The Garden Is the Heart of This Revived London Terrace House
Oliver Leech Architects brings in skylights, sliders, and swaths of sage to give a dreary Herne Hill home a fresh start.
Natural light is an asset to any home, anywhere in the world, but you could say that it’s especially important in London. When winter nights start in the early afternoon and rain is often in the forecast, capitalizing on sunshine is a must. "Light is our most important and powerful design tool, and we are careful to use it in the right way," says architect Oliver Leech.
The owners kept the sitting room in its existing layout at the front of the house, while introducing new timber flooring and shelving.
Photo by Jim Stephenson
When his namesake firm was hired to renovate a traditional Victorian home in the South London neighborhood of Herne Hill, opening the property to daylight was a top concern. Much of the home had already been stripped of its historical details by former owners, creating what Leech calls a "blank canvas," although its layout remained: the ground-floor common areas led to a private garden at the rear of the lot, while the bedrooms were located upstairs.
There’s a "record room" toward the front of the house as well, where the couple like to entertain.
Photo by Jim Stephenson
"There were segregated rooms with little natural light and very little connection to the garden," Leech says. "An extension had been added to the galley kitchen, but it was of poor quality and had to be demolished."
The kitchen’s polished concrete floor flows out to the patio. The green cabinetry links this common space to the outdoors.
Photo by Jim Stephenson
See the full story on Dwell.com: The Garden Is the Heart of This Revived London Terrace House
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