This skinny infill house was cleverly built on an overgrown garden
When the owner of this end-of-terrace Forest Hill home was stuck on design ideas for her overgrown garden, she decided to build a house on it.
Julia Jude previously owned the red brick house next door but found little joy in its gloomy rooms. Inspired by an episode of Grand Designs, she seized the opportunity to start again, literally next door, and built a sleek, eco-friendly infill house in the side alleyway and garden.
'I love watching Grand Designs. I love Kevin McCloud and one day it featured this tiny little house in west London,' Julia told The Standard. 'I was with my younger daughter and we thought, "Ah yes, that would be great." Our old house was very dark, and we loved the idea of something that would bring much more light into our lives.'
With limited space and budget, the brief was tight. Architects Tom Borowiecki and Rocky Marchant of Studio BAM! were tasked to create 'something different, dynamic and creative', which would also be 'warm and light, with a sense of the outdoors but not a glass box.'
The resulting scheme takes its design cues from nature. A deliberately modern addition to the original terrace, the 990 sq-ft home features striking burnt cedar panels and an unexpectedly wide living space at the rear.
The house is an excellent example of small-space living. Set over two floors with two bedrooms, it comprises an open-plan kitchen and living space, where sliding doors draw in plenty of light. Integrated appliances have been placed on the back wall, while sleek black cabinets are topped with the same terrazzo as seen on the floors.
Materials have been carefully considered, from the galvanized pipework to the bespoke steel-framed kitchen and porcelain tiled flooring in the new terrace area. There's also a ground-floor cloakroom and handy utility space.
'I always felt that if I was going to have a go at creating my own habitat I really wanted lots of natural materials. I wanted it to be as breathable and natural as possible,' says Julia.
Meanwhile, the outside space has a brick patio that forms a central seating area amid bamboo and natural grasses. There's also a hidden hot tub, large garden shed, and a mirrored back wall to reflect the greenery.
Julia sold the old red brick house in 2017 and moved into the skinny house, where she lived for five years. In 2022, she moved to Greenwich to be closer to family and is now selling the property after renting it out. 'I just feel that now is a good time to sell it and move on,' she says.
The property is on the market for £850,000 with The Modern House.
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