Lofts are a magical place full of extra space for one’s flat or house. This space is usually closest to the sky and has the most potential for pure streaming sunlight!

London’s period properties and are a gold mine for these hidden and sometimes unexplored worlds, It is almost as though the Victorian terrace house was designed with this super future proofing in mind.

This recently completed loft on Huntingdon road in East Finchley was an absolute pleasure to work on. The trick, we find with lofts is to nail access first. DHaus created a large double height circulation space just above where the existing Victorian staircase ended, this space was dramatically emphasised with a giant skylight that encompasses the whole hallway and allows light to flood into the rooms below as if you are in a gallery or museum. Full height sliding pocket doors compliment the feeling of height, space and light. Carefully designed handmade bespoke cupboards fill every available space and more giant glass openings to the front and rear connect the rooms with the outside creating a feeling of infinity with the sky.

The land on which most of East Finchley now stands was once part of the Bishop of London’s hunting ground, named Finchley Common, first recorded around 1400. The Bishop of London built a road through his land which weaved through what is now Market Place, The Walks, King Street and Oak Lane up to the north. As a result, pubs such as The White Lion, The Bald Faced Stag and The Five Bells (on East End Road), all of which survive today, sprang up to provide rest for the people using the road.

The area of “East Finchley Village” around Church Lane was west of the common and Bulls Lane (now Church Lane) dates back to at least the 17th century. With the coming of the Great Northern Railway in 1868, the area began to emerge, and property was built gradually between the 1870s and the 1930s. However, it was not until 1914 that a more recognisable East Finchley High Road and surrounding area was visible.