Wooded bliss

Rachel and Liam transformed a dated Victorian terrace into a modern, sustainable home perfectly suited to their lifestyle

- WORDS Teresa Conway

Rachel Brian and Liam Carter had been living together in a garden-less flat near Dalston, east London, and always knew that they wanted to stay within the general area when the time came to move.

'About three years ago we began looking for properties in nearby Stoke Newington in the hope we could find somewhere that we could move straight into,' says Rachel.

However, the couple struggled to find a home that suited their tastes, and they quickly discovered that finished properties often came with a higher price tag. Eventually, they found a Victorian terrace on a quiet road that ticked many of their boxes. 'It was pretty perfect,' says Rachel. 'We loved the street, the period character, and it was within budget, and even meant we'd have some money left over to renovate.'

The house had been in the same family for around 60 years and was well maintained, but in need of updating. 'It didn't feel like we'd be ripping out anything that had been recently done,' says Rachel. 'It also had beautiful old features we could retain, which was really important to us.'

FORWARD PLANNING

The couple wasted no time in getting started with their renovations, with the goal of completing the project before moving in. To bring their vision to life, they began the search for an architect. 'Yard Architects was actually the first practice we came across through a Google search,' says Liam. 'Luckily, we really liked the style of their previous work - they were clear and practical in their ideas, and upfront with costs.'

'We planned a loft extension and an extra room at the back to use as an office,' says Rachel. 'A communal kitchen space was a must-have, too - Liam is an amazing cook, so we wanted this to be a sociable space for entertaining.'