Beacon House – ADC

Office S&M has skilfully reworked a Victorian terraced house in north London, creating a spacious and eye-catching home for a young family of four.

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French + Tye

Office S&M’s remodelling and extension of a Victorian terraced house in north London draws on the clients’ love of municipal buildings and public infrastructure, resulting in a home that is both robust and visually striking. The materials and pastel colour palettes are inspired by public buildings, such as swimming pools, leisure centres, and railway stations, where glazed tiles are commonly used as a protective layer and a means of conveying of richness on a budget. On Beacon House this approach is used to create a generous quality to the spaces, while also ensuring that they are hardwearing.

The house is partially clad with pink handmade glazed tiles that are intended to complement the existing brick walls. Custom made by Materials Assemble, the extruded clay tiles are scaled-up versions of the curved corner tiles found on the London underground. Meanwhile, the pink colour matches the tone used to denote the  Hammersmith and City Line.

Curves feature throughout the house, from the curved walls and furniture in the kitchen to the rounded external tiles, which evoke the generosity of municipal architecture. A curved wall allows for a spacious toilet on the ground floor, eschewing the need for angular walls that protrude into the space. The sliding toilet door is reminiscent of the curved sliding doors found on tube trains.

The architect collaborated with local artists and craftspeople to develop bespoke elements that add texture and intrigue to the spaces. Bespoke patterned worktops were ordered for the kitchen, a hand-painted number was commissioned for the front of the house, and the soft banquette seating was sewn by a local upholsterer.

The existing building fabric has been thermally upgraded throughout with new insulation, windows, and airtightness measures. The materials palette comprises natural and recycled products, including linoleum flooring in the living area, bespoke patterned timber worktops, locally-sourced low-VOC paints, and recycled fabrics for the upholstery.

The site slopes down towards the garden allowing the house to open up as one moves through the spaces and descends into the kitchen and garden. At the same time, the colour scheme augments this progression, with warm darker tones in the front room giving way to the light-filled kitchen extension below.

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