Sometimes the simplest solutions are right under our noses. Which was exactly the case for architect Stephen Davies and his wife, Laura Lewis-Davies, a museum consultant, when they were looking for a plot on which to build a home. Having built their first, three-storey home overlooking the river Quaggy in Lewisham, south London, they knew they wanted to stay in the area. “All our neighbours are fantastic and we didn’t want to leave,” says Laura.
Their previous roof terrace overlooked a large, unused slice of land. The couple sent the owner a proposal, asking if they could buy the 200 sq m plot; after a six-month process that involved securing planning permission at their own risk, and a lot of red tape, it was finally theirs for £204,000.
That was September 2014; their two-bedroom detached house was completed last June. Built in grey Belgian brick designed to complement the neighbouring weathered Victorian terraces, it has two landscaped courtyards either side of a single-storey, south-facing living room (one gets the sunrise, the other the sunset). Floor-to-near‑ceiling doors open out on either side.
Inside, it’s semi open-plan: the living room is separated from the kitchen/diner (which is part of the main two-storey building) by plywood storage units. A lightwell above the dining table stops it feeling dark, and the kitchen itself is made from Ikea units, a Corian worktop and plywood doors. The living room, with its grey porcelain floor tiles, features a built-in MDF shelf, painted the same shade of grey, like a modern version of a picture rail. “I can keep adding objects and rearranging pictures without leaving holes in the wall,” Laura says. A pink sofa from the Conran Shop adds contrast.
Also on the ground floor are a guest bedroom and shower room (with another lightwell above the shower), Laura’s study and a utility room with an MDF peg board displaying utilitarian brushes. A sweeping, oak-clad spiral staircase – which the couple painstakingly painted themselves with a warm, pinkish tint – leads to the bedrooms and bathroom; a copper Tom Dixon pendant light hangs in the stairwell. Cleverly hidden behind the master bedroom is a snug, with a sofa, built-in cupboard and TV. “It’s nice to come upstairs about 10pm after dinner and lie here watching television before bed,” Stephen says. “The extra living area makes it feel like a hotel suite.” The two connect with sliding doors that also allow for a thicker wall, so Stephen could design built-in plywood alcoves above the bed that act as bedside tables.
“With a new-build house, everything is a chance to solve a problem, rather than something you have to compromise over,” Stephen says. And while this may not be their for ever home (“We’ve got one more in us,” he says), both think it’s perfect for them right now.
House rules
Pet hate Bathroom doors opening on to a view of the toilet.
Biggest extravagance Having the sofa and G Plan chair reupholstered.
House rules No jeans allowed on the pink sofa, and eat at the table every night.
Where do you relax? A glass of wine in the living room and watching movies in the snug.
Worst purchase An 80s indoor palm plant – it didn’t look right anywhere.
Most recent purchase Heathers and winter plants for the garden.
