Asked by a couple with a baby and a toddler to renovate their two-floor “maisonette” in a London Victorian, architect Larissa Johnston responded by turning the place upside down: The bedrooms, formerly sequestered on the ground floor, were moved up a flight. Meanwhile, the kitchen and living room got transplanted on the garden level, where they could be linked to the previously hard-to-access courtyard. The aim, she says, was to “create a spacious, light, and modern family home.” And that required Johnston to not only shift the floor plan but also to rethink just about every existing detail. Come see her light and airy results.
Photography by Rory Gardiner, styling by Emma Lynne Archer, courtesy of Larissa Johnston Architects.
![the family occupies the first two floors of a terrace house in islington that&# 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-living-room-remodel-London-1-733x550.jpg)
![johnston\2\17;s big move was to take out all of the existing internal wa 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-kitchen-and-stair-London-2-733x550.jpg)
Within the open space, Johnston introduced a “carefully crafted linear plywood box,” ingeniously fitted to contain the kitchen and the stairs, as well as a series of shelves and storage units.
![the clean lined kitchen is birch plywood finished with a water based acrylic va 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-kitchen-London-3-733x550.jpg)
![a caple cubit \100 stainless steel sink with drainer is set within the slim sta 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-kitchen-London-4-733x977.jpg)
![a large skylight floods the main room with natural light. hans wegner wishbone 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-Ikea-dining-table-London-5-733x977.jpg)
![johnston deftly introduced a second box of sorts, an addition at the back 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-kitchen-addition-sliding-glass-doors-London-6-733x550.jpg)
![the stairs are lined with shelving and lead to a study area on a half landing 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-stairs-London-7-733x916.jpg)
![the shelving elegantly wraps around the stairs and the plywood seams are l 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-shelves-London-8-733x977.jpg)
![the study, which has its own integrated shelving, replaced an enclosed storage 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-desk-landing-London-8-733x977.jpg)
![a partition of double width plywood serves as the stair rail. the upper level h 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-birch-plywood-stairs-London-9-733x977.jpg)
![the master bedroom is airy and minimalist. the wall radiators throughout are th 27](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-airy-white-bedroom-London-10-733x550.jpg)
![in the family bath, johnston offset white tiles with a stone floor (fired earth 28](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-air-white-outsized-tile-bath-London-11-733x977.jpg)
![ikea\2\17;s ps maskros pendant light hangs in the kids\2\17; 29](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-airy-white-kids-room-London-12-733x977.jpg)
![the maisonette (with red door) is part of a terrace house, a historic bric 30](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-remodel-London-13-733x1106.jpg)
![the new ground floor setup introduces space, natural light, and a link to the g 31](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Larissa-Johnston-Architects-Islington-maisonette-London-floor-plan-14-733x1232.jpg)
Before
![pre remodel, there was a narrow hall and rebuilt stair. 32](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Before-Islington-maisonette-existing-stairs-London-15-733x977.jpg)
![the kitchen had been fully replaced in recent decades. 33](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Before-Islington-maisonette-existing-kitchen-London-16-733x977.jpg)
![the bathroom was straight out of a big box building supply store. 34](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Before-Islington-maisonette-existing-bath-London-17-733x1106.jpg)
Take a look at three more clean-lined remodels of historic structures:
- Lessons in Reinvention: A Victorian Girls’ School Reborn
- Simon Astridge’s Plywood House
- Architect Visit: The Strange House in London
Frequently asked questions
What is the theme of the London Victorian Townhouse Remodel?
The theme of the London Victorian Townhouse Remodel is modern and clean-lined.
Who is the architect responsible for the remodel?
Larissa Johnston Architects is the architect responsible for the remodel of the London Victorian Townhouse.
What type of material was used for the interior designing?
Birch Plywood was used for the interior designing of the London Victorian Townhouse.
What was the objective behind the remodel?
The objective behind the remodel was to modernize and redesign the townhouse in a way that preserves its Victorian roots and heritage.
What was the biggest challenge faced during the remodel?
The biggest challenge faced during the remodel was to balance the modern design with the classical heritage of the townhouse.
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation