The Avenue, Jesmond, UK

The Brief

The client wanted to transform their traditional Jesmond home into a generous, open-plan family space suited to contemporary living, without losing the warmth and character of the original property. The ambition was to reconfigure the ground floor to create a seamless flow between kitchen, dining, and living areas, maximising space and natural light throughout. They wanted a design rooted in the heritage of the home but brought forward with clean lines, refined materials, and a timeless modern sensibility. The full brief was to be resolved as a complete design package: detailed technical drawings and photorealistic 3D renders with Virtual Reality capability, giving the clients and their build team a precise and immersive picture of the finished result before any work began on site.

Constraints

The principal spatial challenge was that the existing ground floor footprint did not naturally accommodate the generous open-plan layout the clients were seeking. The opportunity lay in reconfiguring part of the adjacent outbuilding and utility space, incorporating it into the main living area to meaningfully expand the kitchen and dining zone. Designing around the existing structure, including the original brick arch at the threshold between the outbuilding and the main house, required careful thought to ensure the transition felt architecturally considered and intentional. As a design and technical drawing project, the full scope of material selections, furniture specifications, and spatial decisions also needed to be resolved entirely at the design stage, so that the drawings and renders could serve as a complete and reliable guide for the build.

Design Approach

The design centred on creating a cohesive open-plan ground floor that respected the traditional proportions of the Jesmond property while introducing the clean, contemporary aesthetic the clients were after. Classic wall panelling was applied throughout to maintain a connection to the home's period character, while a palette of warm white cabinetry, marble surfaces, and rich herringbone parquet was introduced to bring timeless refinement to every zone. The incorporation of the outbuilding was treated as an opportunity from the outset. A Crittall-style steel and glass partition was introduced at the threshold between the original house and the newly incorporated space, preserving the architectural history of the junction and celebrating the original brick arch rather than concealing it. This detail became one of the most distinctive features of the design, allowing natural light to pass freely between the zones while giving the transition a deliberate, considered quality. The open-plan layout was zoned with care, with the kitchen island positioned as the anchor between the kitchen and dining areas and the living space beyond, ensuring each area felt distinct while reading as part of a single, unified interior. Photorealistic 3D renders were then produced to allow the client to experience the complete design before committing to the build, resolving every detail with confidence at the design stage.

Materials & Styling

The kitchen features white shaker-style cabinetry with brass hardware throughout, and a large waterfall island in white marble or marble-effect quartz with a contrasting deep walnut base and cream upholstered bar stools. Three statement pendants in a warm stone finish hang above the island, anchoring it as the centrepiece of the space. A dark wood sideboard with brass handles grounds the kitchen zone and introduces a note of warmth and depth. Herringbone parquet flooring in a warm walnut tone runs continuously through the full open-plan area, unifying the kitchen, dining, and living zones in a single unbroken material. Soft white wall panelling provides architectural texture and a period-appropriate backdrop throughout. The living area is furnished with a generous cream sofa, a cognac armchair, and a sculptural copper-toned pendant above. Large abstract artworks, including a bold yellow canvas and a series of botanical prints displayed within the panelling, bring colour and personality to the space. The dining zone features an organic sculptural light timber table paired with a mix of upholstered and natural wood chairs. Olive trees and organic ceramic vessels complete the styling, adding a quiet natural element across the renders.

The Outcome

The Avenue project demonstrates the full value of investing in thorough design and immersive visualisation before a build begins. The comprehensive package produced for the clients, encompassing precise floor plans, elevations, technical drawings, and photorealistic 3D renders with Virtual Reality capability, gave them and their build team a complete and confident picture of the finished home. Every spatial decision, material choice, and furniture specification was resolved at the design stage, enabling a smooth and well-informed transition into the build phase. The design itself achieves the brief with clarity and ambition. A beautifully resolved open-plan interior that brings together the warmth of the property's traditional character and the refinement of a considered, contemporary home. The reconfiguration of the outbuilding has unlocked real potential in the ground floor, creating a kitchen, dining, and living space that flows generously and feels entirely suited to the way the clients want to live.