A London couple has transformed their Victorian terrace house by adding a sophisticated zinc-clad extension on top of their home, creating a serene retreat that offers panoramic city views. Dan and Colette, parents of two teenage daughters, chose to build upward rather than relocate when they needed more space in their Islington home where they had lived since 2010.
The project, designed by Cooke Fawcett Architects, represents a growing trend in North London where the firm has reimagined approximately 10 houses along two streets in recent years. Each renovation is carefully tailored to the specific needs of the homeowners rather than following a cookie-cutter approach commonly seen in terrace house extensions and loft conversions.
"The decision—choosing to stay rather than move—becomes easier when you consider the financial and emotional implications," explains architect Oliver Cooke. "You're able to remain where you are, in a community you know, and just reimagine the home around how your family is changing." With London's soaring property prices and stamp duty costs, the economics of staying put were particularly persuasive for the family.
The couple discovered Cooke Fawcett Architects through neighbors who had completed a similar project on their street. Local residents had long assumed that adding a loft would be considered overdevelopment by the local planning authority, but the firm's sensitive approach had been accepted and set a new precedent for the area.
Dan and Colette were no strangers to renovation challenges. During the pandemic, they had extended and remodeled the ground floor of their home, working remotely with an architect and managing most of the project themselves. "We learned the hard way not to manage your own build," recalls Colette. This experience gave them clear vision for their next project—they wanted an actively involved firm that could design a serene, light-filled retreat at the top of their home while also managing the practical aspects of construction.
The new top floor features a dedicated bedroom and living space with an en suite bathroom, study, and terrace, all flowing together beneath a sculptural mansard roof clad in dark zinc. "From the beginning, the idea was to create a completely different kind of space," says Cooke. "They wanted it to feel like a discovery at the top of the house, not like a typical loft extension."
The extension is arranged over two levels, with a more traditional mansard form at the front and a more contemporary, boxy composition at the rear. A staircase from the lower level leads directly into the new study, which opens out to a generous roof terrace. The study catches the late sun deliberately, as the north-facing garden loses light in the afternoon.
The interior design emphasizes a stripped-back palette of natural oak joinery and simple white walls, which heightens the serene atmosphere and showcases the subtly sculptural forms. "Consistency was really important," Cooke explains. "We wanted a feeling of generosity that came from restraint, letting the light and the geometry be the focus." Oak joinery wraps the space throughout, offering plenty of built-in storage and other elements such as the desk and bench seating.
Curved partitions meet the roof's angular slopes, while large windows and skylights draw daylight deep into the plan. "Usually, as you move higher up a building, spaces tend to feel smaller, more compressed, more attic-like," says Cooke. "It's possible to make that charming, of course, but they wanted to do something very different—they wanted the top of the house to feel like a release."
The most important features—and the most expensive—are the large windows at the front and rear of the extension. From the front, the panes frame views across London's skyline to the Shard, while the back windows capture a slice of the surrounding streetscape. "Both Dan and Colette cite the windows and natural light as their favorite element of the extension," notes the architect. The abundance of windows in the new extension, plus the addition of two skylights, floods the space with natural light.
Winning approval for the terrace was no small feat. "Others on the street had tried and been refused," says Colette. "We'd originally applied for a bigger extension, with the study projecting over the kitchen. Later, we decided to make the study smaller and add a terrace instead. Ollie argued it was less built form, and that's why it was approved."
Beyond its architectural beauty, the new floor has transformed the dynamics of family life. The couple's two daughters now have the middle level to themselves, each with a generous bedroom, while their parents have a private, light-filled retreat above. "It's still the same house," says Colette, "but it works differently now. Everyone has their own space."
"People who visit are always surprised when they reach the top of the stairs," says Dan. "It's not what they expect from a loft." The project demonstrates how thoughtful design can maximize space within existing urban constraints while respecting the character of historic neighborhoods. For Cooke Fawcett, it's this added functionality and amenity to everyday family life that matters most. "Our interest is often in finding small opportunities to make spaces more generous," says Cooke. "Cumulatively, those moves can completely transform how a home feels."
