Back Room Idyll

For this small scale retrofit of an existing room at the back of a house, new surfaces and insulation are applied to make the space more liveable throughout the 4 seasons.  New tilt-and-turn fibreglass windows replace the old fixed single pane windows, allowing for greater control of fresh air intake, and a significant improvement in thermal performance.  A new glazed door also replaces the old.

 

 

As the room faces primarily northward, a new skylight was installed for additional natural light, allowing the midday sun to directly penetrate in the summer months.  A light cove sits at the intersection between the plywood ceiling and the existing brick.  An adjustable light fixture is installed on the wall for reading or specific tasks. 

 

 

As the back yard acts as a small urban oasis, the design approach to finishing this existing room is to treat it more as a remote cabin, separate in character from the rest of the house.  Furniture-grade sanded plywood surfaces provide a rustic yet refined backdrop to enjoy and engage with the greenery beyond. 

 

 

The existing brick wall has been kept essentially as is, with its various layers of old paint visible.

 

End.