Thoughtful reconfiguration and the addition of a rear extension come together to deliver a warm, inviting home tailored to meet the needs of a busy family. 

A collaborative and guided approach was intuitive in realising the brief for Clermiston Terrace. The clients approached Pend, trusting their expert knowledge to help determine their exact needs and how they wanted to live.

Once dictated by dark and confined spaces on the ground floor, Clermiston Terrace is now a connected family home that makes the most of the generous rear garden. Pend has introduced direct sightlines throughout the property, bolstering a synchronised domestic rhythm while allowing for the passive supervision of the clients’ two young daughters. 

Strategic intervention is managed throughout Clermiston Terrace to promote circulation and improve logical sense of the communal spaces. Previously, a small WC add-on to the rear of the property closed the house off from the garden as well as critically limiting the reach of daylight in the internal living spaces. This and the service areas of the home were removed, and brought into the centre of the ground floor plan, allowing for the rear of the property to be extended and opened up, reintroducing an abundance of natural light directly from the outdoors.

Pend’s problem solving is confidently showcased through various moments of Clermiston’s new form and function. A sewer line running through the property dictated the decision to have each of the pitches slipped in plan. Facing the rear elevation of the house, the new extension acts as a bold solution that overcomes the challenges of overshadowing and privacy concerns of neighbouring properties due to the sloped site.

Pend’s commitment to nurturing community resonates deeply at Clermiston Terrace, championing a deeply collaborative process within its interiors. The new home envelopes a small network of skilled craftspeople with whom Pend trusted to enhance the design, including work by local artist, Jemma Rathmore, which the client commissioned after seeing the artist’s work included in an architectural render of the kitchen.

The open-plan kitchen and dining space seamlessly flows onto a sunken patio, a dynamic outdoor extension of the living space. Designed and crafted in collaboration with Archispek, the kitchen is contemporary and robust, characterised by neat clean lines, but significantly warm in feeling. Softened by natural oak and off-white veneer cabinetry, the kitchen features exquisite white Calacatta marble countertops and a central island, which doubles as a breakfast bar.

Material palettes gracefully reverberate throughout the new home, through statement pieces such as the bespoke coffee table, marbled sink and tiling in the shower room, all which communicate tonally with the intricate glass mosaic entryway, custom made by a local ceramicist.

Throughout the Clermiston Terrace, the skilled application of natural materials cultivate an inviting and authentic atmosphere that will resonate with the family for years to come. Buff-toned Marziale brick was carefully selected to harmonise the extension with the existing structure while minimising visual contrast. The brick blends subtly between the red brick boundary walls and beige pebbledash rear elevation of the original house. Textural and visual interest is added through varied coursing patterns that break up the extension’s mass, allowing the existing rear elevation to blend into the background.

Pend applies the brick further here, extending it inside along an interior wall to continue the boundary wall, creating continuity between the garden and home. The design prioritises a warm and cohesive aesthetic, combining natural tones and materials to complement the robust material, resulting in a neutral scheme that feels inviting, soft and functional.

Floor-to-ceiling oak cabinetry extends from the kitchen and spans along the south elevation towards the patio doors, subtly marking a shift from kitchen to dining spaces. Discreet underfloor heating further enhances the new nest-like environment for the home’s residents and guests. Above, a large rooflight with three exposed timber beams introduces yet more light into the living space, cultivating a sense of retreat.

Further intervention instructs new spaces built for privacy and calm amongst the family. An intimate seating snug is adjoining but gently independent from the main kitchen-dining area. A large east-facing double-glazed window looks out onto a raised flower bed and outdoor seating area, a quieter counterpoint to the sunken patio’s more dynamic energy; the varied garden levels are a thoughtful way of signalling the two zones of the extension. Inside, the window seat designed by Pend, dappled with natural light on sunny mornings or ambiently illuminated by the adjustable wall mounted Malamatta light by Luceplan, is an inviting and cosy spot for any time of day.

In the snug, an internal window has been punched through the wall, creating a clear line of sight through the home, from the front door through to the garden. Pend’s design intervention enhances the quality of natural light filtering through to the central spaces of the plan, including the children’s playroom which is located on the other side of the internal window and within sight from the front living room. In time, this versatile space will shift into a compact study snug with garden view.

Clermiston Terrace exemplifies Pend’s ability to expertly guide clients supportively and thoughtfully. The practice has delivered a home that is both practical and deeply inviting, prioritising a design which is intimate, joyful, and robust, well suited to a growing young family with busy working parents. The result is not just a beautifully reimagined property but a long-term home—a mature space to connect and lay down roots for years to come.

Jamie Anderson, director, Pend Architects, said: “We were approached by a doctor and dentist with a young, growing family to design and deliver a holistic vision for their home. Located on a sloping site in a dense residential suburb of Edinburgh, the project presented several complex challenges, including the protection of daylight to neighbouring properties, the need for a substantial retaining wall and the location of a combined sewer underneath.

“Through close collaboration and a trusting relationship between the clients and Project Architect Ben MacFarlane, we were able to deliver a comprehensive approach for Clermiston Terrace, distilling the constraints into a clean, simple geometry of two pitched volumes, that slide and intersect, creating distinct yet connected spaces that are both functional and intimate for modern family life.

“Externally, we selected materials that were contemporary in their form and detail, yet tonally contextual within the backdrop of brick and pebbledash. These materials were continued inward to create a material palette that feels robust enough for busy family life, yet warm and tactile to promote moments of calm.

“This highly integrated design was made possible by a collaborative process with our main contractor, Rollo Developments and trusted local suppliers and partners. Highlights include a bespoke kitchen by Archispek, interiors and furnishings by Catalog Interiors, artwork by Jemma Rathore, and a custom mosaic by Cyrielle Holahan. We’re incredibly grateful to our clients for entrusting Pend with the transformation of their family home.”

Jane and Sam Arman, clients, said: “From the first meeting, Pend truly understood our vision for a family home, transforming the house into a bright, connected, inviting space perfectly aligned to our lifestyle. From carefully chosen materials to how we interact with the space, every element of our home has been thoughtfully considered – it is both highly functional and beautiful. Pend’s guiding and collaborative approach made a daunting prospect easy and fun, and the result is more than we could have imagined.”

Photography by ZAC and ZAC