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It’s not uncommon to find a classic property that has been split into two or more flats by property developers. But what if you want to turn them back into one? Similarly, transforming a space that has had the original features stripped out and returning it to its former glory can also be a labour of love.
That’s exactly the problem that homeowners James and Jonna Dempsey found themselves with their classic Georgian villa in Edinburgh, and it turned out the addition of an extension with wrap-around outdoor staircase would solve all of their design woes.
This is all thanks to the fact that the couple enlisted the help of architect Neil Taylor, founder of Tap Architects to help them bring their dream home that had been split into two separate flats back together.
After: Extension with wrap-around outdoor staircase
Image credit: David Balfour
‘After meeting with the homeowners,’ recalls Neil, ‘we came up with the idea of a building an extension – a single-storey with a roof terrace. We also decided on an external stair that would wrap around the extension into the garden. Steps were also added to the garden patio to connect the lower ground level with the sunken courtyard.’
‘When assessing the house,’ says Neil, ‘we could see the remnants of a half round stair tower that had once existed on the back so we followed the same form and geometry for the new extension as the owners wanted to be sensitive to the Georgian buildings in this part of Edinburgh.’
‘With a listed or period property, it’s important to allow a lot of time for discussion with your architect and ensure you’ve ticked off all of your requirements.’
The extension’s interior
Image credit: David Balfour
Adding light to the rear of the property was of great importance to the couple so the addition of a picture window to the extension has allowed extra light to flood into the space while offering gorgeous views over the lush garden.
Image credit: David Balfour
While the extension reunited the two separate properties, the couple didn’t stop there. They also switched the layout inside to make it the space flow better for their family.
‘An extensive renovation was undertaken inside to move the bedrooms downstairs and living areas into the upstairs rooms. The effect is totally transformative for the feel of light in the home and connection to the garden.’
The unusual curved shape of the lobby is complemented by the couple’s minimal decor. The space also acts as a handy boot room idea, giving an almost theatrical look to the space.
An added extra – the roof terrace
Image credit: David Balfour
The rendered extension, with its wrap-around staircase, also acts as a stylish roof terrace for the family to enjoy, year round. The new curved staircase reinstates direct access to the garden as well as being an elegant and modern design statement.
Before: the Georgian villa split into two flats
Image credit: David Balfour
Neil Taylor, founder of Tap Architects shares his advice on what you need to know about external stairs
Before you buy, ensure your desired staircase will comply with building regulations.
Base your design around who will be using the staircase. Backless stairs look cool but might not be suitable for everyone.
Size and shape of the staircase should be dilated by the space. This design matches the property’s period style.
Think about drainage before choosing the materials and design, especially if it’s not attached to a mezzanine 5or roof terrace with a drainage system.
Use of materials should be guided by the age of the building. Steel can feel modern, light and airy, while a more solid look may suit a modern traditional design.
Marie Kondo has revealed her golden rule for decluttering and organising food in a pantry or food cupboard, and it all hinges around the expiration dates.
If you’re lucky enough to be able to brainstorm pantry ideas in your kitchen, the last thing you want is the space to turn into another messy room. Even if you only have limited kitchen storage ideas to work with, according to Marie Kondo the key to keeping the space tidy is always being able to see the expiration dates.
Image credit: Carolyn Barber
Marie Kondo is a Japanese-born organising expert who sprung to fame in 2010 as the author The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, available on Amazon. The best-selling book proved so popular that it lead to two Netflix original shows including Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Over the last decade, the professional organiser has helped homes across the world tidy up with the KonMari method.
Speaking exclusively to Ideal Home to promote the latest edition of her new book Joy at Work Marie Kondo said her top tip for decluttering and organising a pantry is to start by checking the expiration dates.
Image credit: KonMari Media, Inc
‘First and foremost, check the expiration dates. Discard anything that has passed its expiration,’ she explains. But the focus on the expiration dates doesn’t stop there, she explains that to maintain a tidy cupboard they need to also remain visible on the shelf.
‘Store the items so it’s easy to check the dates periodically and group the food items by similarity –pastas in one section, flours and grains in another,’ she recommends. ‘Be sure to store each item vertically so you can see them all in one glance.’
Lakeland has a great range of cupboard storage solutions, including a staggered shelf organiser to make it easier to organise your cupboards so you can easily see the dates.
If you have any items that are fast approaching their expiration date, Marie Kondo suggests having a ‘borderline stock clearance campaign’ on her website KonMari. This simply means trying to create a meal using any of the ingredients that are about to expire.
Image credit: Lakeland
Part of the KonMari method is about decluttering mindfully. While the KonMari method teaches that you shouldn’t keep hold of times that no longer serve you – and that out of date olive oil really isn’t serving you – you shouldn’t just get rid of an item for the sake of clearing space.
If a bag of pasta is due to go out of date in one day, it will serve you and the planet better to turn it into a delicious dinner that evening, rather than throwing it straight out when organising kitchen cabinets.
All that is left is to get tidying, and maybe brainstorm a few dinner ideas.
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