‘We extended this house in every way'

The Alexis family converted the loft, basement and garage, as well as adding an extension, to maximise every bit of space

- DEBBIE JEFFERY

After years living in a two-bedroom flat, Larissa Alexis and her husband were so desperate for space that they took on a doer-upper. ‘We found a run-down house that we could never normally have afforded,’ says Larissa. ‘Its three storeys were so dark and damp, it was virtually uninhabitable. It also had a collapsing lean-to and a small, low-ceilinged cellar.’

PLANNING SPACE

‘We loved the designs of Henri Bredenkamp at Studio 30 Architects and began consulting with him even before we’d completed on the house,’ says Larissa. ‘Our brief was vague – we knew we wanted a lighter, more open-plan layout and my husband was keen to convert the basement into a fun space.’

MAKING IT WORK