![Dollis Hill Avenue by Thomas-McBrien](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_heero-852x479.jpg)
Reading nook and a hidden room added in London house extension
Architecture practice Thomas-McBrien extended a London house, adding a oak-lined reading nook and a utility room hidden behind a secret door along with a kitchen and dining space.
Pale, mortar-washed brick and lightly washed oak joinery were used, said the studio, to create a "calm and relaxing" space.
![Dollis Hill Avenue by Thomas-McBrien](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_col_11-852x1065.jpg)
Called Dollis Hill Avenue, the project occupies a site that slopes down a total of 1.2 metres towards a rear garden.
The extension's design takes advantage of this by stepping down from the main house to create a split-level floor plan.
![](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_col_9-852x1065.jpg)
Running the full width of the existing property, the extension is one and a half floors below the existing ground floor.
A sliding, wood-framed door in the extension opens out onto a terrace formed by a set of wide, white steps that run is entire length.
![Dollis Hill Avenue by Thomas-McBrien](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_col_0-852x639.jpg)
In addition to the kitchen and dining area, the new extension provides a utility and storage room concealed behind a deep, timber-lined partition.
This room is accessed via a hidden door that blends in with the wooden wall finishes.
![Dollis Hill Avenue by Thomas-McBrien](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x1065.jpg)
This partition doubles as a seating alcove, which wraps around the western end of the room to create a window seat overlooking the garden.
"The insertion of a deep seating alcove in the joinery offers a comfortable, sheltered enclosure – a perfect place to read and relax," said the studio.
![Dollis Hill Avenue by Thomas-McBrien](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x1065.jpg)
The pale white bricks have been left exposed at the two ends of the new space, working with the pale oak joinery and wooden floors to create a "calm and relaxing everyday space."
The front of the home has been opened up to match the warm, muted palette of the extension.
A sliding door opens the living room onto a corridor that leads down a set of steps wooden into the new spaces.
Above, the bedrooms now overlook the new flat-roofed extension, creating a visual continuity from the white-rendered walls of the home down to the garden terrace and steps.
![Dollis Hill Avenue by Thomas-McBrien](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2019/11/thomas-mcbrien-dollis-hill-london-house-extension-uk-architecture-_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x1065.jpg)
East London-based Thomas-McBrien was founded in 2017 by Barry McBrien, and the studio is currently working on a range of residential projects as well some temporary installations.
London architect Larissa Johnson recently made similar use of built-in wooden fittings for a home in Islington, which centred around a plywood core.
Photography is by Ståle Eriksen.
Project Credits:
Architects: Thomas-McBrien – Barry McBrien, James Barber and Dominic Walker
Main contractor: NWL
Structural engineer: Constant SD
Building control: Assent Building Control
Party wall consultant: Roger Oakley & Co