readers’ homes

Nicky and Gemma Kirk undertook an affordable renovation on a dated 1930s home. The result doesn’t scrimp on style – or surprises

WORDS JENNIFER GRIMBLE

The home’s awkward lean-tos have been replaced by a full-width extension, finished with charred Accoya cladding, two large rooflights and black framed bifold doors that connect the garden with the new living space

PHOTOS AGNESE SANVITO

Nicky and Gemma Kirk were living in a three-bed property in Enfield, but after welcoming their second child, they needed additional space to accommodate their growing family. While the house offered room for improvement, it wasn’t quite right, so the couple began searching for somewhere with more potential. “We began looking around the area and soon found a spacious, 1930s home in a really good location,” says Nicky.

With a pebbledash exterior and dated decor, the property hadn’t been touched for decades. “The services were shot, there was a 40-year-old boiler and even nails sticking out of the floorboards,” says Nicky. “But it had great proportions and there was scope to extend at the rear and convert the loft.” Since they’d maxed out their budget buying the place, the Kirks were forced to live with it while they gathered the necessary funds for a renovation. In 2020, after coming into some inheritance, the couple were ready to start.

Constructive and Co crafted the bespoke kitchen from a composite timber that was then oiled for durability. The couple also chose a budgetfriendly, acrylic worktop and a splashback formed from handfinished, brushed brass

A pop of colour in the heart of the home, the utility room features an allyellow palette, with a concrete butler sink, cork flooring and bespoke metal shelving. The utility room connects to the kitchen via a concealed Selo door, which blends into the wall finish. The utility sink is from Warrington + Rose

A detailed design

An architect by trade, Nicky took on design duties. “I treated it like a conventional project, but this time my family were the clients,” he explains. With the support of Gemma, Nicky worked through ideas and layouts. The ground floor featured a dingy hallway with a separate lounge, dining room and kitchen, located in an awkward lean-to extension. So, in order to open up the interior and draw in plenty of natural light, Nicky designed a full-width rear extension that would house a new kitchen and dining zone, with bifold doors leading to the garden. The wall separating the lounge and dining room would be removed, to create a broken-plan footprint that ensured each zone of the living area would serve a practical purpose.