Tam and Rhianna were fond of Stoke Newington long before they moved there. Giving up their life in south London, the couple relocated to a quiet, residential street with plans to start a family, hoping to raise their children in one of the area’s famous townhouses.
But, like many expectant parents, the pair — who work in the city — needed more space than their new home afforded them. They also wanted a property which was more open and bright than a traditional terraced house. And so began their big renovation project.
Architecture firm Ambient Studio was founded by Matthew Riley in 2019. Before that, he worked on a series of high-profile projects at Amanda Levete Architects, including the Exhibition Road Quarter at the V&A Museum London and the Undergraduate and Access Centre at Oxford University’s Wadham College.
Ambient’s projects are a little different. “A lot of our projects at the moment tend to be domestic projects,” Riley told East End Review. “It just has that personal touch that you don't necessarily get as projects get larger and more commercial.”
Tam and Rhianna’s property originally boasted two storeys, one bathroom and three generous bedrooms, ample space and a south-facing garden.
“In many ways, the house was a fairly typical London Victorian mid-terrace,” Riley continued. “What probably set it apart was that it did have a lot of character, [but] it was fairly unkept and hadn't really been refurbished for years.
“What it did have was really great proportions, and there was really good volume to all of the spaces. It felt very airy and spacious.”
However, many of the rooms were “particularly dark”. “Each space felt very disconnected, both from one another, but also to the outside. There wasn't much natural light, much connection to the outdoors,” Riley added.
“You could really see the characteristics that we wanted to keep and celebrate, but it was also quite easy to identify where the most improvements could be made.”
Tam and Rhianna added: “Our brief for Ambient Studio was to create a serene house that celebrates the outside from within, is flooded with natural light, and is designed thoughtfully for our growing family.”
Riley said the designing process took around 18 months. Construction was then completed in 2024. “Tam and Rhianna were really detailed, really considered, and [...] it paid off for them,” he added.
The renovation has added an extra storey, another bedroom and two more bathrooms.
Now, the ground floor features two new sightlines running from the front of the house to the back, providing views out to the garden and creating a more cohesive feel. Two extensions - a side infill and a rear extension - create an open kitchen-dining space.
The first floor boasts a master suite with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, plus a second bedroom, family bathroom and a built-in laundry and pantry. An outrigger roof extension and rear dormer create further space, including a study and guest bedroom with its own ensuite.
The house also features full-length, ‘infinity-effect’ glazed doors and rooflights, increasing the amount of sky the family can see from inside the house. The property’s pale brickwork and light-toned aluminium framing blend the preexisting Victorian architecture and modern extensions seamlessly.
This subtle, natural palette continues to the interior, which features fluted oak joinery, stone paving, and warm brass. Improved insulation and glazing mean the house is both more comfortable and more energy efficient.
“[Tam and Rhianna] are loving it,” Riley told us. “They've really loved making memories in the house. The first Christmas was a really special time, hosting for family and hosting friends has been really enjoyable. Obviously, seeing their son grow up in the house has been amazing.
“On a more day to day basis, they’re constantly wowed with the different connections that they get with the outdoors. It might be a change of weather and how the sky looks different through the same rooflight from one day to the next, it might be a change of the sunset or sunrise from spring to summer, to autumn and winter.
“I think they’re kind of picking up on this connection to the outdoors and how the indoors seems to constantly change with the seasons and with the days, and that seems to be their favourite thing.”
The couple added: “Creating ‘moments’ was integral to our design-stage conversations so we are delighted that our home now delivers these special experiences and feelings every day.
“We particularly love how our kitchen and dining excitedly pulls all of the colour and brightness from the outside garden and sky to the inside.”
