Brixton is convincingly the most vibrant, multicultural, even the most exciting of the London boroughs. It is also undeniably dynamic: change upon change for year after year. Once a satellite of the Caribbean, it is now a pot pourri of ethnicity with a growing gentrification. This is not entirely due to its proximity to The City and West End but also to the area’s cultural attractions: the food, music, the artworks that decorate the streets, the markets, the clubs and pubs.
It is these elements that brought our client, an established film and TV producer, to the area some years ago. He loves the vigour of Brixton and its music but also enjoys cycling and campervanning out of town. His home reflected his bachelor status; not particularly comfortable, more a place to express his passion for music; that’s how he liked it.
Along comes his partner. Our client overlooked the ill-lit interiors, the cramped Victorian spaces, and the old-fashioned kitchen; the house had character and it suited him. However, things had to change so he called on Andrew Dobson Architects to design a home that would accommodate the more feminine tastes of his partner.
The ground floor was opened up, large Crittall windows installed to flood the house with light. The walls painted white to show off the sanded timber floor, an eye-catching lithographic print of a jazz drummer and a piano to appeal to his piano-playing partner. The old kitchen was routed out and a new one, bright with daylight showing off the latest in kitchen technology was installed. Folding sliding doors now lead onto a small patio that extend and link it to the dining area.
This is a good example of the way Andrew Dobson Architects can turn a very ordinary house into a little gem of a place where the residents happily express their love of life and music.
