Surbiton, Surrey
Interior design & refurbishment
outdoor decking.
Surbiton, Surrey
Interior design & refurbishment outdoor decking.
Georgie, the owner of a beautiful Victorian home in Surbiton, loved the character of her property but found it a little outdated and cramped. She wanted to reimagine the space to enhance functionality and create a greater sense of space and openness.
She already had architectural drawings prepared for planning permission for a new extension to add more room, but a significant challenge lay ahead.
In many cases, extending a property is the most effective way to create additional space. However, after discussing the project with Georgie, we realised that the cost of an extension would probably not be offset by the market value it would add.
Understanding this, Georgie was open to exploring alternative ways to achieve her vision without major structural work. And fortunately, this is where we excel. We love finding smart and innovative solutions to today’s design challenges.
Our approach was to reconfigure the existing layout to maximise both functionality and natural light.
One key opportunity was the removal of an existing bathroom, which allowed us to expand the kitchen area significantly. To further enhance the kitchen’s openness, we installed Crittal-style aluminium doors, bringing in natural light and creating a more elegant, contemporary feel.
The bathroom was relocated under the staircase. This created a functional and easily accessible cloakroom for guests, while making better use of what would otherwise be ‘dead space.’
Beyond the home’s interior, we encouraged Georgie to think about her outdoor space as a natural extension of her home. The garden area was underutilised, so we introduced durable and eco-friendly Balau hardwood decking to make it more usable. This sustainable, strong, warm-toned material was carefully installed to create a seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors.
One of the key challenges in achieving this fluid connection was aligning the oak flooring inside with the Balau decking outside. To accomplish this, we precisely cut the internal oak planks so that when the bifold doors were fully opened, the flooring appeared to flow naturally from the kitchen to the garden. This clever integration gave Georgie more space to enjoy, especially on warm summer days!
For the finishing touches, we remained committed to sustainable materials. We used a breathable, non-toxic, and aesthetically soft limewash paint for the interior walls, adding warmth and texture to keep the design environmentally friendly while still looking and feeling fantastic.
In just two months, we transformed the home completely, giving Georgie the open, airy space she had envisioned. The thoughtful reconfiguration of the layout created the impression of an extended home without the need for costly structural work. The new open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas appeared and felt more modern and spacious, and connected effortlessly to the outdoors.
This project is proof that smart, sustainable design can achieve big results—even without resorting to major construction that can sometimes end up costing more than the ultimate value it brings.
Georgie was thrilled with the overall result:
I cannot tell you how hard they worked on our project. The design ideas were outstanding, and Giuseppe and the build team—who were on site six days a week—were so friendly, tidy, and easy to be around. Caterina project-managed everything, which meant that the whole build was done on time and without any issues.
