Angel House

This house extension in Angel, Islington, transforms and enhances a locally listed early Victorian property. The project carefully balances contemporary design with the historic character of the existing property, creating a light-filled, energy-efficient family home.

Glass rear extension

A new two-storey rear extension provides much-needed additional living space. At lower ground floor level, the full-width glass box rear extension accommodates a generous living room that connects directly to the garden, creating a flexible space for entertaining, relaxing, and family life.

At upper ground floor level, a new well-planned bathroom serves the main living areas and bedrooms.

Maximising Natural Light

The original lower ground floor position and shaded urban garden restricted natural light to the rear of the house. To address this, full-width glazed sliding doors were introduced to the rear extension.

These large openings maximise daylight in the living room and provide a seamless visual and physical connection between inside and out.more

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Light internal finishes, including a white-oiled ash stair and pale wall and ceiling treatments, further help to brighten the interior. The combination of extensive glazing and carefully chosen finishes produces a calm, uplifting space that feels significantly larger and more open than the original dark rooms.

Open Plan layout

Previously, the lower ground floor comprised a series of dark, cellular rooms. All partitions at this level have been removed to create a single, bright, open-plan living space. This new arrangement improves natural light penetration, provides clear views through the house to the garden, and allows for flexible furnishing.

The open-plan design also improves circulation between kitchen, dining, and living areas, supporting modern patterns of family living and making the most of the available compact footprint.

New Mansard Roof

A new mansard storey adds an additional floor to the house, providing valuable extra space within a compact urban plot. This new level accommodates a master bedroom and a generous ensuite bathroom, creating a private retreat separate from the main living areas below.

The mansard is carefully designed to respect the character of the early Victorian property and the local streetscape in Angel, Islington. Roof profiles and materials have been selected to sit comfortably alongside neighbouring properties while delivering contemporary internal spaces with good head height and natural light.

Sustainable Retrofit

Sustainability was a key consideration throughout the project. High-performance insulation has been installed throughout the existing house, the new mansard roof, the rear extension, and beneath the entire lower ground floor slab.

Together with the new double-glazing in the sash windows and glass box extension, these upgrades significantly improve the home’s thermal performance, reduce heat loss, and help lower energy bills.

The use of exposed lime plaster to internal walls supports a healthy indoor environment. This breathable material regulates moisture levels, helping to reduce the risk of condensation and mould, and contributing to improved indoor air quality.

Together, the fabric improvements and careful material choices create a more comfortable, robust and sustainable home.

Contact us today to discuss your project and discover how we can transform your Victorian home.

Project Information

Project Architects:
Ben Ridley, Christian Brailey

Structural Engineer:
StructureHaus

Location:
Rocliffe St, Angel, Islington N1