timber yard house

Wedged between a block of terrace houses and a row of sixteen garages, the narrow, windowless West London storage shed that Notting Hill-based architectural practice De Rosee Sa was asked to turn into a two-bedroom home was far from ideal. Yet despite the spatial limitations and the tight planning constraints, De Rosee Sa managed to create a modern, daylight-filled, two-bedroom house of minimalist elegance and impeccable craftsmanship that nonetheless references the site’s industrial past that I die to call home!

The owners, who live across the road, bought the property containing an old timber yard in order to prevent it being overdeveloped. Enclosed by glazed, steel-framed windows and doors that give off both a contemporary vibe and an industrial sensibility, the outdoor yards prevent the spaces in-between from feeling enclosed despite the lack of external views, while affording lines of sight across the length of the building. In the summer, when the doors are opened, they also allow for natural cross-ventilation.

The courtyard walls are clad in Western Red Cedar battens, which together with the steel-frame glazing allude to the site’s history as a timber storage yard.

Photo Credit Alex James