Private Client

Budget

£300k

This 1930s semi-detached home in Didsbury was full of charm but constrained by a compartmentalised layout and dated finishes. The interior flow felt rigid and disconnected, with small rooms that limited light, movement, and creative expression.

The client, an artist and passionate maker, needed more than a renovation. They wanted a home that could function as a living gallery and a daily workshop: a space where baking sourdough, sewing garments and painting canvases were not squeezed into leftover corners, but celebrated as rituals.

At the same time, the property required a deep energy retrofit to improve thermal performance, reduce carbon emissions and futureproof the house, without compromising character or bold design intent.

Rather than imposing a minimalist overhaul, the design embraces maximalism, texture and joy. The concept reimagines the home as a series of flowing, curved zones; each dedicated to creativity, yet visually connected.

This project is about choreography as much as construction: carving out sculpted spaces that allow daily life to unfold as art.

• Spatial Reconfiguration: Internal walls are reworked to create a new, intuitive flow. Curved thresholds soften transitions between rooms, guiding movement and enhancing light.

• Creative Stations: Dedicated areas are designed for specific rituals, fermenting and proofing sourdough, a bright and organised sewing corner, and a perfectly lit painting studio zone. Form and function are treated as equals.

• Material Expression: Inside, layered colours and textures replace beige neutrality. Outside, the retrofit is paired with expressive cladding, exploring innovative, colourful recycled “pretty plastics” to create a tactile, conversation-starting façade.