Contemporary Victorian Renovation
with art deco influences

The scope of this project involved four key elements:

• A full-footprint basement with luxury leisure amenities
• Refurbishment of the ground and first floors
• A new first-floor side extension
• A rear ground-floor extension seamlessly integrated with the garden

At its core, this contemporary Victorian renovation was all about contrast and cohesion; preserving the character of a period home while introducing modern materials, bespoke finishes and clean architectural lines.

Architectural harmony and ‘lining up’

In construction, ‘lining up’ refers to the accurate alignment of key structural and architectural features. This is essential to get right from the outset.

In this contemporary Victorian renovation, key elements centred on the front door. For example, positioning of new Crittall windows. With their slender frames and deep stone-lined recesses, these windows reflect much of the geometry of the new structure. Concealed blinds added a contemporary touch keeping the frames visually uncluttered.

Materials and detailing

A bold floor design on the ground floor echoed the geometry of Art Deco. Although a standard tile pattern was used, we laid it to align perfectly with room shapes and borders, enhancing the building’s spatial rhythm.

Original features, such as deep door architraves, ornate ceiling mouldings and timber panelling, were retained and restored. These flourishes added character and contrasted beautifully with the home’s new more minimalist elements.

Smart planning and procurement

As with all our projects, careful procurement and timely decision-making were key to ensure we could build to brief within both budget and schedule. From importing specialist ceramic tiles from Morocco to factoring in the time required to complete the bespoke carpentry, this project had Galower Build’s smart planning and procurement as standard.

Our approach is to factor in time contingencies and define critical decisions early. For example, planning adequate storage so materials could be used without delay. This ensured that those custom items arriving late or unannounced didn’t disrupt the schedule.