Light of their lives

Beyond the ordinary facade of Samantha and Nigel Fenn's Victorian terraced home lies a breathtaking, light-filled space

Designing the interior

Rather than leave the basement rooms shut off from the rest of the house, the architect has created a light-filled double-height area that links them with the rest of the house. On the ground floor, the existing large, south-facing kitchen has been updated with Smallbone units, and a co-ordinating walnut and glass staircase now leads down from the kitchen-dining area to a formal dining area below. High above all this, a barrel-shaped glass roof has been added. The centre of the roof slides open, allowing light and air into both eating areas.


In contrast to all the glass, a wall of reclaimed brick extends from the basement to the kitchen ceiling, giving a dramatic focal point to both kitchen and dining room. "We got halfway through putting up the brick wall and thought, Have we made the right choice or should we plaster it over?" Samantha laughs. "Trying to make it look old was difficult."

Chosen by House to home