Kew Green House, TW9
Project Type: Extensive Home Renovation and Extension
Location: Kew Gardens, London
Scope of Work:
Ground-Floor Rear Extension
Open-Plan Kitchen/Living Room
Sustainable & Environmental Systems
New Basement
Featured In: Front Cover of 25 Beautiful Homes, October 2024
Located in the heart of Kew Gardens, this project was all about turning a traditional Victorian house into a bright, easy-living family home. We focused on creating space where there was none – adding a bespoke kitchen extension with disappearing glass doors that open completely to the garden, and a new basement featuring a media room and practical, built-in dog wash. By thoughtfully adjusting the floor levels, we were able to tuck in a spacious master suite and install hidden solar panels on the roof. The result is an open-plan home that feels modern and airy, yet perfectly at home in its historic West London setting.
The Brief
Our Role:
Concept Design
Planning Applications / Permissions
Architectural Design and Design Detailing
Interior Spatial Design
Tendering
Build Project Management
Contract Administration
The vision for this Kew Gardens property renovation was to transform a traditional, disjointed house into a sanctuary optimised for modern family life. Our clients loved their location but felt limited by a dark, cramped layout and an inefficient attic conversion with unusable ceiling heights.
The challenge was to deliver a full-scale home transformation in a sensitive conservation area – expanding the living space without compromising the building's heritage character. The brief required a bespoke kitchen extension with a seamless garden connection, a new basement (complete with a dedicated dog-wash station), and the integration of sustainable energy solutions, including hidden solar panels and air conditioning. Our goal was to "invisible" the engineering, unlocking the home’s vertical potential to create a light-filled, open-plan flow from the front door to the back garden.
Connecting the Kitchen to the Outdoors
GROUND FLOOR EXTENSION
Maximising the connection to the garden was at the heart of the ground floor design. We developed and secured approvals for a full-width rear extension to form an open-plan kitchen and living space. A large feature of that design was a bespoke three-panel sliding door system engineered to slide entirely into a hidden cavity wall, removing the boundary between the kitchen and the terrace. These pocket sliding doors create a seamless transition, while flush thresholds allow the internal flooring to flow directly outdoors. To ensure the space is usable year-round, a discreet motorised awning provides shelter, effectively adding an extra three metres of living space.
To create a calm spot to pause and enjoy the view, we thickened the rear wall to house a feature Crittall window. Set deep into the frame, the generous ledge forms an integrated window seat, perfectly linking the home to its Kew Gardens surroundings.
The ground floor layout is designed to work hard without ever feeling compromised. We tucked a discreet media room alongside the main social space, carefully sizing it to ensure the open-plan kitchen and living area remains spacious and airy. To support busy routines and help the main rooms remain calm and clutter-free, we integrated a practical cloak/boot room along with a ground-floor WC.
Solar panels and AC were integrated on flat roof areas and positioned so they remain concealed from view when seen from the garden.
We secured planning approval to create a completely new basement level, significantly increasing the home's footprint without changing its external appearance. This new floor is flooded with natural light thanks to a cleverly positioned lightwell, making it a bright and inviting part of the house. The space is designed for both relaxation and practicality, featuring a cosy media room, a large storeroom, and a dedicated shower room. A standout feature of the basement is the bespoke dog-wash station, perfectly placed to handle muddy paws after walks.
Adding a New Lower Level
BASEMENT EXCAVATION
At the top of the house, the original loft conversion was poorly designed, with low ceilings that made the space feel cramped and difficult to use. To fix this, we took the thoughtful step of lowering the floor structure of the attic. By carefully re-engineering the levels without affecting the spacious bedrooms on the first floor, we unlocked enough headroom to create a comfortable, full-height master suite. This spacious top floor now features a generous bedroom and a walk-in wardrobe, turning a once-wasted area into a private, light-filled sanctuary.
Creating a Spacious Master Suite
LOFT RECONFIGURATION
The Result
The result is a coherent, light-rich home that flows effortlessly and feels closely connected to the garden. Renewables and services are integrated with care, improving performance without visual clutter.
Hamilton King led the project from concept through delivery, including concept design, planning applications and permissions, architectural design and detailing, interior spatial design, tendering, project management and contract administration.
Collaborators: Q Design House
Photographers: Ryan Wicks & Ryan Say