‘We Opened Up The Back Of Our Narrow Terrace'

A beautifully framed side-return extension has stretched Laura Disney and Huw Beynon’s kitchen to the full width of their plot, giving them lots more living space

Laura Disney and Huw Beynon bought their Victorian terraced house in south London with a view to giving it a complete overhaul. The property hadn’t been touched for more than 20 years. ‘It was pretty dark and dingy,’ says Huw, ‘and the décor was dated, too.’ However, the state of the interior represented an opportunity: ‘We wanted to seize the chance to create a home that was completely ours,’ says Laura. The couple lived in the house for a full year before they began the work, surviving the ‘Beast from the East’ with cosy dressing gowns and plug-in heaters as the house had no central heating. ‘Sadly, the original Victorian fireplaces had been taken out and replaced with a two-bar electric heater and a gas heater,’ says Huw. They took this time to get their ideas together and find an architect.

PROJECT WISH LIST