Killieser Avenue

The Edwardians reacted to the previous generation of house design by creating split levels. Lots of them. This can cause headaches for the architect when remodelling Edwardian houses. However, the split levels in this family home on Streatham Hill allowed Charles Barclay to create an atmospheric, cave-like space looking on to the garden. With a glass ceiling above the dining table, a huge sliding screen connecting with the kitchen, and a cantilevered roof over the informal sitting area overlooking the garden: glazed doors slide away from the corner giving the sensation of the space actually being outdoors.

A steel pergola follows the stepped profile at the rear of the house, and the sleek modern kitchen is dominated by the one archaic design element the client insisted upon: her Aga. The all-important staircase connecting the many levels was re-modelled to be both simple and dramatic, with a black wall nut handrail threading its way from the entrance hall to the top floor.

CBA have done not one but three projects for our extended family and all have had the wow factor. I can’t recommend them enough for their wonderful architectural vision combined with practicality, problem solving and can do attitude. For us they ‘modernised’ an 1880s Victorian house retaining its features but creating lovely open and uncluttered spaces within, plus introducing lots of light. So many clever ideas, like doors that you don’t know are even there until you want to close off an area, or a huge floor to ceiling mirror in the dressing room hidden behind a sliding door. I honestly can’t fault anything about our CBA house.

Alisa Feroze