This period home is in the ‘Kingsgate Village’ region of the Winchester Conservation Area, well-regarded for its characterful streets and historic properties. Inside, it required some updating and modernisation and the clients wanted to get more light into their home. We created an open-plan lounge kitchen-diner with rooflights and a double-height ceiling in the lounge area to allow natural light to flood in.

A fabulous-looking engineered oak floor added some lovely character and warmth, with the real warmth coming from installing underfloor heating, and we used sliding doors to open the whole space onto the pretty courtyard garden. In the hallway we created a cloakroom, with built-in storage, and  fitted storage cupboards under the stairs.

Upstairs, the first-floor landing has a full-height glazed wall that allows views into the double-height void and we used pocket doors to enable the owner to close off the staircases. We retained the two sash windows  in the master bedroom and flooded the bathroom with natural light using a large rooflight. On the second floor we created another light-filled bedroom with rooflights to the front and back.

What was a gloomy terrace house is now an inviting light-filled home.

The house was owned by my friend Alastair McDonald who as an architect himself had a very clear vision for the house. I helped him with the technical side of the project and managed the consent applications.