Our clients wanted a house in which the space would extend horizontally – rather than vertically as it does in most London houses. They had bought a dilapidated Victorian house in North London, with an external garage. We replaced the garage with a study and library, and built a glazed link to provide access between the library and the house. The local authority had been reluctant to allow the house to be enlarged. We persuaded them by designing a side extension that precisely mirrored the existing single bay, to give the impression of a house that had always been double-fronted. We increased the floor area by 65%.