Waltham Forest House

Satish Jassal Architects has refurbished and extended a 19th-century Edwardian house in Leytonstone, Waltham Forest, delivering a comprehensive upgrade including a loft extension and a new basement.

The project increases the home’s capacity and flexibility, providing two reception rooms, a kitchen, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a generous home office. The design approach carefully balances restoration and intervention, retaining and repairing original Edwardian features while introducing contemporary additions that enhance the overall quality of the house.

A new basement level has been created to accommodate a spacious home office, designed to maximise natural light despite its below-ground position. At roof level, a slate-clad dormer extension introduces additional living space, with three L-shaped glass-to-glass windows providing expansive views of the sky and surrounding rooftops.

Bespoke joinery, crafted from dyed birch plywood, is integrated throughout the house, creating a cohesive transition between the original building and the new elements. This approach ensures a seamless relationship between old and new, both spatially and materially.

This project demonstrates how careful refurbishment and extension can unlock the full potential of existing homes, combining heritage sensitivity with contemporary living.