West Norwood House Extension

This rear extension and full refurbishment transformed a 1930s family home in West Norwood into a bright, flexible space designed around cooking, play and everyday family life.

Having recently moved into the house, the your family wanted to create a home that better reflected the way they lived. The existing kitchen was small and disconnected, while the separate living and dining rooms limited how the family could spend time together. With four young boys, they needed a home that felt open, sociable and adaptable, while still allowing different activities to happen at the same time.

The design centred on relocating the kitchen to the middle of the house, creating a natural hub around which family life revolves. Inspired by the family’s Italian heritage and love of cooking, the kitchen was designed as a place for gathering as much as preparing meals. This move also freed up space for a generous utility room and WC, improving the practicality of the ground floor.

Large steel-framed glazed doors create visual connections throughout the house, allowing spaces to feel open while providing the flexibility to separate them when needed. To the rear, a split-level extension responds to the changing levels of the site, creating distinct zones for cooking, dining, relaxing and play.

Natural light floods the interior through large rooflights and carefully positioned glazing, while a restrained palette of dark timber, muted green cabinetry and continuous microcement flooring creates a calm and contemporary atmosphere.

The result is a West Norwood family home that feels connected, welcoming and full of life — a home where cooking, conversation, play and family gatherings can all happen together.