Valetta House consists in the remodeling of a Victorian property located in London with a full refurbishment of the interior and two extensions.

A family with four young girls, commissioned Office S&M to refurbish and extend their home in order to create more living space.

Based in London and established by Catrina Stewart and Hugh McEwen, the practice works on a variety of new-build multi-unit housing, high street regeneration, and public realm projects.

So that each child had their own space in the house.

The narrow existing plan meant we had to be creative with the space. By removing some walls, opening up internal windows, and using lightwells, the architects were able to bring light deeper into the spaces.

The myriad of materials, textures and colours used in the house allowed for a feast for the senses.

They created a “child-friendly” home in the broadest sense of the word. Meanwhile, adults are treated to a rich variety of materials..

They added curves to the walls, a playful snakes-and-ladders bannister running through the house, and an arched window for each child.

From encaustic floor slabs and glazed herringbone tiles, to spherical marble handrail ends and soft cedar shingle on the exterior.

The house now features an open-plan interior designed to meet the family's need for space, with a staircase and lightwell to connect the three floors and bring light down to the ground floor.

The wall running alongside the staircase was painted in deep blue tones with a yellow lantern at the top, allowing ever changing light to be carried through into the spaces below.

A palette of carefully selected colours are used to reflect warm light throughout the spaces.

In this project, colour was treated as an essential building material. Colours were discussed with the clients from the outset, and after many drawings, models, and on-site tests, the final palette was chosen.

By opening up windows, a view to the hall, and a lightwell past the stair, this warm light created a feeling of volume in the existing Victorian house.

Day-to-day, and from season to season, the passage of time is marked by changing light conditions throughout the house. As the children grow up, the house will change with them too, with the rounded cedar shingles on the exterior weathering and changing colour over time.