Tier House: A Modern, Light-Filled Renovation of a North London Victorian

Many classic city homes—especially older Victorians—suffer from poor ventilation, cramped layouts and floor plans that no longer suit contemporary life. The Tier House in North London was one of those houses: a multi-level Victorian property whose original interior no longer worked for its young homeowners. Amos Goldreich Architecture reimagined the house with a sensitive, minimal approach that maximizes natural light, simplifies circulation and creates a practical connection between indoor and outdoor living.

Gorgeous new extension and renovation of London home sees modern minimal aesthetics take over

The transformation begins with a new ground-floor plan that relocates the kitchen to connect directly with the backyard, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor sequence that suits everyday family life and entertaining. Large glass doors and custom windows frame views to the garden, while carefully arranged skylights introduce daylight deep into the house. Taken together, these interventions dissolve the sense of enclosure that many older terraces suffer from and produce bright, airy living spaces.

New kitchen with large connection to outdoors — New kitchen on the lower floor with large window that connects it to the outdoors

Inside, a restrained palette of whites, warm timber and muted finishes creates a calm backdrop for daily life. An open-tread timber staircase replaces the old stairway and acts as a conduit for light, allowing skylights and upper-level glazing to illuminate lower floors. The new stair is deliberately light in appearance so it doesn’t block sightlines or interrupt the flow of light through the main living spaces.

Skylight and sconce lights in kitchen — Skylight and sconce lights illuminate the white and wood kitchen on the lower level elegantly

To improve thermal performance and reduce external noise, the project replaced old windows with double-glazed aluminum frames where appropriate. These contemporary frames are paired with strategically placed skylights and a mix of wall-mounted sconces and pendant lights to ensure balanced illumination at all times of day. The result is an interior free of dark corners and heavy enclosures—each room feels connected, calm and functional.

Open shelves create display in white kitchen — Open shelves in the corner create an eye-catching display in the modern white kitchen

Practical details were considered throughout. Built-in window seats and framed window cut-outs add character while offering useful nooks for reading or putting on shoes. Open shelving, minimal joinery and well-proportioned storage keep surfaces uncluttered and emphasize the project’s modern, pared-back aesthetic. Where visual warmth is needed, timber tones provide a human scale and tactile contrast to smooth painted walls and stone surfaces.

Upper level home office illuminated by skylights — Skylight, windows and sconce lights illuminate the upper level home office

Upper levels accommodate quieter, private functions. A flexible home office and reading room benefit from generous daylight and layered lighting for evening use. The sitting room and bedrooms adopt the same calm language: neutral colors, considered textures and simple furniture silhouettes that complement the home’s new spatial logic without competing with it.

Skylights create spacious interior — Using skylights throughout the house to create a spacious and light-filled interior inside classic Victorian home

Window cut-outs with wooden frames serve as seats — Window cut-outs with wooden frames also serve as lovely seats for the homeowners

Amos and his assistants were a real pleasure to work with, at every stage of a complicated project. We hired him to design and oversee a full back-to-brick refurbishment of a Victorian terraced house in North London, including a substantial kitchen extension. Once begun the works lasted around 10 months. The design was nicely conceived and closely matched what we’d been hoping for.

Modern sitting room on upper level — Beautiful modern sitting room on the upper level with gray couch and blue chair

Custom windows and large glass doors bring ample natural light into the dining area and kitchen

Open-tread timber staircase replaces the old stairway in the home

Home office and reading room on the upper level with natural light and flexible sconce light

Contemporary makeover visible from a distance — Contemporary makeover of the multi-tiered Victorian home in North London is apparent even from a distance

This renovation is a clear example of how careful planning, targeted structural changes and an emphasis on daylight can revive an older property for modern living. By reorganizing the ground floor, introducing generous glazing and improving the flow of light throughout the house, the architects created a home that feels contemporary while respecting the character and proportions of its Victorian shell.

Photography: Rory Gardiner

Architecture and design: Amos Goldreich Architecture