Pend, a local architecture studio, has renovated a traditional semi-detached property in Edinburgh, Scotland, combining two existing flats to create a family home with living spaces housed in a brick-clad extension. Catalog House was designed for the owners of local design store Catalog Interiors, who required a larger space to raise their young daughter.
The project involved removing partitions installed when the building was subdivided and reorganising the two floors to create spaces suited to modern family life. Pend associate Ben MacFarlane said, “When the property was subdivided, the original proportions were lost and details such as the cornicing and staircase were ripped apart to allow for the altered layout. We were left with a mismatch of the existing Victorian ornament and completely bare rooms, which made for an interesting challenge trying to balance that history with our own minimalist intervention.”
The 35-square-metre extension contains a lounge space opening onto a west-facing terrace, with glazed patio doors and a roof light helping to maximise afternoon sun. The materiality of the extension provides a contemporary counterpoint to the traditional details found in the existing house, with exposed oak beams and bespoke joinery bringing warmth to the minimal palette.
The renovation retains original features like cornicing and bay windows, while introducing modern elements like Scandinavian-inspired cabinetry. A TV snug, decorated in deep green, offers a private retreat within the open-plan layout. Externally, a light-coloured brick extension complements the original buff sandstone facade.
Image Courtesy: Dezeen
