London-based Fraher Architects have completed a house extension in Islington that is wrapped in larch batons and has a flower-covered roof.

Adjoining the rear of the listed house, the timber-clad extension contains a study and a dining room with an oversized glass door to the garden.

Benches and fences lining this garden terrace are made of the same timber.

A serpent-like lamp illuminates the terrace at night, while matching orange lamps light up the new dining room beneath a rectangular skylight.

The roof over the dining room is split into two halves, which pitch in different directions and enable rainwater collection.

Modest residential extensions are common in London neighbourhoods - see our earlier stories about a house extended by just a metre and a zinc-clad extension squeezed into a wedge of land.

Photography is by Andy Matthews.

Here are some more details from Joe and Liz Fraher:

The Jewel Box

Intended for a reputable silversmith and QC the brief called for complete renovation and extension to provide a dining area and garden room. This Grade II listed building is located in the prominent Colebrook row conservation area.

Conceived as a series of jewelled boxes carefully inserted into the existing fabric, the proposals open up and revitalise what was a series of dark disjointed spaces. Timber and concrete have been combined in a simple palette of materials that wrap around the existing fabric, inviting the user through the space and into the garden. The remaining period architectural features are retained and celebrated whilst the rear addition utilises a double canted wildflower roof to bounce light deep into the floor plate.

Click above for larger image

A hidden garden study provides a place of contemplation overlooking the south facing courtyard garden.

Click above for larger image

Sustainable Scottish Larch combines with a series of green roofs to soften the junctions of the insertion and provides a habitat for local wildlife. Super insulation and rainwater storage add to the eco credentials of the scheme.