Budget Breakdown: A Historian Couple Revamp Their Storybook Victorian for $174K
A modern addition to an old London home offers ample space for a growing family, as well as a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf situated under a skylight.
A modern addition to an old London home offers ample space for a growing family, as well as a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf situated under a skylight.
Mark Rothery and Alison Carrol are both historians, but the couple were looking toward the future when they approached Mitchell + Corti Architects for help expanding their terraced Victorian home.
The duo’s two kids were growing—and so was the family’s impressive book collection. Although Mark and Alison wanted to preserve the character of their northwest London residence, they knew they’d need more space, ample storage, and a kid-friendly connection to the backyard garden to accommodate their needs in the years to come.
The architects embraced the modernist form of the new structure instead of cladding the extension in expensive brick to match the original Victorian’s exterior.
Photo by Luke Weller
"We wanted something that felt like a family home, but wasn’t totally dominated by the toys," says Alison. With this in mind, London-based architects Andrew Mitchell and Ester Corti got creative with the family’s budget and pulled together an invigorated 1,291-square-foot floor plan that includes a rear extension.
| $5,000 Preliminaries & Overheads | $11,128 Demolition | $8,513 Decoration |
| $7,651 Kitchen & Utility Room Cabinetry | $8,346 Kitchen Worktop & Appliances | $8,902 Bathrooms |
| $11,129 Plumbing | $13,216 Electrical | $2,921 Cladding |
| $25,038 Windows & Doors | $6,258 Skylights | $3,477 Sanitary Appliances & Tiles |
| $9,041 Joinery & Floor Installation | $2,781 Lighting | $6,258 Radiators |
| $4,590 Timber Floors | $20,864 Labor | $15,300 Extension |
| $3,477 Miscellaneous | ||
| Grand Total: $173, 899 | ||
The Library House is replete with thoughtful details that veil the project’s financial constraints. The most luxurious moment? A circular skylight that illuminates a floor-to-ceiling bookcase in the open-plan common area.
The architects designed the home’s expansion with the knowledge that the owners plan to continue the renovation when their budget allows it. "We wanted to put everything in the right place so it doesn’t have to be undone later," says Corti.
Photo by Luke Weller
In the kitchen, pops of orange and blue break up an otherwise black-and-white palette. The bursts of color are a nod to the hues in the stained glass in the refurbished front door.
Photo by Luke Weller
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: A Historian Couple Revamp Their Storybook Victorian for $174K
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