Houzz Tour: The Height of Luxury in a Modern Glass House

“It’s very playful,” says architect Matthew Brumby, referring to this glittering glass house in an exclusive enclave of north London. The impressive structure is a testament to architectural vision.

The project was the brainchild of London-based developer Kearsley, which purchased the site along with planning permission. The company brought in a team of architects, including Brumby, to help build the ultimate millionaire’s crash pad. With funding and a team of creative minds in place, the challenge was to amend the initial plans to create an edgy property — one that would stand out from the Victorian homes on the street and yet still be respectful to its surroundings. “We wanted to create a stunning architectural home in one of London’s premier roads,” Brumby says. “I think we exceeded expectations.”

Houzz at a Glance
Location: Redington Road, Hampstead, London
Architect: Matthew Brumby, Pennington Phillips
Size: 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms

The glass structure is built on the site of a former 1950s cottage on the grounds of an imposing Gothic mansion. Although the properties are now separate, permission was needed to cross the driveway of the larger house to gain access to this one. “It’s a stunning and luxurious home for a couple,” Brumby says. “It’s not really a house for kids.”


The main, open-plan living space is surrounded by towering sheets of glass. These bend over onto the roof, allowing light to flood the property while also giving the owner unobstructed views of the surrounding woodlands.

Life in a Glass House


Darkroom Architecture UK created the imposing fireplace surround, lending the edgy space a more industrial vibe. “It’s an artisan piece,” Brumby says. “It’s poured concrete that’s been layered up with pigment in the process, so it’s not a solid gray. The whole process is very artistic.”


The luxurious polished finish is juxtaposed with cracks — part of the effect — adding textured contrast to the sleek lines and finishes elsewhere in the house.


The glass-front, double-height living and dining area incorporates a cantilevered mezzanine level, which acts as a luxurious home office and reading area. “It has been designed with ultimate luxury in mind,” Brumby says. “We always wanted it to be an open-plan space, but it also had to have significant wow factor.”


The glass floor is designed to filter light through to a hallway that leads to two guest bedrooms underneath.


The wall of glass, supplied by Glass UK, has superthin frames for an almost uninterrupted view. “The joins are hidden between two pieces of glass, so all you see is a strip of gray paint,” Brumby says. “When you look at the house from the front, you just see a beautiful sheer face of glass, because the frame sits inside.”


The cantilevered upper floor makes for a glamorous office area. “It’s an amazing space where you can enjoy the views of Redington Road,” Brumby says. “You’re in your contemporary glass box, yet it’s almost as if you’re looking out onto the countryside. And it’s flooded with light up here. It’s just a great place to sit and think.” The seamless and railless glass balustrade opens the space up to the rest of the house, creating a floating feeling.


The back of the room looks out to mature trees, and the expanse of glass means the house feels connected to the outdoors.


A cantilevered staircase leads up to the mezzanine office area, which appears to be hanging from a tiny metal rod at the outer corner.

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The dark stained oak timber of the cantilevered staircase matches the flooring elsewhere in the house.


A glass balustrade appears to be wedged into the chunky treads and allows light to pass freely through this area.


The sleek Boffi kitchen filled with Gaggenau appliances is reflected in the black polished granite floor. “This room definitely has quite a masculine feel to it, a bit retro even,” Brumby says. “It’s an elite kitchen — everything is fully integrated, with beautiful finishes.” Slot lighting by Viabizzuno makes a stylish feature of the ceiling.


“We tried to maintain a galley kitchen feel in this room, almost like a container ship,” Brumby says. Long, sharp lines and a slot window running the length of the units lend a minimalist vibe to the space, which looks out toward the front of the house via a full-height window.

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Glass floor panels outside at the back of the house are another source of natural light for the guest bedrooms beneath. The lower floor is laid out as flexible bedroom and entertaining space, with the rear rooms designed to accommodate anything from a gym to a home cinema. “Essentially, this is a very decadent one-bedroom house with guest bedrooms,” Brumby says. “It’s a one-off piece of modern architecture.”

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