Tired of renting, Graeme Bulcraig began searching for a home he could make his own. Focusing on Hackney, north London, an area known for its Victorian terraced houses and converted flats, Graeme found a rare gem – a spacious, 1960s end-of-terrace with a generous-sized garden design.
"I was lucky to find this house," he says. "But I was in a good position as a cash buyer." The brick property was dated and tired, having been rented out to students.
"It was liveable but I knew I wanted to do a lot of work to it," says Graeme. Even with a budget of £300,000, most of the architects he approached struggled to make the numbers work.
"When I spoke to Nimtim Architects, they were immediately positive about what could be achieved," says Graeme. "I also liked that they were female-led. It could have ended up being a very masculine design, but they brought some playfulness to the project."
Project details
- Location Hackney, north London
- Project Rear extension, loft conversion and full renovation
- Build cost £353,050 (+VAT)
- Original property cost £800,000
- Architectural designers Nimtim Architects
Novel approach
Graeme worked with Nimtim’s Allie Mackinnon on the design. "The brief was open in a way," says Graeme. "I wanted thoughtful design; something unique. I really liked ply and the idea of having a simple palette of materials, to tie all the areas of the house together."
There were two concepts Graeme was keen on; fixed Crittall doors and a kitchen positioned at the heart of the house, within a bespoke pod. To visualise it, he built the entire thing in Lego.
Drawing on Graeme’s ideas, Allie proposed creating a flexible interior layout, with a moveable glass partition extending the full length of the ground floor. Instead of steel, the screen would be crafted from timber to bring warmth and softness to the space.
An L-shaped addition at the rear would make way for a new dining space, while a full-width loft dormer would house two new bedrooms, a flexible space and a family bathroom.
To increase the home’s thermal efficiency, new high-spec windows and doors would be installed, topped with custom concrete lintels. Inside, microcement, ply and clay would be paired with accents of burgundy. This colour would also finish the new glazing frames and front door.
Plans and pitfalls
The plans were submitted to Hackney Council, but the loft conversion was quickly refused – despite the fact it almost replicated the one next door.
"The volume of it was about one cubic metre over the limit," says Graeme. "It was a technicality and as a result, it had to be inset a bit, so it doesn’t quite reach the end of the house."
Allie also had to reduce the number of windows and the size of the rooflights. With these amendments made, planning was achieved.
Following the tender process, Graeme selected Griffon Construction for the job. "I found them on Houzz," says Graeme. "They had never really completed an architecture-led project, but they were keen and confident they could do the job."
Graeme moved into a friend’s house and work began in March 2022. However, while digging the foundations for the new extension, the builders came across an underground pipe.
"No one knew what it was," says Graeme. "There’s an old electricity substation at the back of the garden and after doing some research, I discovered there are high voltage electricity cables running underneath the property boundary. We had to involve a structural engineer and National Grid, and were told we couldn’t build over the pipe."
As a result, the shape of the extension had to be slightly altered. "We lost a bit of space and it was pretty stressful, working out how to deal with it," he recalls.
Model inspiration
Once sorted, 450mm wide mass concrete strip foundations were laid before the extension was built from steel beams and masonry. The rest of the house was stripped back, ready for the internal refurb.
"At one point, there was literally one floor and the walls left," says Graeme. The kitchen pod was crafted using Surface Matter’s Richlite, a recycled composite surface, while the kitchen itself was built from a standard Ikea carcass and finished with custom fronts.
"We took the Lego model to Holte and they designed the kitchen based on it," says Graeme. "It saved a lot of money doing it that way."
Inevitably there were challenges along the way. "There were a number of building material shortages as a result of the pandemic," says architect Allie. "The Ukraine conflict also affected the availability of plywood. As a result, we switched to a poplar-core plywood veneer for all the home’s linings. We then selected solid ash timber for the sliding screen frame, staircase and flooring."
Luckily, Graeme’s careful planning and organisation meant he was able to order a lot of materials well in advance, storing them in his garden until needed.
Nimtim acted as contract administrator, visiting the site every fortnight, while Graeme took on project management duties, attending meetings almost every day. "Overall, it was a joy," says Graeme. "You hear horror stories, but I really enjoyed it."
Warm spectrum
Despite a few setbacks, the project was completed in just eight months. From the front, the 1960s property looks much the same, apart from the upgraded, burgundy-hued glazing and front door.
But head inside and you’ll discover a warm, rich palette of textures and tones. Grown-up spaces are paired with playful, flexible areas that are perfect for Graeme and his two children.
Graeme hasn’t ruled out tackling another project in the future, confessing that his favourite part of the process was the design stage.
"The fun part is choosing materials, thinking about what you could do and making moodboards," he says. "I really enjoyed the whole creative process."
Developing the brief
Allie Mackinnon of Nimtim Architects says, "The existing 1960s end-of-terrace had its own unique typology. It was simplistic in form and reminiscent of a child’s drawing of a house; complete with a distinctive front gable, a tall chimney pot, a front garden and a long path to the front door.
"Our ‘briefing game’ is a core tool that we use with clients to shape the brief in a more collaborative, playful way. During this process, we identified a desire for spaces that would be calming and restorative for adults to sit, alongside spaces that were playful and robust for children.
"Two distinct zones were created: an area of movement defined by hardwearing finishes such as ply, and a softer, more tactile zone defined by textural finishes, including textured natural plaster that creates warmth and diffused light."
Graeme is thrilled with the end result, calling the house "beautiful, light and calm" and continues, "It’s a real joy and I’m very fortunate to live here."
For more inspiration, browse this colourful extended home in north London or this barn-inspired self-build with panoramic countryside views.
