Retaining the historic fire surround and cornice but removing later partitions and a false ceiling, the architects inserted a two-level timber structure containing the kitchen, bathroom, a mezzanine and storage.

A two-level timber structure that was inserted by the architects comprises a kitchen, bathroom, a mezzanine level and built-in storage and divides the space into three rooms with the help of a false ceiling.

“The space is located on the first floor of a listed building,”

explains project architect Hamish Herford.

“The fire surround and cornice, by law, had to remain.”

Herford adds: “The existing space was divided into three rooms with a false ceiling while the new design aims to restore the space back to its original proportions, which would have been as one room.”

The new structure was designed as a large piece of furniture to provide all the functions required by a man about town.

“The picture of the small room [above] with a fold down bed is located on another floor but is part of the same project,” says Herford.

Photographs are by James Brittain.