Recently renovated by British architecture practice Studio Merlin, and named after the Danish word for ‘high’, Hoj House blends traditional Victorian architecture with contemporary Scandinavian style.
Located on a quiet residential street in Stoke Newington, and occupying the end of a 19th-century London terrace characterised by its instantly recognisable four-storey houses, the brief from the family who live here was simple; bring the outside in.
Taking a Nordic-inspired, minimal feel as their starting point, along with reworking the layout of the lower ground floor and refurbishing the two upper floors, Studio Merlin, who are based in both London and Devon, also added an extraordinary new rear extension too.
Designed to feel part of the garden, this additional single-story space now truly hunkers this house into its leafy suburban setting. Composed of neutral-toned concrete blocks, deliberately chosen to contrast with the honey-coloured stock brick of the original house and boundary walls, its integration is heightened even further thanks to a set of landscaped steps that lead up from the patio, a plant bench perfectly placed under a large window and a beautiful wildflower roof, which has apparently quickly become the favourite spot for a local fox.
Inside meanwhile, which is accessed from the garden through a pivoting glass door no less, the exposed Douglas Fir rafters used in the construction frames a bespoke open-plan dining space and kitchen made in Sweden by the award-winning team at Nordiska Kök.
Adding a playful touch to the overall look and feel of the home with its soft pink and yellow tones, this calming colour palette is then continued throughout the original house beyond.
Set this time alongside refurbished oak floorboards, a stripped-back staircase and balustrade, and highlighting a whole host of pretty period details, this careful mix of old and new creates a harmonious overall affect as you move through the building.
Whether it’s in the light-filled living room, the spacious second floor family bathroom or one of the cosy children’s bedrooms, Hoj House embodies exactly the timeless Nordic style I personally love while still having functional everyday family life in mind.
To find out more about Hoj House, visit the Studio Merlin website.
All photography by Richard Chivers and courtesy of Studio Merlin.
Enjoyed reading this post? Then take a tour of the Fjället Cabin and its newly designed kitchen by Nordiska Kök.
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