ISLINGTON
Angel | London
A transformative renovation of a Grade-II listed Georgian terrace house, seamlessly woven together with a series of historically layered additions including a warehouse-like space with a history of uses, a charming mews, and former garage—each telling a story of the site's evolution over time.
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This live-work home for a film director and writer with their two children unfolds across three interconnected buildings, each added over time. It begins with a Grade-II listed 1760s Georgian terrace house at the front, later extended with a two-storey factory warehouse and a garage-mews. Our approach preserved the character of each structure while creating a cohesive and dynamic sequence of spaces.
Entering from Cross Street, the house presents itself as a carefully maintained Georgian home, with warm timber paneling, original wide floorboards, and elegant cornicing. Beyond the rear reception doors, the scale shifts dramatically. Here, a single expansive warehouse space serves as the dining and living area, with a kitchen beyond. The transformation is unexpected—partially stripped trusses contrast with newly laid French railway oak flooring, while the kitchen features reclaimed teak countertops, custom door fronts, and a 180cm oven with an industrial extractor. Generous shelving and storage line the walls, set against original bead-and-butt paneling.
Beneath this space lies a 100m² library-cinema room, its atmosphere shaped by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lend it a rich acoustic presence. With no windows, we introduced ceiling lightboxes, positioned within former floor openings once used for rolling out fabric—an echo of the building’s textile manufacturing past.
a string of historic extensions - terrace house, warehouse and mews
section through warehouse with dining room upstairs and library below
DETAILS OF INHABITATION
What ultimately makes a home are all the details of all the things we surround ourselves with - from things we collect, to books we read, papers on which we write, lamps we use, chairs where we sit. It is the towel we use, the mirror we see ourselves in and the plates and glasses in which we serve what we cook. A house becomes a home only after we have begun to make it our own.
