side extension 5504 px 8256 px 7 MB A3 print |
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60. Guest bedroom 5395 px 8093 px 6 MB A3 print |
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61. 8256 px 5504 px 10 MB A3 print |
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62. Downstairs wc 5504 px 8256 px 8 MB A3 print |
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63. Downstairs wc 5384 px 8076 px 9 MB A3 print |
A calming remodel of a Victorian terrace in Stoke Newington, with a rustic, Italian charm, that is centred around a sociable kitchen and its pantry.
The original house was a terrific blank canvas, traditional Stoke Newington terrace house with white painted walls and original floorboards. The existing building depicted a classic plan layout with a hallway and staircase down one side, leading to the outrigger rooms at the end of each level and two well-proportioned rooms to the front and back in the main body of the plan. Externally, the building was flanked by two extensively amended terrace houses, which compromised its daylighting and made a skinny wedge of garden space. While the house itself had some beautiful original features, the outside space was bland and lacked a connection to the house.
Who are the clients and what's interesting about them?
Martina and Joe are both talented graphic designers with a serious eye for detail and appreciation for classic, tranquil and textured design. Martina comes from a tiny town outside of Venice and wanted her London home to reflect some of her favourite rustic aesthetics of Italy as well as her and Joe’s serious passion for travel. As many followers of Martina’s beautiful Instagram page (@thevenetianpantry) will already know, they have a combined love of food, entertaining friends, and hosting dinner parties.
What was the brief?
Martina and Joe approached us from the outset with the most beautifully laid out briefing document, with a clear direction for the finished aesthetic – textured, rustic, Italian and English combined. On a practical level, the brief was focused on a ground floor extension that could achieve a wider, open and more sociable kitchen to accommodate our clients’ love of social cooking and entertaining. It was clear from Martina and Joe’s brief that while the practical need for space was important, so to was maintaining cosy pockets of space. Daylighting was also an important aspect, with the existing house being quite dark and not making use of the external aspects enough. This was important for the main rear kitchen extension but also the ground floor’s middle room, which traditionally lack light in these terrace layouts. For the loft space, Martina and Joe wanted to convert this space into a calm, main bedroom and ensuite with dressing area, with Italian references like the ground floor, they wanted the loft to be a special place to start and finish the day.
‘I can’t describe the impact this house has had on our quality of life – being able to inhabit a space that wholly reflects us is priceless.’ - Martina
What was the design solution?
The extension is two peaked volumes that form a stepped plan to respond to the varying lengths of the neighbouring houses. One volume contains the new dining space, which projects out into the garden. This space benefits from the available daylight via a picture window and a textured Crittall French door. A built-in dining bench creates a cosy corner that provides a comfortable ledge and surrounds Martina and Joe’s rustic dining table made from reclaimed structural timbers. The other volume extends the width of the kitchen to enable the sociable layout of the kitchen. Unlike many typical kitchen spaces, The Venetian Pantry design has three main areas to it– the pantry, the preparation island (with bar stool dining!) and the rear cooking space with range cooker and sink. The pantry is the hub of Martina’s kitchen and the namesake for the project. Behind the deep walnut framed doors all her ingredients are beautifully stored along with her special blends of homemade teas. The pantry doors open directly out onto the multi-functioning marble topped preparation island. Martina loves preparing fresh pasta on the island that extends across the space and allows her to look out towards the garden. One of the beauties of the layout is that the island is used as a social space, where food preparation becomes a communal activity. The roof peaks are positioned in such a way to make best use of available volume on the site, whilst understanding the sensitive interfaces with neighbours on either side. Boundary wall heights have been kept to a minimum while the roof forms provide maximum ceiling height internally. Daylight from the roof windows above dapples beautifully between angled pine joists.
The earthy, texture of the palette comes from many different elements within the design and continued to evolve during construction with an appreciation of the existing building. One of Martina’s favourite parts of the kitchen is the existing rustic pier of brickwork that supports the outrigger above, between the main external Crittall doors. When strip out took place, Martina fell in love with the layered pastel hues and texture on the plastered bricks, reminding her of old, crumbling Venetian walls with their patina of history – she wanted to leave it exposed and celebrate it within the space.
‘Nothing makes us prouder than hearing friends say how warm and inviting our home feels. We have always loved to host and wanted to create a place where our guests would want to hang out and feel welcome.’ - Martina
Completion date | 2022 |
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Bradley Van Der Straeten | Architecture |