Perfect lighting ideas for your home

James Rippon James Rippon
The Lantern, Fraher and Findlay Fraher and Findlay Cozinhas modernas
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With a name like The Lantern you know this project is going to be all about light and that is exactly the case for this remodelled home in south west London.

Completed by Fraher Architects, this project saw the basement, ground floor and first floor of a listed building extended and refurbished. The brief of the client was to create a home that manipulated daylight, whilst drawing inspiration from Eastern design. The final result is an idyllic home with well-connected spaces and a beautiful American black walnut staircase that features at the heart of the design.

Let's take a look around!

Inconspicuous brickwork

As you can see, the existing brick masonry has been taken into full consideration, with the external façade of the extension aiming to blend in to the existing building, whilst still allowing it to remain contemporary and functional for years to come.

Here we are offered our first glimpse of the basement extension, which sees the shrewd thinking of the architects incorporating the use of full-height glass doors, ensuring the basement is anything but damp, dark and unappealing. The decorative masonry of the traditional brickwork has been copied, with the subtle addition of perpendicular bricks above the new glass doors of the new basement.

Glowing at night

As the sun starts to set and night falls, only now do we get a real idea as to how this project inherited its name: the glass panel that gives off the warm yellow glow similar to that of a gas lantern runs the full height of the extension.

After months of talks and negotiations with the local planning department an agreement was made as what the final height of the project would be.

Spacious basement

Looking towards the rear of the home from the impressive new kitchen, the sheer size of the basement becomes evident and we get our first glimpse at the walnut staircase.

At a right angle to the kitchen island, which runs the length of the space, is the dining table. Their opposing positions giving a prompt separation of the different uses of each area. Given the depth of the basement, you could imagine how dark it would be had the glass doors not been installed. Overall, the basement is stylish, minimal and streamlined.

Sleek storage

Again keeping the room minimal and without fuss is the bespoke shoe drawer, hiding under the first rise of stairs. Nobody likes tripping over shoes lay strewn across the floor, which makes this tiny addition a functional highlight.

Pop of colour

Keeping the design streamlined, the designers chose to hide the larder behind a bright green panel, ensuring a fresh tone is ever present without interfering with the strict lines of the kitchen.

A stunning central staircase

Finally we get our first real view of the four-storey staircase, which is the focal point of the entire remodelling and the carriageway that connects each individual level and landing.

Lighting was chosen to complement the warmth of the hardwood, and to give off a soft glow reminiscent of a lantern. Each individual globe hangs from the same point in the ceiling, and each globe hangs at various levels to illuminate the different levels whilst creating a unique visual aspect to the wrapping, tree-like structure.

Innovative lighting

Also worth noting is the interesting addition of recessed lighting in the handrails; an unusual take on staircase lighting that makes these stairs even more special and exclusive.

Rinse off

A luxurious modern bathroom has also been added, which features not one but two shower heads. The waterfall shower head and that unmissable tone of green would almost, if only for a second, allow the occupants to feel as those they might be showering outdoors.

Attic office area

At the top of the staircase is a small home office/study, which gives a view over the four levels. Here we see the anchor points of the staircase lighting and new skylights to keep the attic well lit.

To see another great British home improvement project, take a look at: The Sublime Black and White Extension.

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