readers’ homes

Harry and Sara Montatt undertook a complete internal overhaul of this 1975 three-storey London terrace and extended it to create a space ideal for growing their young family

WORDS LOUISE PARKIN

When Harry and Sara Montatt decided to move from their flat into a bigger West London property, they knew that going for a doer-upper project was the best way to get maximise their budget in one of the country’s highest-value areas.

They viewed dozens of houses, setting up alerts on Rightmove, and when they found this three-storey terraced house on a quiet road, they could immediately see its potential. “The layout was unusual; it looked as though extra stud walls had been added over time and, as a result, the spaces did not flow particularly well together,” says Sara. An ensuite bathroom had been installed in the lounge, and storage tacked on in every available room, leaving an awkward living arrangement.

The Montatts knew that the project would be extensive, so they enlisted the help of Lucy Kuhar, a Slovenian architect who has been working in the UK for the past decade with the likes of acclaimed architect Farshid Moussavi and Karakusevic Carson Architects. Lucy set up her practice, Lumin Architects, in 2018.

Built in 1975, this terraced brick house in West London has floor-to-ceiling glazing on all three storeys. The new brick extension was designed to tie in as closely as possible to the original building

PHOTOS ANNA STATHAKI

The picture window ensures there is an abundance of light in the bright white kitchen-diner, where bench seating down one side of the room provides seating for large groups at the extendable table

Oak treads and black balustrades adorn the staircase, which was redesigned with a different layout to increase space in the hallway