Old Meets New in This Restored Hampstead House

Set along a crescent just steps from Hampstead Heath, this 1884 Arts and Crafts home came with all the charm (and all the challenges) you’d expect from a protected, timeworn property. When Architecture for London first took on the project, they described the house as “dilapidated, yet protected”—a Grade II listed property that needed urgent structural attention before any design vision could take shape. Undeterred, the clients partnered with the firm to undertake a full refurbishment and extension, reimagining the historic home for modern life while honoring everything that made it worth saving. The home now feels layered and deeply considered, balancing preservation with possibility in a way that never loses sight of where it came from.

Design: Architecture for London | Photography: Nick Dearden | Stylist: Ben Ridley

Restoring the Bones of a Historic Home

Working within the constraints of a Grade II listed property, Architecture for London approached the renovation with a focus on restoring the home’s structural integrity while preserving its original character. Weakened floor joists were replaced, damp walls rebuilt, and the home’s chimneys carefully dismantled and reconstructed. At the same time, period details were retained wherever possible, including original cornices and early tongue-and-groove timber floors, which were lifted, refinished, and reinstalled to maintain a sense of continuity throughout.

Extending the Home with Arts and Crafts Influence

The rear extension was designed as a natural continuation of the original house, guided by Arts and Crafts principles of simplicity, material honesty, and craftsmanship. A palette of red brick and Buscot limestone ties the addition back to the existing structure, while powder-coated steel frames and a roof lantern flood the space with light and draw the eye toward the garden. The triple-glazed Secco doors open directly onto the lowered terrace, making the connection between inside and outside feel effortless rather than designed.

Bespoke Spaces, From Kitchen to Wine Cellar

Bespoke joinery shapes much of the home’s interior, from Plain English cabinetry in the kitchen, utility room, and primary suite to smoked oak paneling in the office and drawing room. The design also makes space for more personal moments, including a walnut-lined wine cellar in the basement and a top-floor golf simulator and sauna. In the primary suite, the original turret has been reimagined as a light-filled dressing room, paired with an ensuite finished in Arabescato marble and tadelakt.

Lowering the Garden to Reconnect House and Landscape

The garden was completely reworked to better connect it to the house. Previously raised and accessible only by steep steps, it was lowered through a complex excavation that required careful coordination with neighboring listed properties. Now aligned with the kitchen, the garden allows natural light to reach deeper into the home while creating a more immediate relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Scroll on to see more from this home and shop the look below.