Our client loved his Ferrari Dino so much that he wanted to be able to gaze at it all day from the comfort of his sofa. His wife dreamt of a secluded terrace of polished teak where she could soak up the sun in peace.

The couple longed for a white Modernist house but their neighbours preferred a period home in keeping with the adjacent Victorian cottages.

Dyer Grimes Architects combined the two to create a truly stunning and unique family home.

The current property was a mix of architectural styles comprising a 1970s two storey artist’s studio which had been ‘bolted’ on to a small Victorian cottage. The house had two stairwells as well as an enormous tree in the front garden which was protected.

The brief was to deliver a minimalist design which had to be practical for family living. We were also tasked with turning an existing flat roof into a contemporary roof garden.

Whilst the Victorian façade of the building was retained, the whole of the back of the house was removed and rebuilt with white wall render to achieve a modern aesthetic finish. Horizontal slot windows were fitted throughout and a full width sliding stacking wall of glass doors to maximise light and space.

The garage was enclosed with fire-rated glass walls through which the classic Ferrari could be seen from the living room. Our client even re-sprayed his car orange to match the sofa!

A new glass staircase was installed to provide access, via a hydraulically operated roof light, to a stunning decked roof terrace complete with outside shower and kitchen and far reaching views over London.