Mike and Karuna Wood were guided by the vision of their architect to remodel their London home into something a cut above standard

WORDS EMILY BROOKS

A new hip-togable roof has been added to maximise useable space in the loft, incorporating zinc-clad dormers to provide additional headroom and light

PHOTOS ADELINA ILIEV

When Mike and Karuna Wood bought their North London home, they saw a property that was ripe with potential. The 1930s, double-fronted brick house had a large garden at the rear that could easily be built on, while still leaving plenty of room outside. The loft hadn’t been converted either, offering the opportunity to add space and value in the future. “The plot was pretty big and the footprint of the house quite small, so I always knew we’d do some kind of project to increase it. There were lots of options,” says Mike.

Having potential is one thing, but fulfilling it is another. Mike, who describes himself as “an armchair architecture enthusiast,” harboured dreams that the couple would one day be able to create something special. A project that would be much more than a conventional box across the back and a by-the-numbers loft conversion. The couple moved from Hackney to be closer to Karuna’s mother and sister, who live nearby, and to gain more space in anticipation of starting a family.

After their son arrived, the need to make changes became more urgent. “The conservatory was unusable for three-quarters of the year – it was freezing in winter and too hot in summer,” says Mike. A large formal dining room at the front of the house was also rarely used, while the kitchen was too small as a family hangout and not well connected to the other rooms. “We wanted a more open living experience, but it was about rebalancing the layout and making it more practical, rather than adding a lot of space,” Mike explains.

Having saved up some money in the intervening couple of years, which they supplemented by remortgaging, in 2019 they pressed go on the extension and renovation project they had been thinking about since they bought the house. As well as building an extension that would work better for family life, with good connections to the garden, they also wanted to create a new master suite in the loft. Beyond that, Mike says that he didn’t want to be too prescriptive about the style or materials, trusting that any architect would bring their best ideas to the table.