Renovating a 1960's terrace
After watching too many episodes of Tiny House Nation, we decided to sell up, downsize and move from the countryside to town. A serious shortage of properties meant anything within our budget was somewhat haunted and in need of tlc. After securing our dream 1960's terrace, the Pinterest trawl really began. This site documents what we learn as we extend and renovate. Why not come along on the journey!
extension
Design Dilemas
- Neighbours
- A raft foundation and mono-pitch design minimised ground and light disturbance for our neighbours. The larch cladding will mellow with age and won’t need access through neighbours for upkeep.
- Light
- To maximise light, we sacrificed space for a small courtyard, added an oversized roof light and installed oversized glazing in the south facing wall. All internal doors are also glazed.
- Size
- A feeling of space comes not just from floor area, but also height. We’ve used the extra height in the hallway for storage, in the office for a loft bed and in the sitting room to make the space feel bigger.
- Budget
- To keep within budget, we’ve used a simple mono-pitch design with a metal roof solution and installed resin flooring throughout.
Click on an image, then use arrows to navigate.
small spaces
Sleeping Loft
A loft kit from Spanish manufacturer Tecrostar allowed us to install a double bed over our office desks. Easy to put together, the kit resembles giant Meccano.
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Soaking Tub
Measuring just 750 by 1050cm, the Omnitub deep soaking tub was nicknamed 'the cowboy bath' by our builder. When plumbed up it will also serve as a shower tray.
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Folding Doors
Three sets of folding door kits from PC Henderson give us huge flexibility on the ground floor. We’ve used kits with and without bottom channels (Pacer and Roomflex).
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Pantry
As one door gets closed up another opens… or maybe your carpenter shelves it out for a pantry. A bulk order of jars from Alpack and a Dymo label maker from Amazon complete the look.
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kitchen
Minimal but super-efficient, the kitchen is definitely the old cliché - hub of our home. Tulip wood was used for the cabinets, shelf and pantry, with a simple clear matt varnish. Awkward changes in ceiling height meant we opted for no upper cabinets. The quartz worktop was a complete splurge but it’s both beautiful and practical. Check out our review of the worktop and other key kitchen items below.
worktop
carbonator
fridge
cooker
microwave
sink
favourites
During the renovation every free moment was spent online searching for light fittings or shelf brackets. Here are a few of the online retailers and brands that made our favourites list.
prints
Affordable art and independent artists from RedBubble. You can loose hours trawling through this site but beware of colour differences between screen and actual print.
handles & knobs
Exceptional quality and design from Swedish supplier All Handles & Pulls. If you’re looking for something a little different, this site stocks a lot of Nordic brands.
accessories
Modern Danish brand House Doctor, produces a huge range of home accessories with a huge amount of style. Royal Design is the best online outlet we’ve found.
lighting
As well as Vita Copenhagen’s Acorn lights in the kitchen, we have their goose feather EOS in a bedroom. Watch out for their pendant fittings which are sold separately, some are very plastic.
tiles
Best Tile stock a great selection of tiles, including Moroccan cement, which can be purchased online and in small quantities.
everything else
Whether you love it or loath it, where else can you get a hook that looks like a dogs tail? Ikea is a must!
contact us
Have a design dilema?
Just drop us a line!