Making space

With careful craftsmanship and an eye for detail, David Valinsky and Jess Mitchell transformed their narrow Victorian terraced house into a practical and thoughtfully designed home

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When David Valinsky and his partner Jess Mitchell first set eyes on their Victorian terraced house in Cambridge, they looked past its flaws to envisage the home it could be. At just 3.6m wide, however, with an awkward layout and all the hallmarks of rental neglect, it was far from perfect. But having been an architect, David saw an opportunity to transform the compact space into a light-filled home that would perfectly suit the couple’s professional lifestyles.

COMPACT FOOTPRINT

Many architects see potential where others see problems, and for David, the appeal of a terraced home was less about reinventing the wheel and more about taking a considered approach within a well-worn typology. ‘Cambridge is full of these types of terraced properties,’ he says. ‘So, it would be a stretch to say that this one had unique potential that I hadn’t seen elsewhere. However, the orientation really helped – we knew we could have morning light in the main bedroom and afternoon light in the west-facing garden.’

Although the house wasn’t listed, its position in a conservation area meant there were restrictions on what could be altered externally. Fortunately, securing planning permission was a straightforward process. Rather than chasing additional square footage, David focused on reconfiguring the interior to maximise space and improve natural light.

A PHASED APPROACH

With the possibility of a new extension off the table, it soon became clear that renovating the house in one go wasn’t an option. Instead, David and Jess chose to tackle the work in stages, balancing their budget with logistics and the need to keep the space liveable throughout. Also, David was able to refine the design as the project progressed.