Informed approach
When homeowner Bernadette found this 1980s ex-council house, she saw the potential to use its existing features to create something unique yet functional.
‘I’m familiar with the Bermondsey area – particularly Bermondsey Street, the markets at Maltby Street & Spa Terminus, and of course the riverside south of the Thames, which is what appealed to me about the house’s location. Internally, the house had a somewhat eclectic and loud décor and required total modernisation. Looking past the existing decoration, I could see the space could be transformed into a modern home on the doorstep of a vibrant area.
‘I was clear in my initial spec that I wanted to maximise the use of space in the property. The existing structure allowed my architects, Ana and Bogdan, to scale back the property to its foundation and reconfigure the existing layout without removing or adding anything unnecessarily, to reduce waste.
This utilised space far more effectively, creating clean lines throughout, and clearly demarcated areas for living/working/relaxing.
‘While minimising the structural interventions required, the design added space by paring back the ceiling to the roof, increased light within the house, and somehow connected the front and back garden. These elements combined make the home feel significantly larger than what it was and offers an urban oasis in a central location.
‘I think the addition of the utility room is such a clever design for such a small space. The boiler is in a somewhat odd location, and was previously accessed from the kitchen. Now, we can access it from the living room via a separate utility room that contains the washing machine. The boiler set up is the original communal pre-fed water tank system, which provides enough heat to allow efficient and sustainable drying of clothes. The bathroom upstairs was relocated to sit right above the tank, so it heats up the floor there, too, almost like underfloor heating. It's superb!
‘More generally, the lighting throughout the house, and specifically in the hallway, is perfect. Using bare plaster meant we didn’t need to paint the walls, which saved money and resources. I didn't live in the house before the work started but moved in during the first Covid lockdown when building works were at a stage where the house was just about habitable. This proved beneficial in that I was able to focus on the interior decorating and making the house a home while the works were finalised.’