Positioned on a no-through road in Clapton is this contemporary one-bedroom detached house, designed by architecture practice OMDA. Built in 2015, the architects have used a considered palette of materials that maximise space and light throughout. Through glazed sliding doors, an east-facing cantilevered balcony leads from the first-floor living spaces, creating a wonderful sense of extension to the internal plan. The current owners have added bespoke joinery by Lozi on the upper floor, which cleverly reconfigures the open-plan kitchen and dining area while adding an abundance of storage space.

The Architect

ODMA was founded in 2009 by Elinor De Gory and Richard McRae of EDRM along with Adam Oglivy. This design led practice was founded on the same core values centred on creating thoughtful and beautiful spaces to live with a focus on spatial connectivity responsive to the existing context. As a practice OMDA worked on a wide variety and scale of residential and commercial projects with an emphasis on contemporary creative design.

The Tour

Occupying the site of a former stable, this two-storey house cuts a neat profile with a muted french brick exterior and aluminium window frames. An external pivoting door, runs flush with the façade and opens onto a small paved courtyard. There are whitened oak floors throughout the space, adding a sense of continuity and flow between the ground and the first floor.

A staircase ascends to a wonderfully bright living space, where floor-to-ceiling double-glazed doors slide open to a spacious decked east-facing balcony. A ply-edged kitchen runs the length of the wall, with neutral white cabinetry. The current owners have added a kitchen island with a combined seating and dining area by Lozi, made from warm oak and with vivid emerald-green upholstery, which cleverly maximises the use of the internal space. An additional desk space, also made from oak, is positioned in the corner and is the perfect spot for home working. Built with eco-efficiency in mind, all windows are triple glazed. There is zonal underfloor heating throughout the house; a pair of solar panels mounted on the flat roof contribute to the house’s electricity use.

The architects have ingeniously added a section of perforated steel between the floors allowing light to pour through to the lower level. The ground floor has a spacious bedroom connected via a sliding door to a walk-in wardrobe, which could easily be reconfigured as a study area. The adjacent shower room is lit from above by a skylight where white subway tiles surround the walls and slate grey tiles run underfoot; there is a heated wall for drying towels.

Outdoor Space

An east-facing balcony is accessed through sliding glazed doors, with plenty of space for planting and alfresco dining. This area is also wonderfully private because of the house’s position on a no-through road.

The Area

Clapton has a fantastic offering of places to eat and drink, notably P. Franco, the Brunswick Bakehouse and Casa Fofò on nearby Lower Clapton Road. Chatsworth Road offers a lively gauntlet of independent shops, cafes and restaurants such as Jim’s Cafe, stand-up noodle shop Men and specialist suppliers L’Epicerie 56, London Borough of Jam and Triangle. There is a weekly food market on Sundays, and The Castle Cinema, London Fields Lido and the Grade-II* listed St John at Hackney, an 18th-century chapel and live music venue, are also nearby.

There are plenty of good pubs in the area, including The Chesham Arms, The Elderfield and The Spread Eagle, London’s first vegan pub.

Hackney Downs is a few minutes from the house and offers a wonderful expanse of green space and tennis courts open to the public. Millfields Park is also in close proximity.

The closest stations are Hackney Downs and Hackney Central, offering direct Overground lines to Stratford, Highbury & Islington and Liverpool Street. There are excellent bus routes into north and central London within the local area.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.