Globe House | Compact Kitchen Extension in an Edwardian Terrace

Globe House is a carefully crafted rear extension and internal renovation of a compact Edwardian terrace in the heart of Bethnal Green, East London. Adding just 3.6m² to the footprint, the project transforms a dark and constrained rear scullery into a bright contemporary kitchen intimately connected to the garden and family life.

The house occupies the tapered end of a red brick terrace built by the East End Dwellings Company in 1906. Its corner site narrows dramatically towards the rear, creating an unusually tight kitchen space of only 8.5m². A former external toilet had previously been absorbed into the house as a boiler cupboard, while the garden connection was limited to a single stable door with no direct glazing.

The clients, a creative young family of four, already used every part of their home and garden with ingenuity and efficiency. The challenge was therefore not simply to extend the house, but to unlock spatial generosity, improve daylight and create a kitchen capable of supporting multiple overlapping family activities within a very limited footprint and budget.

The new extension subtly rounds one corner of the plan to open views diagonally towards the widening garden beyond. This curved geometry creates an intimate built-in dining nook and window seat, allowing the family to inhabit the threshold between inside and outside. A continuous concrete worktop extends through the glazing line into the garden to form an integrated herb planter, reinforcing the visual and material connection to landscape.

Glazing wraps around the rear façade and a strategically placed rooflight draws daylight deep into the centre of the home. Storage is meticulously integrated throughout the project, including concealed laundry facilities, recycling storage and bespoke joinery designed to maximise utility within the compact plan. A green-roofed bike store further supports the family’s active urban lifestyle.

The project focused on making small spaces work harder through careful spatial organisation, durable natural materials and crafted detailing. Existing constraints became opportunities for intimacy, efficiency and delight, resulting in a sequence of spaces that feel calm, generous and deeply connected to everyday routines.

Location: East London, Bethnal Green

Property type: Edwardian Terrace House

Size: 103m², 3-Bedroom Family Home

Scope: Rear kitchen extension, internal reconfiguration, bespoke joinery, utility integration, conservation area consent, technical design and contract administration.

Key Features:

• Compact Extension with High Spatial Impact

• Built-In Dining Nook and Window Seat

• Enhanced Garden Connection

• Integrated Utility and Storage Solutions

• Natural Material Palette

• Conservation Area Retrofit

• Family-Centred Design

• Daylight-Driven Interior Design

Project Results:

• 3.6m² extension footprint

• Fully reconfigured family kitchen

• Integrated utility and concealed storage

• Improved daylight and garden connectivity

• Retained generous garden space

• Enhanced functionality within existing footprint