Modern kitchen with built-in wooden cabinet, coffee station, and window seat with pillows beside large window overlooking a garden.

Vine Lane

Location: London Borough of Hillingdon

Size: 250sqm

Client: Private Residential

Project Type: Extensive Retrofit & Structural Glass Extension

Services: Full Architectural Services, Interior Design, Furniture Package, Contract Administration

Status: Complete

Collaborators: Glass Structures Ltd, Velfac, Luxuria Property, Decora Microcement, Lusso Stone, Mandarin Stone, Roman Haus,

Our project at Vine Lane is an extensive retrofit and re-configuration of an existing detached house. The complete re-configuration of the interior spaces is complemented through a fully-glazed extension, double-height dining space and gallery. The scheme rethinks flow, layout, and light, transforming the existing spaces into a modern, cohesive living environment tailored to contemporary life. Alongside the architectural refurbishment, the project included a bespoke interior design and furniture package. This holistic approach ensures every element works seamlessly together, creating a home that feels both refined and timeless.

Modern dining room with large glass windows showing garden, white walls, and a long table with chairs, a person walking past, and a ceiling window with sky view.

Modern house exterior with black front door, white brick wall, and house number 88 displayed, illuminated by outdoor lighting, with potted plants nearby, during dusk.

Modern dining room with black table, green-cushioned chairs, a glass vase of sunflowers, and a circular pendant light. Lounge area with yellow sofa, green accent wall, and staircase with wooden slats.

Modern interior with wooden paneling, brick wall, dining table with chairs, and ambient lighting.

Beautiful backyard garden at dusk with illuminated pathway, trees, and a water fountain.

A backyard garden with a small white fountain surrounded by black stones, lush green plants, a wooden pergola in the background, and tall leafy trees under a partly cloudy sky.

Modern house with a brown tiled roof, large front door, and a tall narrow window with a white exterior wall, surrounded by greenery and a paved walkway.

A woman sitting inside a modern house reading a book through a large glass window, with purple flowering plants outside.

Modern staircase with white steps, dark brown railing, and vertical wooden slats on the wall in a bright, contemporary interior.

Modern garden with water feature, fountain, lush green plants, flower beds, and a brick wall in the background.

View of a modern house with a garden and a small water feature leading to a glass patio door, with trees reflected in the upper window.

Front of modern house with white exterior walls, large glass sliding doors, and a brown shingled roof. Garden with various plants and trees in the foreground.

Modern bathroom with a white floating vanity, black faucet, framed mirror, textured brown tiles, frosted window, and walk-in shower with dark fixtures.

A staircase viewed from the top, with wooden steps, a black handrail on the right side, and modern hanging light fixtures with exposed bulbs on the left side ceiling, mounted on a white wall.

A wooden cabinet with a single round metal handle on the top middle door and four small round holes on each row of drawers.

Close-up of a modern bathroom sink with a black marble top, black faucet, and a rectangular mirror above, against a beige wall.

Modern living room with soft lighting, tan sofa, ottoman, wall-mounted TV, and wall sconces.

Interior view with a small vertical window showing greenery outside; a wooden wall with vertical slats and a modern round wall sconce emitting warm light.

Tall black-framed mirror reflecting a built-in pink wardrobe with black handles and drawers, opposite a white wall with a small vase of white and purple flowers on a marble-top side table.

Modern two-story house with dark roof, white brick exterior, illuminated circular wall lights, large front window, and landscaped garden with trees and plants at dusk.

Close-up view of a staircase with wooden panels on the side and brown railings.

Close-up of a modern staircase with wooden vertical slats at the side, beige steps, and brown metal railings.

Modern living room with a yellow velvet sofa, wooden wall paneling, and a mounted flat-screen TV.

Modern bathroom with a white freestanding sink, a backlit abstract-shaped mirror, and a shower area with a brass handheld showerhead, wall controls, and a small built-in alcove with a bottle.

Modern staircase with white steps, black metal railing, and wooden paneling at the base, against a plain white wall.

Woman standing outside a modern house with glass sliding doors, overlooking a garden with greenery.

Wooden closet doors next to a window in a bright room.

Corner peach-colored built-in closet with black handles and drawers on beige carpet and white ceiling with recessed lights.

Modern bathroom with a white freestanding bathtub, gray tiled walls, a small built-in shelf with toiletries, and a window with a roller shade.

Context & Brief

The Vine Lane project centres on a detached 1930s house characterised by an unusual roof configuration, presenting as single storey at the front and double storey to the rear. Over time, the property had suffered from poor thermal performance associated with its ageing construction, alongside a series of ill-considered extensions that compromised both clarity of layout and architectural coherence. The entrance was difficult to read, positioned to the side and connected to an unconventional staircase arrangement, while the existing house failed to establish a meaningful relationship with the garden. The site is further defined by a locally listed boundary wall at the front, introducing a significant planning constraint. Within this context, the original client brief called for a two-storey rear extension to rationalise the home’s organisation, improve environmental performance, and create a stronger connection to the landscape
Design Approach

The design approach began by questioning the initial assumption that the existing staircase and front door would remain in place. Relocating both elements unlocked a series of new spatial opportunities, allowing the home’s primary circulation to rotate by 90 degrees and reposition the entrance in a more natural and legible location. This shift enabled an open-plan arrangement with a clear visual connection through the house to the rear garden. A careful appraisal of the available space also revealed that a full two-storey extension was unnecessary to meet the client’s brief; instead, a more modest single-storey addition could provide the required rooms while creating a more efficient and cohesive layout, while also helping to manage budget pressures and respond more sensitively to planning constraints.
Outcome & Impact

The completed design creates a carefully considered sequence of ground floor spaces that deliver a sense of arrival and “wow factor,” while remaining flexible for everyday living - from quiet moments in the snug to larger family gatherings. Improvements to the thermal fabric, combined with the introduction of renewable technologies, have resulted in a comfortable environment throughout the year and reduced energy costs. Most importantly, the clients describe the home as a calming sanctuary that supports their wellbeing, enhanced not only by the overall tranquillity of the spaces but also by the inclusion of a home gym and sauna.
Technical Details

Description goes hereTechnical interventions focused on improving performance, material quality, and spatial continuity throughout the home. The existing suspended timber floor was removed and replaced with an insulated concrete slab, providing thermal mass to support efficient underfloor heating. External wall insulation enhanced thermal performance while allowing the house to be re-expressed with a contemporary rendered finish. An air source heat pump, solar panels, and battery storage further reduce energy use and running costs.
Material choices play a key role in the interior experience, with microcement used extensively across the ground floor and to form the feature staircase, complemented by CNC-veneered panels that introduce texture, depth, and craftsmanship to key spaces. A structural glass box with steel reinforcement and a flush threshold creates a seamless transition between inside and out, while carefully detailed brick slips add visual richness to the façade within the constraints of limited build-up thickness.
Challenges & Problem Solving

Description goes hereThe project required careful navigation of several technical and design challenges. Planning constraints arising from the locally listed front boundary wall meant the proposal had to work sensitively within the limits of the existing dormer forms, restricting opportunities for visible change. Previous extensions had also left the house with inconsistent floor levels and varying wall constructions, demanding detailed coordination to create a coherent and level internal environment. At the same time, the clients’ aspirations evolved throughout the process as they became more confident in contemporary design, influenced in part by holidays and new spatial references discovered along the way. Responding to this shift required balancing moments of distinct character in individual rooms with an overall cohesive architectural vision that could unify the home.