Valetta House

Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye

VALETTA HOUSE

Office S&M

ARCHITECTS
Office S&M

BUILDING CONTROL SERVICES
Wilkinson Construction Consultants

MANUFACTURERS
Bert & May, Farrow and Ball, Johnson Tiles, Mapei, Marley Eternit, Durable Windows, Sputnik Estudio

ENGINEER CONSULTANT
BUILT ENGINEERS

PHOTOGRAPHS
French + Tye

AREA
150 m²

YEAR
2017

LOCATION
London, United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Houses, House Interiors, Extension

Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye

Text description provided by architect.

A family with four young girls, commissioned Office S&M to refurbish and extend their home, in order to create more living space, so that each child had their own space in the house.

The narrow existing plan meant we had to be creative with the space.

By removing some walls, opening up internal windows, and using light wells, we have been able to bring light deeper into the spaces.

Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye

We created a “child-friendly” home in the broadest sense of the word, adding curves to the walls, a playful snakes-and-ladders bannister running through the house, and an arched window for each child.

Meanwhile, adults are treated to a rich variety of materials, from encaustic floor slabs and glazed herringbone tiles, to spherical marble handrail ends and soft cedar shingle on the exterior.

The house now features an open-plan interior designed to meet the family's need for space, with a staircase and lightwell to connect the three floors and bring light down to the ground floor.

Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye

A palette of carefully selected colours are used to reflect warm light throughout the spaces.

By opening up windows, a view to the hall, and a lightwell past the stair, this warm light created a feeling of volume in the existing Victorian house.

Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye

Day-to-day, and from season to season, the passage of time is marked by changing light conditions throughout the house. As the children grow up, the house will change with them too, with the rounded cedar shingles on the exterior weathering and changing colour over time.

Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye


Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye
Valetta House
© French + Tye


Valetta House
Long section + ground floor plan
Valetta House
Second floor plan
Valetta House
Bathroom plans
Valetta House
Window detail


Valetta House
Rear elevation
Valetta House
Elevations