Canning Cross

For the surrounding grander houses of Grove Lane and Camberwell Grove, the building is a detached mews house that was once a one-room up-and-down property, later left unoccupied and in disrepair. It remained the only derelict property on the mews for years, with a large protected tree directly adjacent. Approval was granted for a two-storey rear extension and a mansard extension, transforming the uninhabitable dwelling into a unique family home. Externally, the scheme is modest and in keeping with the surrounding properties, creating a sense of belonging. A carefully considered material and colour palette adds warmth and playfulness, subtly expressed through cobalt blue windows and a coral door. Though internal spaces are compact due to site constraints, they are designed to overlap and borrow from each other, creating a sense of scale that meets the needs of a growing family. At the heart of the ground floor living space is a soft pink folded metal staircase, winding through the floors and connecting the home vertically. The challenge was to blend the traditional elements of the existing building with a modern interior aesthetic suited to contemporary family living. This was achieved through the clean geometric lines of the rear addition, kitchen joinery, natural materials, and a tonal palette of soft, earthy hues throughout.