Our brief at Greenwich House was to create the ultimate haven from demanding City jobs, designing a restorative home, with individuality and personality - for cosy evenings by the fire and relaxing weekends entertaining friends. The house required a complete refurbishment. The central staircase compromised flow, especially on the ground floor, while a rear addition had left the kitchen and back reception room isolated from the split-level garden. An existing semi-basement opened on to the lower garden level but, disconnected from the ground floor this space lacked purpose. By creating a staircase at the side of the house, our solution transformed the layout. The ground floor has been opened up, with a massive structural frame across the full width, and the original rear rooms and back addition have been united to form one large open-plan kitchen/ dining/ living area.