Ray House is a contemporary reimagining of a Victorian home in a conservation area in Dalston, created for a graphic designer and illustrator couple. The transformation replaces poor insulation, single glazing and gas heating with an all-electric, thermally efficient specification, bringing generous daylight deep into the plan. A new rear extension is crowned by a sunshine-yellow frieze patterned with stylised rays, addressing a re-landscaped garden and a compact annexe used as a music room. The result is a calm, hi-tech family setting that delivers present-day comfort and performance.
The spatial strategy streamlines circulation and clarifies the hierarchy of rooms, replacing a compartmentalised layout with clear sightlines and well-judged adjacencies. Structural steelwork is intentionally expressed to form a crisp threshold to the extension, allowing the architecture to frame views and bring order. The design brings legibility and calm to daily routines, preserving period character while asserting a confident contemporary language.
Internally, the scheme is conceived as a refined backdrop for the owners' art and furniture, with signature Memphis pieces curated alongside the new fabric. Specialist trades deliver bespoke elements to every room, from crafted joinery to considered hardware, giving tactility and depth without visual clutter. A restrained palette pairs raw materials with warm timber, enabling collections and everyday life to take centre stage within a coherent, personal environment.
Judges praised the project for assured space planning, meticulous detailing and expressive craftsmanship, noting how architecture, interiors and collections are woven into a singular, lived-in composition. The material language and colour accents were applauded for coherence and delight, while sustainability measures and an all-electric specification were cited as exemplary. Collectively, the panel considered it innovative, joyful and highly functional, repeatedly describing it as a standout scheme and a worthy winner. One judge remarked: “Ray House effortlessly draws on the owners' collection of Miami furniture stylistically and combines it with contemporary design with joy and excitement.”
