Inverleith Gardens, Edinburgh

David and Claire had been living in their Georgian townhouse in Inverleith, Edinburgh, for a little over a year and had already tackled some of the cosmetic upgrades it required. They approached us with a young, growing family to help them with the next part of their plans.

Like many properties of this era, the kitchen was considered a functional space to be tucked away at the back of the house. The kitchen was a small, dark space within an original annex which was attached to the back of the house and desperately required an extension to meet their needs.

The property was listed and sat within a Conservation Area, and David and Claire had found themselves in a protracted planning battle with a scheme prepared by a previous architect, so we knew in advance there were some challenges to resolve.

Once we understood what Claire and David were hoping to achieve, we developed a new design that was simple and elegant and used the highest quality materials. The existing kitchen was to be removed, and the annexe extended, opening up the space to create an open-plan kitchen diner, which was bright and created a strong connection to the garden. Opening up the garden as a safe play space for kids within view of the kitchen.

Through discussion with the Council and the preparation of visualisations, which communicated the quality of the design, we achieved a speedy Planning Consent, allowing the project to progress to the next stage without further delay.

The new design will transform a dark, cramped kitchen into a bright space which feels as much a part of the garden as the house. This will create opportunities for the family to spend time together in one space and completely redefine the relationship between the house and garden.

Commencing on site Spring 2024.