Dezeen Magazine

Kitchen and dining room in Mount View house renovation by Archmongers

Pale pink tiles create distinctive new facade for London terrace renovated by Archmongers

London studio Archmongers has used a colour palette of yellows, browns and pinks in a renovation of a Victorian terraced house in north London.

Called Mount View, the project involved overhauling the ground floor of the family house, to create a spacious kitchen and dining room connected to the garden, and converting the basement into a guest suite.

Front elevation of Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
The renovated part of the house feature an exterior cladding of pale pink tiles

Externally, these renovated spaces are all clad in handmade tiles, in a pale pink shade that complements the building's red brick walls.

This ties into a 1970s-style palette of warm, pastel tones, inspired by the client's memories of their childhood home.

Rear facade of Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
A tile-clad rear extension creates a new kitchen and dining room

"Our client had a particular love for subtle warm colours, drawing references to her time growing up," said Johan Hybschmann, who co-founded Archmongers alongside Margaret Bursa.

"She came to us with this great sense and interest in colour harmonies," he told Dezeen, "and we found a way to meaningfully apply a suitable palette to the full house, which works well with the existing details and original materials."

Pink tiles, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Some of the tiles feature a vertical ridge, which creates texture

Originally the house only had a half-height basement that could only be used for storage.

After unpinning the original walls, it was possible to turn this into a studio flat with 2.6-metre-high ceilings and a separate entrance.

On the ground floor, an extension to the rear of the building creates space for the new open-plan kitchen and dining room.

The floor level here has been lowered, giving the room high ceilings and allowing activity to flow out into a sunken patio.

Kitchen window, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
The pastel-toned kitchen features a breakfast bar facing out into the garden

The pink tiles cladding these two revamped areas were custom made specifically for this project by Cotswolds-based manufacturer Tiles of Stow.

Some of the tiles include a vertical ridge, which gives texture to the facades.

Skylights, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Four skylights bring plenty of light into the kitchen and dining space

It is a material that Archmongers has become familiar with, having used it for previous projects such as Clock House.

The idea is to reference the tiles used in various Victorian buildings, from pubs to schools, but to give them a modern feel that follows architects like Alvar Aalto.

"We've used tiles as a facade material for a few of our project as they are very hardwearing, add colour and texture, and reflect light very beautifully," said Hybschmann.

Living room, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Storage is built into the hallway, beside double doors leading into the living room

Tiles also feature in other areas, including the sunken patio, which is surfaced with a square, dark tile. Meanwhile, the family bathrooms feature a square pink tile, which is contrasted by various coloured taps.

In the kitchen, a yellow-toned kitchen features alongside a green vinyl floor. This space is filled with natural light, thanks to four skylights integrated into the roof.

The works also included an expansion of the hallway, incorporating built-in storage with scallop-fronted doors.

Bathroom, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
The bathrooms feature pink tiles, vinyl floors and coloured taps

"Working with a house of such generous proportions revealed so much about the original intentions of Victorian design. Building on this framework and being able to create spacious additions to unlock the house was a fun challenge," added Hybschmann.

"We've created beautiful yet practical light-filled spaces that give the house a contemporary feel."

Photography is by French + Tye.

More images and plans

Floor plans, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Floor plans
Sections, Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Sections
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers
Mount View house renovation by Archmongers