Monty Ravenscroft's Peckham House

I became instantly infatuated with Monty Ravenscroft's brilliant little house in the London neighborhood Peckham after seeing it in an episode of HGTV's World's Most Extreme Homes. Built on the tiniest of infill lots (before construction, left), and subject to building regulations that restricted it to only one story, the home's existence is an achievement in ingenuity. The Peckham House is small but large living, thanks to smart design and innovative features. Light and breezes pour into the main living space via a retractable glass roof. The main bedroom looks out onto a small but inviting deck and garden at the rear of the house. Two small, loft-like pods for a child's bedroom and a home office are tucked away overhead. Other fantastic ideas are a master bath open to the bedroom, a spa tub hidden beneath the bed (accessible by sliding the bed over on rails), glass partitions that turn opaque at the touch of a button, and a sink in a drawer.


You can view both a video trailer of the home as well as an animated virtual tour that give you a look at many of its unique features and its fresh, inspiring design. There are tons of great pics in the photo gallery too. The site is very personal. Ravenscroft hints at his struggles to build the home, and the wealth of wisdom he's gained from the experience, which he clearly hopes to build into his webpage so it can be shared with others. The site is still in development, and Ravenscroft is actively seeking feedback from others as to what they want to see and hear from him - so speak up!

Ravenscroft's Peckham house remind us all that inspiration and design are the key to living well. Challenges of cost and space can be overcome if we are willing to take a fresh look at our own notions about what a house should be and how we really live.


Image Credits - Peckham House site