Holland Park House Extension

A contemporary house extension on a mid-century modern estate in Holland Park

This house extension in Holland Park, Kensington, improves a property originally built in 1966, as part of an architecturally significant modernist estate of red brick terraced houses with integrated garages and generous communal gardens. This estate was designed by celebrated 20th-century architects Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew.

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The project included a rear extension in matching brick, internal refurbishment and new landscaping. Original internal partitions were removed to create flexible open-plan living spaces. A new winding stair is finished in powder-coated steel and oak. This compact stair results in significant additional usable floor area on each level. New insulation and high-performance glazing improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency.

The design carefully balances respect for the original mid-century architecture with the client’s requirements for thermal comfort, increased daylight and internal flexibility. Existing external materials and proportions informed the massing and detailing of the new extension, ensuring that the addition reads as a natural continuation of the terrace.

A large frameless glass window is inserted in the flank wall of the kitchen and social space. This glazing is mounted flush with the external brick wall for a seamless detail. This new window provides views of the side garden, and the window seat internally here encourages taking a moment to pause and enjoy the view.

Internally, structural alterations allow for generous, ‘broken-plan‘ spaces, with spatial flexibility provided by a new large oak sliding door. The white-oiled oak flooring provides a clean contemporary finish while reflecting light deep into the room. Dark blue ceramic tiles in the garden draw inspiration from the original tiles at the entrance to each house. Bold colour highlights continue in the kitchen units, new stairs and the geometric tiled bathroom.

Plenty of new joinery and storage was designed at ground floor to accommodate the family’s toys, games and bikes, so that the open-plan spaces remain calm and uncluttered. Subtle integrated lighting emphasises key architectural elements, such as the new stair and window seat, and supports a variety of moods from bright family use during the day to softer, more intimate lighting in the evening.

At first floor, a flexible space can be separated with sliding doors to create a study, playroom and a formal reception room overlooking the garden. The study is located in the original shiplap timber-clad bay, which cantilevers over the main entrance.

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Upstairs, the refurbishment creates calm bedrooms with a restrained material palette. Bespoke beds are finished in oak veneer with brass details. Bedroom furniture is arranged to make the most of the garden views. The master ensuite and family bathrooms combine geometric wall tiling with terrazzo flooring, offering a contemporary feel that still relates to the house’s mid-century character through colour, pattern and proportion.

The new planting scheme is designed to offer year-round interest while remaining low-maintenance for a busy household. Paving, seating and thresholds are carefully detailed to create a seamless transition between inside and out, encouraging everyday use of the garden as an extension of the living space. The dark blue ceramic tiles provide a visual link between the entrance, garden and interior, unifying the house and its setting.

The house is finished with a selection of mid-century furniture in keeping with the era.

Holland Park House: designed in collaboration with Liddicoat & Goldhill.

Project Architect:
Amrit Marway

Structural Engineer:
Heyne Tillett Steel

Photography:
Ben Sage

Local Authority:
Kensington & Chelsea