The basement of a semi-detached house in leafy Canonbury has been transformed from a feeling of subterranean gloom into a light open plan kitchen/family room closely connected to its garden. The layout retains the original early Victorian plan form in principle, with its front and rear rooms divided by a spine wall, the staircase to one side of the rear room and the rear extension behind. The opening out has allowed a continuous flow between kitchen, dining, family room/conservatory, patio and garden, which means that the family can benefit from different arrangements of the space at different times of the year. Minimalist detailing was employed for new work, and insulation of existing walls and provision of underfloor heating reduces the need for radiators.A new system was introduced to encourage rainwater to drain naturally into the ground.