Inside a London home extension inspired by Japanese tea houses - Grand Designs Magazine : Grand Designs Magazine Inside a London home extension inspired by Japanese tea houses - Grand Designs Magazine

Inside a London home extension inspired by Japanese tea houses

This stylish home extensions takes inspiration from a Japanese Shoji screen

By Hugh Metcalf | 3 August 2020

This beautifully minimalist space by Will Gamble Architects draws inspiration from Japanese architecture.

exterior of extension inspired by japanese screen - grand designs

Image: Ståle Eriksen

As part of the refurbishment of a Victorian terrace in southwest London, Will Gamble of Will Gamble Architects proposed a twist on the popular Crittall-style look window, drawing on the idea of a Japanese tea house.

This has manifested itself as a rear extension with full height glazed screens, creating the gridded frame typical of a Shoji screen using fine steel-framed bars. This helps the simple, pared-back garden design, created by Garden Club London, become an integral part of the home, softening the dark materials and polished concrete floor. 

This beautifully minimalist space by Will Gamble Architects draws inspiration from Japanese architecture.

exterior of extension inspired by japanese screen - grand designs

Image: Ståle Eriksen

As part of the refurbishment of a Victorian terrace in southwest London, Will Gamble of Will Gamble Architects proposed a twist on the popular Crittall-style look window, drawing on the idea of a Japanese tea house.

This has manifested itself as a rear extension with full height glazed screens, creating the gridded frame typical of a Shoji screen using fine steel-framed bars. This helps the simple, pared-back garden design, created by Garden Club London, become an integral part of the home, softening the dark materials and polished concrete floor. 

Image: Ståle Eriksen

A modern bay window

The façade of the extension includes a stepped back portion, allowing for the creation of a contemporary window seat in the resulting bay. 

exterior roof with bay window of modern extension - grand designs

Image: Ståle Eriksen

The bay window incorporates seating and hidden, built-in storage. Larch boards have been charred in the style of traditional Japanese technique Shou-Sugi-Ban, preserving the natural grain of the wood while creating a striking jet-black colour and tactile texture. 

Luxury detailing

modern kitchen with green and brown cabinets and marble surfaces - extension - grand designs

Image: Ståle Eriksen

A new kitchen space has been housed in the extension, designed in collaboration with the interior design practice, Smith & Butler Design. Muted colour offers a softer contrast to the concrete and wood, while marble surfaces and brushed brass metal hardware elevate a feeling of luxury. There’s a large, frameless roof light overhead to add to the space’s natural light. 

pocket door with entertaining bar in reception room - extension - grand designs

Image: Ståle Eriksen

In the existing property, full height oak joinery also hides away another small kitchen space, used as a speakeasy bar for entertaining in the reception room. Clad in green leather, another skylight has been used to bring light into both these spaces. 

 

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